A couple of weeks ago, both Alberta’s health minister Adriana LaGrange and BC’s Dr. Bonnie Henry rolled out their fall and winter vaccination plans for influenza and COVID. Although studies have shown that as much as 80 per cent of the population has been infected with the virus, at least once, and combined with the vaccines, there is a good level of immunity. Both, BC and Alberta residents can get the Covid booster in early October. 

            ‘Did you notice that when a reporter asked Premier Danielle Smith and minister La Grange if they would get the booster, they were rather cagey with their answers?’ I asked Camp. ‘Look, I’m a healthy person, I tend to take care of my immune system,” Smith said at a news conference and La Grange echoed her and said: ‘I’m very healthy as well and have a healthy immune system. And you know what?’ she doubled down, ‘I also believe that this is a personal decision for individuals to make.’

            ‘No surprise there. They are both old school anti-vaccers, Covid deniers and Freedom-Convoy supporters, although they would never say it out loud these days.’

            ‘Yeah, I get that,’ I said, ‘what really bothers me is that they can be so wrong. It’s not about those two and their healthy immune system. It’s about if they contract the virus and pass it on to somebody vulnerable and compromised. They are just thinking about themselves. Calling the vaccine a personal choice, misses the target by miles. It’s a choice for the health of the community, for the others, for the common good.’

            ‘You’d think they would get that being politicians and representing their community but they are not alone. Many people mix up personal freedom with bad choices for the community,’ Camp said.

‘Between Sept. 3 and 23, there were 21 confirmed cases of RSV and 52 cases of influenza. For COVID-19, there were a total of 1,470 confirmed cases that resulted in 286 hospitalizations, with 13 ICU admissions. Twenty Albertans died during that three-week period because of COVID.’

‘I read that COVID-19 hospitalizations across Canada have increased since August from nearly 1,500 to more than 2,700 this past week. ‘Are you gonna get the booster,’ I asked.’

            ‘I probably will. I might even try and get the newly approved Novavax, protein based shot, rather than the mRNA from Pfizer and Moderna. Mix and match. Like Danielle Steel, I’m not really worried about myself but as a book store owner I do get to see a lot of people with health issues and I certainly don’t want to pass anything on if I can prevent it.’

            ‘Exactly. Not only that. It’s free.’

            ‘What’s free?’ Rosie asked when she took our empties but forgot to bring a couple of refills.

            ‘The Covid booster, and the influenza vaccine,’ I said.

            ‘Oh that. I’ve had Covid twice already and I think I’m immune now.’

            ‘Maybe, maybe not. Being a server, I would probably be more careful and get all the protection I could. If you get it and pass it on to us two, we won’t be happy.’

            ‘I shouldn’t have said anything because now Rosie ignored us and I had to get our refills at the bar.’

            Camp thought it was funny until I told him I put them on his tab.