Suzanne Harrington: Vaccine debate is more in your face than Brexit

It has reached a point where disclosing whether you have been jabbed or not can influence how people respond to you

I am having lunch with a good friend, Science Nerd, who remains masked up until the point of fork entering mouth. He is cross that not all the other diners are following quite such a strict protocol – we are in a hippie vegan place full of white people with dreadlocks sipping hemp smoothies –but even though he accepts that many are pandemic jaded, he cannot comprehend vaccine scepticism. His parents are consultant microbiologists. He has no time for anti-vaxxers.

Luckily we are good enough friends that I can ask all kinds of stupid questions and still remain friends. Like what about when people say that the vaccine changes your DNA. He practically snorts hemp smoothie out each nostril. THAT’S WHAT VIRUSES AND VACCINES DO, he thunders. THAT’S THEIR FUNCTION. DID YOU NOT PAY ATTENTION IN BIOLOGY CLASS? I mutter something about possibly having nipped out for a fag during that particular lesson.