All rights are equal but some rights are more equal than others

 Still interesting times in Coronaland. Even though the vaccine is now available no real relief is even in sight for most of us. Actually I am back to the dark days of March 2020 with no cleaning woman, no nanny, no school and a very demanding job.

Nevertheless something has changed, or better something has become more apparent which was hidden before. The whole load of restrictions imposed in the name of public health have raised many questions with respect to which rights are untouchable and which rights can relatively easily be taken away.

One would think that the necessity of a certain measure and its level of enforcement should be proportional to the effect of this measure to achieving the goal of general public health. Now this way of thinking is apparently a way too simple compared to what we see happening in many countries.

The best example is getting vaccinated. The consequence of making vaccination mandatory is pretty obvious, we will get rid of this misery in the fastest possible way. In spite of the overwhelmingly large effect, there is not one single country that is making vaccination mandatory. Our right to choose on this matter is very well protected.

Now let's look at the closing of primary schools. The consequence of this measure is at best unmeasurable at worst non existent. In spite of this schools are closed in many countries. Clearly our right to education is a much lesser right that the freedom to choose on how to be medicated (even during a worldwide medical emergency).

Does this say something? It certainly does to me and it does unsettle me.

I really get upset when I go one level deeper in the details. Let me tell you more

The Netherlands have already blundered beyond comment when it comes to vaccination, but the best so far is the further delay built in vaccinating people in retirement homes. There was already quite some delay build in the schedule but at a certain point somebody realized that a good part of the inhabitants of these homes have legal guardians, since they are not able to take (medical) decisions by themselves. So far so good. 

Apparently it is regulated by law that guardians not only need to be informed per post on availability of a vaccine but the institute also needs to provide the exact brand and the exact location where this vaccination will take place as well as give the guardians several weeks of time to make their decision. 

In the current logistic debacle around Covid vaccinations, this legal detail caused several week of delay to the whole country schedule (for all groups). In spite of the very damaging effect, this right was very well protected.

I know that I am walking on eggs here but I just had to get it out of my system since I am starting to think that sometimes (quoting Jane Austen here) we are so eager to do what is right that we forget to do what is right