Australia-Singapore infectious disease expert Dale Fisher changed his mind about herd immunity, and the problem of transmission by vaccinated people in just five months-Fisher learnt from the Singapore experience, Australia must wait until Morrison, Berejiklian, Andrews et al find a political solution to save face

by Ganesh Sahathevan 

On 14 April 2021 , Dale Fisher told CNBC:  

“We’re not trying to eradicate it, we’re trying to stop out-of-control community transmission. In that sense, we can achieve (herd immunity),” said Dale Fisher, professor of infectious diseases at the National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

By 10 September 2021 however, in an apparent about face he told the AFR: 

The concept of herd immunity is that when enough people around you are vaccinated, you’re shielded. But when vaccinated people can actually transmit it, you are not shielded. There is no herd immunity.

Fisher seems to have been affected by the Singapore experience where cases started climbing after  80% of the population was fully vaccinated.

The data from Singapore, and from Israel is well publicised, and it is highly unlikely that Australia's political leaders, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian , are unaware of that data.

It does appear that they are attempting to find a political solution to their problem for they did assure everyone that vaccination will enable herd immunity and allow life to go back to normal.

Sunday, September 19, 2021

There is no herd immunity in Singapore "because the vaccinated people can actually transmit it" : Australia-Singapore infectious disease expert Dale Fisher's diagnosis applies to Australia

Gladys Berejiklian's politically driven vaccine messaging continues 

to be proven false, and a danger to public health 

by Ganesh Sahathevan

In an interview with Emma Connors published in the Australian Financial Review Australian  infectious disease expert Dale Fisher who now lives and works in Singapore said: 

The concept of herd immunity is that when enough people around you are vaccinated, you’re shielded. But when vaccinated people can actually transmit it, you are not shielded. There is no herd immunity.



Fisher was speaking about the situation in Singapore, but he had this warning for Australia:

It is clear the vaccine alone is not going to be enough. So Western Australia, for example, is going have to say, ‘OK, well done. We’re all vaccinated. We’re opening the borders, put your masks on.’”

Fisher's warning goes against everything Australians have been told by their political leaders, especially NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian who continues to assert that COVID contagion can only be managed if the vaccinated limit their interactions to others who are vaccinated. She has instructed businesses to lock-out customers and workers who are not vaccinated., threatening heavy penalties for non-compliance. 

TO BE READ WITH 

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Gladys Berejiklian should follow in the example of HK legislator Regina Ip, submit to regular tests of COVID antibodies, and make the results public : Berejiklian's constituents have a right to know if it is safe to be anywhere near her

by Ganesh Sahathevan








Hong Kong lawmaker Regina Ip gets BioNTech jab after

 no antibodies detected from Sinovac vaccines

In June this year Hong Kong legislator Regina Ip tweeted that she was completely protected from COVID by her China made Sinovac vaccine. Last week however she announced that the level of Sinovac induced COVID antibodies had fallen to nothing, and that she needed a Pfizer booster.

Ms Ip's first announcement could be seen as a promotion for Sinovac, but to her credit, she has made public her condition, and her need for a Pfizer booster. She has not attempted to hide anything, when she could have easily done so.

The same however cannot be said of Australia's Gladys Berejiklian, the premier of NSW, who has had much to say about her fear of being among the unvaccinated (despite being an old style hand shaking, body hugging politician) but who refuses to say whether she remains protected by her AstraZeneca vaccine (see story below). 

 Berejiklian  should follow in the example of  Regina Ip,  submit to regular tests of COVID  antibodies, and make the results public. Her constituents, many of whom are from Hong Kong and China, have a right to know if it is safe to be anywhere near her.

TO BE READ WITH 

Saturday, September 11, 2021

WA Premier Mark McGowan considers NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian COVID unclean, despite Berejiklian's brahminic/rabbinic attitude to the unvaccinated : MccGowan does not believe that Berejiklians' AZ vaccine will make her (and other vaccinated) not contagious

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

The WA Premier Mark McGowan will keep his state closed to NSW , even to the vaccinated: 

WA's border to remain closed to NSW for Christmas regardless of vaccination status

Mr McGowan has not budged on his hard border stance, today explaining vaccinated people could still spread COVID-19.

"Even though you might be vaccinated, you can still transmit the virus," he said

There are no exceptions to this rule, including NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian who has taken a somewhat Brahminic or rabbinic attitude to COVID, declaring that she will not want to be around anyone who is unvaccinated. 

TO BE READ WITH 

NSW Premier Gladys Beerjiklian restates, in stronger terms, her lack of confidence in her own AZ vaccine: Even more reasons why Vaccitech share price is likely to remain below IPO price

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

This latest and stronger  condemnation of the AstraZeneca vaccine (Vaccitech), coincides with Dame Professor Sarah Gilbert's attempts to promote and defend her vaccine in Australia (see below).