By Dr. Manon Bolliger [ND] (de-registered as a naturopathic physician)
I can appreciate that those who followed the mandates and placed their trust in “the science,” the appointed experts, the media and the pharmaceutical companies sincerely believe they have done the right thing.
But are we aware as a collective that there are many people who should not risk taking these shots?1 Are we aware that those who have naturally acquired immunity are at greater risk of side effects from vaccines? 2 A recent study in Vancouver supports further investigation of how anti-body-reactivity may impact the clinical severity of COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 vaccine responses. 3
In the Lancet, a respected medical journal, in an article entitled “Covid-19: stigmatizing the unvaccinated is not justified,” Gunter Kampf warns us that both the unvaccinated and vaccinated play a relevant role in the pandemic.4 This is why some countries have chosen to focus only on the most affected of our society, have spared the children who have statistically no benefit from these shots, respected natural immunity, and like Japan, are leading the way to “No Force, No discrimination.” 5
Recent research has confirmed that the vaccines neither confer long-term immunity nor stop the spread, rendering them, defacto questionable as “vaccines.” In fairness to the pharmaceutical industries, their aim was to reduce illness and death and never claimed the injections would prevent infection or reduce transmission. In fact, even the health “experts” like Dr. Anthony Fauci have admitted that the vaccinated and the unvaccinated are the same in terms of viral load. In fact, he claims that the vaccinated harbour more virus than the unvaccinated.
Let’s face it, your innate immune system is your front line of defence. When infection succeeds in getting beyond the innate immune system in the upper respiratory tract, the adaptive immune system is engaged. This allows antibodies and other cellular defences to be created against many different aspects of the coronavirus (not just the spike protein). By contrast, COVID injection recipients’ adaptive immune systems are triggered unnaturally to create antibodies only against the coronavirus spike proteins. This leads them to not only depend on regular boosters, but in turn reduces their own natural immune system’s responses. The artificial adaptive antibodies are sub-optimal in neutralizing coronavirus, therefore there is a risk of “antibody dependant enhancement.” This has been observed in prior animal studies where animals who had received the vaccine and later were exposed to the virus, died in all cases. 6
Since less than 0.3 per cent of COVID-19 infections are fatal, with a study from March 2021 finding deaths generally occurring in extremely elderly, obese or unhealthy people, 7 it is important to make informed decisions on our health. Countries such as Israel are now on their fourth booster, and yet they have some of the highest COVID-19 rates. The public health authorities are saying we may need continual boosters to maintain antibody levels. However, the artificial adaptive immunity does not adapt as well as natural immunity to variants. Vaccines are not risk-free. With each booster comes a risk of adverse reactions.
There is emerging data on serious consequences and deaths from this adopted solution such as cardiomyopathies, 8 neurological issues, acquired immunodeficiency syndromes, 9 inflammatory bowel disease and “unexplained” increases in cancers, miscarriages and infertility. 10 We cannot really know the long-term impact of this apparently “quick fix” solution on our health, and as professor of risk management Norman Fenton shares we may not have the true mortality rates correct. 11
I believe that we risk prolonging the pandemic by counting solely on vaccine-induced immunity rather than working with our entire community to reach herd immunity. Because these vaccines are targeted and bind to only the virus spike protein, not only do they override the antibodies of the innate immune system, they also produce less broad protection. With this narrow focus these antibodies override the innate immune system from engaging future infections. This eliminates the first and most important line of defence, the innate immune system, from both fighting the infection and adapting for future variants.
A risk-benefit assessment is essential for any treatment, including vaccine therapy.
If the vaccine companies have negotiated indemnity from the consequences for their trials, ending late 2022/early 2023, who will pick up the pieces for our seriously injured? For our strained economy?
Should we allow our government to act as our doctors and make decisions for us as business owners? Decisions for us as families telling us who and whom we can invite?
While many took the vaccine to benefit society, how beneficial is it to have a divided society? Why are our freedoms being treated like privileges? Have we lost our way as Canadians?
The writer has been a naturopathic physician for 30 years and is recently retired. She divides her time between Salt Spring and Bowen islands.
Editor’s note: Links to sources for footnoted items in this submitted opinion piece are hyperlinked in the preceding sentences.
Thank you for taking the time to write this helpful and reassuring piece.
