by Harvey Oberfeld
Keeping It Real…
January 23, 2021
The BC NDP government has made race a criteria in determining WHO will get vaccinated WHEN against Covid.
In a media briefing Friday, Premier John Horgan, Health Minister Adrian Dix and Provincial Heath Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry repeatedly emphasized AGE would be the determining factor in mass vaccination scheduling.
“Age is the predominate determinate factor in illness and death,” Horgan emphasized.
” “We know that the single-greatest risk factor for illness and death from COVID-19 is increasing age,” added Dr. Henry.
And their friends in the complacent, compliant media reported the story just the way the NDP government wanted it: it will be all about AGE.
Not quite!
The full schedule the NDP rolled out made a HUGE exception: ALL indigenous British Columbians over 65 … even those in superb health, living off reserve in urban areas, where full medical services are available … will still be moved AHEAD of all their neighbours: people of other races (whites, blacks, Asians) 65 to 80 years old … to get their vaccinations months before they do.
The new BC vaccination schedule is quite clear:
Phase One (current) has emphasized: long-term care home and assisted living residents; those awaiting long term care admissions; essential visitors; health care workers in Covid treatment areas, paramedics; and remote and Indigenous communities.
Now don’t confuse this latest racist rollout with the previous government decision to vaccinate in REMOTE communities, where Covid could spread like wildfire and where health treatment facilities are limited.
I believe most British Columbians understood and supported taking care to protect those vulnerable communities.
But now the NDP is going further: dividing the rest of BC’s population along racial lines .. and giving preferential treatment to some.
Phase Two: February and March will include seniors over 80, additional groups of health-care workers, vulnerable populations (shelters, group homes), nursing-home staff and … INDIGENOUS SENIORS OVER 65, anywhere in the province, even if they’re in perfect health.
Non-Indigenous 65 years olds, however, will have to wait until May … three months later: even those suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes … serious life threatening conditions.
In fact, the Indigenous 65 year olds will also be vaccinated AHEAD of others 70 to 79 years old too, again even those with compromised health conditions, who will have to wait until Phase Three … April to get their first shot (barring any further delays).
Surely, EVERYONE living in major urban or medically-served rural towns and cities throughout BC should be treated equally!
The government has not explained or produced any clinical evidence to explain the discriminatory preferential treatment for Indigenous community members over 65. Nor has the media demanded it. (Surprised?)
So I took a break from my “retirement” and phoned the government’s Health Ministry “Communications” office in Victoria and offered them a chance to explain.
No response. (I guess bloggers aren’t considered worthy by the NDP government … except before elections, when the NDP sent me ALL their press releases and even invites to their Media events).
No big deal, though, because the FULL truth about the government’s handling of Covid IS getting out, despite their friends among the “working” media ignoring or downplaying it.
And the latest polls show that.
” Most BC Residents (57%) Give Provincial Government Low Scores for Rollout of Vaccination Plan To Date; Significant Number (38%) Not Impressed With Priority List,” concluded an Insights West poll done Jan 13-18.
Now that the full vaccination schedule has been released, and we know several front-line groups AND most of those up 79 years old, even with compromised health systems, will wait extra months … while Indigenous British Columbians 65, even in great health, go AHEAD of them … the NDP should begin to understand why it’s dropping in the polls.
Harv Oberfeld
