Anti-Vaxxer and Pro-Choice Crusade continues to grow

Opposition to the Covid-19 vaccinations continues to grow and Cairns’ pro-choice and anti-vaxxers will again rear their head when they launch a protest on the Esplanade on Saturday.

An August protest in Cairns attracted more than 700 protesters.

And to further this crusade, NewsCorp is reporting that more than 10,000 vaccine dissidents have joined a new Facebook group for Far North Queensland business owners to flaunt their opposition to the state’s jab mandate.

“The Businesses Opposing a Passport: Cairns and Far North Queensland group has existed for less than a week but is already notching up a considerable online reach,” according to the report.

Their focus is on the negligence of government placing the burden on businesses in the absence of a mandatory vaccination.

Meanwhile, GardaWorld, the world’s largest privately owned security company, has posted the following on their website: “Activists plan to hold protests in multiple cities across Australia on November 20 to denounce COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine requirements they claim inhibit personal freedoms.”

Rallies

Organisers have announced pro-choice / anti-vax rallies starting at 12:00 noon at the following locations:

• Adelaide: Rundle Park;
• Brisbane: Brisbane City Botanic Gardens;
• Bundaberg: Lions Park;
• Cairns: Muddys Northside;
• Darwin: The Esplanade (15:00 ACST);
• Gympie: Lake Alford Park;
• Hobart: Parliament Lawns;
• Melbourne: Parliament House;
• Mt Gambier: Vansittart Park;
• Perth: Forrest Place;
• Sydney: Hyde Park;
• Townsville: Strand Rockpool and
• Warrnambool: Civic Green.

“Protests are possible in other cities and towns nationwide; gatherings may occur at government buildings and public parks and squares. Participation in demonstrations will likely range from dozens to several hundred people in most locations. However, thousands of people could join protests in major cities, especially Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

“Security personnel will likely monitor the protests and may disperse particularly disruptive gatherings or violate local COVID-19 restrictions. Skirmishes between police and protesters are possible. Localised transport disruptions are possible, especially near protest sites,” says GardaWorld.

Chaos looms come December 17

With less than a month to the December 17 deadline when those who are not fully vaccinated will not be permitted into pubs, cafes, restaurants, among other venues, Douglas Shire businesses are faced with the task of policing this government legislation.

“This is going to make for an interesting and perhaps chaotic time for business. If you run a pub, for example, and you have to turn people away, it could become ugly. There is no perfect solution to this,” said a business owner who requested anonymity.

On Tuesday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said 82.2 per cent of Queenslanders had received a single dose, and 70.5 per cent were fully vaccinated.

Cairns is sitting on 83 per cent first doses and 70.6 per cent double-vaxxed.

Vaccine hesitancy

Wikipedia, meanwhile, profers an understanding of vaccine hesitancy:

Vaccine hesitancy is a delay in acceptance, or refusal of vaccines despite the availability of vaccine services.

The term covers outright refusals to vaccinate, delaying vaccines, accepting vaccines but remaining uncertain about their use, or using certain vaccines but not others.

“Anti-vaccinationism” refers to total opposition to vaccination; in more recent years, anti-vaccinationists have been known as "anti-vaxxers" or "anti-vax".

Vaccine hesitancy is complex and context-specific, varying across time, place and vaccines. It can be influenced by factors such as lack of proper scientifically-based knowledge and understanding about how vaccines are made or how vaccines work, complacency, convenience, or even a fear of needles.