Take some salts and don’t clog up the hospitals when you get sick.
Dear Editor:
It’s quite irresponsible for you to run this article on the very same day that our island has nine new cases of Covid reported in the previous week. I personally know three people who are intensely health and immunity minded who caught Covid and who were severely sick for four to six weeks.
The first link to GreatGameIndia.com tells you all you need to know. The site is considered one of the original “superspreaders” of Covid vaccine conspiracies:
https://apnews.com/article/conspiracy-theories-iran-only-on-ap-media-misinformation-bfca6d5b236a29d61c4dd38702495ffe
https://www.wired.com/story/opinion-how-one-particular-coronavirus-myth-went-viral/
Anyone who takes vaccine advice from a naturopath gets what they have coming to them.
~ Jack Nelson, Salt Spring
From Wikipedia: Naturopathy is a form of alternative medicine that employs an array of pseudoscientific practices. Treatments range from outright quackery, and are based on vitalism and folk medicine rather than evidence-based medicine (EBM). Naturopathic practitioners commonly recommend against following modern medical practices, including but not limited to medical testing, drugs, vaccinations, and surgery. Instead, naturopathic practice relies on unscientific notions, often leading naturopaths to diagnoses and treatments that have no factual merit. Naturopathy is considered by the medical profession to be ineffective and harmful, raising ethical issues about its practice. In addition to condemnations and criticism from the medical community, such as the American Cancer Society, have repeatedly been denounced as and accused of being charlatans and practicing quackery.
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Thank you Dr. Bolliger for voicing your opinion in an opinion article.
I am concerned for you that you appear to believe that Free Speech still exists in our country.
That kind of thinking comes from a time long ago, before social media and cancel culture, and the destruction of the English language in favour of political correctness and tender feelings. It was a time where ideas were freely exchanged among enthusiastic intellectuals eager for debate, and the winners and losers remained friends after.
Today we use what is referred to as ‘the official narrative’ that is endorsed by government, business, and the media. Anything that runs contrary to the official narrative is either fake news or misinformation.
I expect that you wrote this with the kindest of intentions, as any reasonable man would expect from a medical practitioner, and with the sincere hope of educating some of those who were still on the fence about injections.
But it is well past the time for winning converts.
Most of our citizens have already looked to our politicians for guidance and directions to follow, and they have signed up and lined up for one, two and three injections. The consensus is that they will continue to be injected until our politicians tell them they are allowed to stop.
Cognitive bias will ensure that at no time will any new or contrary information be presented to the majority to conflict with this commitment. Censorship will help to restrict the exchange of ideas.
The people who do not agree with your choice of what goes into your body will now attack your profession, your intellect, and your rights as a Canadian citizen.
In addition to being discredited, you will be accused of encouraging the anti-vax (fill in your choice of slanders) crowd. You will be told that you are the problem and that you are putting lives at risk.
Many will assume that you have not been injected and shout that you do not deserve health care or access to a hospital (not yet), or the right to enter a grocery store (not yet).
They may state that you do not have the right to have non-injected friends and family visit you in your home for the next 5 weeks (now in force), or the right to work (now in force), or the right to get on an airplane or train (now in force). But you will always have the right to enter a government liquor store which is an essential service.
Forget these people, for they are now on the other side of the divide. There is nothing you can do for them.
Instead, please embrace the choir.
There are a ton of people on Salt Spring Island who have taken steps to learn all these things you want to share, and much more as new details emerge each day. Out of a hundred members of our community that come to mind, I know less than a dozen who have chosen to join the majority.
I can guess at what your sincerely held fears are for our society and its future, and I share them.
Perhaps the greatest tragedy will be a lost generation of youth as this crisis continues to be generated through 2022 and beyond. Children who grow up 6 feet apart and unable to read facial clues, surrounded by constant fear and anxiety, and a fragmented education. They are our future.
Please ignore the haters who will come after you. They are just afraid of everything all the time, which is very sad. And always know that you are not alone.
I really appreciate your thoughtful letter. Thank you! Happy Holidays
Please check the references in Ms Bolliger’s article. The Driftwood might have done better to vet this more carefully, just as The Lancet should have vetted Gunther Kampf’s letter before publishing it. Please do note that it was a letter, not an article.
Please also note that Ms. Bolliger’s opinions do not represent the official position on Covid 19 of LICENSED naturopaths both here and in the U.S.
