As I wrote in September last year, Corona passes (aka QR code) were starting to become a fashionable item in everyone's bag, or to be more precise, in everyone's smartphone. Well, true, not quite everyone, but in most cases, the vaccinated ones. And at that point in time, almost no one raised concerns about this policy. That is doing more evil than it fixes, and that's pretty much useless. But there were some voices against it. And one of this voices was the State Secretary of Economic Affairs, Mona Keijzer.
Mona Keijzer got fired due to this matter, by not showing solidarity with the insane Rutte's cabinet decision. But she raised a valid point. Unfortunately, all the discussions against such passes were quickly suppressed, and Ms. Keijzer served as an example for the rest of doubtful people. Rutte was unable to enforce his preferred version of passes, so called 2G, but still he went on with 3G version (allowing also negative tests to be counted).
But ... times are a-changing*.
More and more voices are starting to heavily question these passes.
The effect of the 3G coronavirus access pass policy on the pandemic is currently so limited that it may as well be abolished, three experts said to NU.nl.
A recent study by TU Delft showed that the 2G and 3G access policies aren't very effective against the current high number of Covid-19 infections caused by the extra contagious Omicron variant. The 1G policy would be more effective, though there are practical problems with testing so many people every day.... In the past weeks, infections skyrocketed, resulting in more people building up natural protection.
But what's interesting (and changed from the previous year), is that the people are thinking now a different approach could be in place. That there are alternatives, and not the only official way.
"But the effect has become a lot smaller. I am happy that the discussion can now be held," he (Niek Mouter, the author of the TU Delft study - n.a.) said to NU.nl.
You have to be careful how you're saying it (not to give a too strong opinion), but overall, the message is clear:
Epidemiologists Patricia Bruijning and Frist Roosendaal told NU.nl that the 3G access policy is still dampening the spread of the coronavirus, but the effect is minimal. And that effect will become smaller in the coming weeks.
Roosendaal is also adding (the obvious, for most of us):
3G is aimed at slowing down the pandemic. "That doesn't work now because you can get the virus everywhere. It's a matter of mopping with the tap open. Vaccines also don't prevent all Omicron infections. So the mop you're using is also broken."
Most likely vaccines don't prevent most of the Omicron infections, but again, people are trying to stay on the safe side in declarations.
"You actually keep things away from people who were properly vaccinated. I find that a bit strange," Roosendaal said.
Which it will get even more strange: the passes are set now to expire as the time goes by, so even the initial vaccinated will be soon on the wrong side of the fence (if they don't agree to booster the hell out of them, that is).
And along these lines, Mona Keijzer is back in action. She's currently doing a petition against Corona passes, which, you might say, it's for nothing. But the action is there and it's raising awareness. And even if, from the legal point of view doesn't mean much, it's a way to express some general opinion and consolidate a group in the pursuit of a common goal: in this case, the freedom of life as we experienced before 2020.
It's an interesting period to follow: on one hand, more states are starting to drop most of Covid restrictions, like Denmark , UK or Sweden. On the other hand, the governments that were so vocal last year about vaccinations and restrictions don't want to give back, and eventually admit that the pandemic is now over. The industry created around it still wants to milk the cow. And that will result, no matter how we put it, in a direct conflict between the citizens of a country and their ruling class.
*
Come gather 'round people, wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth saving
Then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone
For the times, they are a-changing (Bob Dylan)
