>>1. What is the quantifiable clinical gain from vaccination either in reducing infectivity or reducing absenteeism
I don't know about effectivity, but one assumes that if reduces the amount of sneezing then it has an impact.
Surely with regard to absenteeism there can be little doubt? If it is reducing hospitalisation then less nurses, for example, will get hospitalised and therefore less absent from work.
>>2. Is the gain one worth the cost in terms of staff goodwill and possible union action.
I think the NHS, and it's staff, are getting above themselves.
The NHS is better than no NHS, of that I have no doubt. I live a lot in countries without an NHS and it's always bad. But the NHS is actually not very good beyond that. It is the philosophy which is good, not the implementation.
And bear in mind I have made extensive use of the US, Brazilian, Chilean and UK health systems with occasional dalliances in others.
Health care outside the UK is 100% always a better customer care experience. And that is of significant importance. Convenience is one thing, but lack of stress for ill people is another. Customer care in the UK NHS system is crap. I generalise, of course. There are very many very good people working in the NHS, but not most of them.
It was only a few years ago when one of mine was in hospital that I ended up caring for (changing, comforting etc) a small child in the bed opposite mine. The response of the nurses? "It's our job to treat them, not care for them. We're not his mother". They also did an excellent job of almost killing my child (no exaggeration) because they didn't want to do another operation that evening. Admittedly they had had a bad day.
My impression is that the actual medical care is pretty good once you get to the treatment, though I am no expert.. But everything surrounding it is s***. From the admin to the care.
All this s***e about the NHS being the best in the world is just that, s***e. It's underfunded, badly run and over-impressed with it's own excellence. It's given political targets and unwarranted media praise.
So "possible union action" to me immediately makes me long for the NHS "Miners" moment.
And "staff goodwill"?? They're not doing anybody any favours, it's their job.
I have no sympathy. Get the damn jab.
|