DEAR Jasminda,

How do we deal with friends who want to come and stay over the holidays who are not vaccinated?

I’m not so much worried about our health, but we are in contact with vulnerable people, and I would be devastated if they were to contract COVID.

Mr Jordan P.

 

Jordan, I have been pondering this one for a while also.

There are people in my family who are immuno-compromised and then there are relatives who are young, fit, and healthy, but not vaccinated.

Although I am a reasonably well-qualified person, my qualifications are not in infection control or immunology and so in these situations, I defer to the experts.

I also ask two questions in relation to any advice: 1. Does this person have an ulterior motive for the information they are providing?

2. Is this information backed up by the person’s area of expertise or is it simply their opinion under the guise of expertise?

If it is the latter, they are nothing more or less than an opinionist, and an opinionist, however amusing or hilarious or shocking or disgruntled or provocative they seem, is in the game of entertaining, provoking, and sometimes (after one too many vodka, lime and sodas) denigrating others for their own endgame.

Unfortunately, social media has enabled anyone with a device to spread information (and misinformation) and it is sometimes those who yell the loudest who get the attention.

In your situation, I would suggest that you assess any risk, think of those who, to the best of your knowledge, may not be protected where there is risk, and use that information to decide.

Next time, Jordan, can you please ask me a question about dealing with whining teenagers, absconding pets (and/or husbands), too-tight activewear, whether colour-coding pegs is a disorder, date night disasters or any number of subjects that I am able to answer with a fair degree of confidence and experience.

Until then,
Stay safe.
Carpe diem, Jasminda.