This is not about haters or personal freedom. This is about caring judiciously for ourselves and each other. Taking care to source our information properly can go a very long way to establish reasonable course of action.
You do realize the NDs who want to remain licensed have been forced to take the shot to renew said licenses, whether they agree or not. That does not mean they agree. Forcing injections to keep your job is nefarious. Medicine has never and will never be one size fits all.
I appreciate how difficult it is for small newspapers to manage the whole freedom of information arena. However, I am very concerned that due diligence was not done prior to printing Manon Bollinger’s opinion piece defending the “rightful freedoms” of the voluntarily unvaccinated. Even a cursory look at her sources should have raised the alarm. Her sources can only be seen as links in this version of her article, not in the actual online or hard copy newspaper edition.
One source she cites, when referring to vaccine risk is the Expose’ that carries stories like “The real reason the Government wants you to get a COVID-19 Booster Jab every 3 months is because the vaccinated are developing a new form of AIDS” and “How bad is my Covid-19 Vaccine Batch?” and “Wearing a mask over your left knee would be far safer and useful as wearing it on your face.”. Another site is GreatGame India which along with the grandly named Centre for Research on Globalization is known for groundless conspiracy theories and dismisses actual scientific evidence. Sadly, you have given this person a platform to spread outrageous vaccine misinformation and to promote lies and fear at a time when we least need such things. Please be more careful in the future.
With all due respect, your attempt to discredit Dr Manon Bolliger’s letter, only shows a lack of empathy and willingness to allow different opinions that may have a wider spectrum of information. There are reputable scientists and doctors, risking their esteemed careers, to avail us of important data, should you be open and curious to look. Wishing you Happy Holidays.
Buddha stated: ‘You are born, you suffer, and you die. These three things are fact. All else is opinion’.
What the good doctor has written is an opinion piece. It doesn’t matter if anyone considers her statements to be factual, or whether her source material can be, in the eyes of some readers, easily discredited.
Dr. Manon Bolliger had the considerable courage to offer her thoughts for public review, while risking the wholly predictable assault of the lock-step majority. Good for her!
What matters even more is that the Driftwood has shown all of us respect by providing that platform without censoring her.
For the past two years, citizens have become accustomed to corporations ‘fact-checking’ our news, so that we no longer have to think for ourselves.
The Driftwood has shown that they endorse not only the freedom to speak, but also the freedom to think.
Thanks for publishing this. The take away for me is, Let’s support unity and acceptance, curiosity and interest in multiple points of view, not being ruled by fear, not creating a bigger division than already exists.
I agree with Dr. Bolliger wholeheartedly. The pharmaceutical companies have managed to brainwash people into thinking drugs work better than a healthy immune system. Poor lifestyle choices are pushed steadily by the media but it is okay because there’s a pill for everything nowadays.
Thank you to the Driftwood and Dr Manon Bolliger for this thoughtful opinion letter. Sad to see the attacks on Manon’s letter and her profession that try to ridicule (wikipedia has not become a reliable resource for definitions or biographies – anyone can overwrite the original text and thus we such see malicious content now everywhere on wikipedia!) . Instead I would encourage people to research scientific studies as provided by Dr Manon and that are peer reviewed and published around the world.
Antibody Dependent Enhancement:
In some cases, antibodies can enhance virus entry and replication in cells. This phenomenon is called antibody-dependent infection enhancement (ADE). ADE not only promotes the virus to be recognized by the target cell and enters the target cell, but also affects the signal transmission in the target cell. Early formalin-inactivated virus vaccines such as aluminum adjuvants (RSV and measles) have been shown to induce ADE.
As a mental health therapist in our community it concerns me that people feel they have a right to ridicule and attack others with differing opinions and that we have a Prime Minister encouraging this behaviour in our country. I am hopeful parents will research well before having their children vaccinated as there are serious side effects and adverse reactions being documented worldwide. In the end we all have to make the decisions we feel are best for ourselves and our families. What will matter when all of this is over is how we treated one another and the compassion and tolerance we have as a community for differing opinions and resources.
Great article, thank you Dr Manon. We need to spread unity and inclusion in our community, not fear and segregation. Planting the seed of hate is a dangerous thing, our community deserves better.
Thank you for this very well researched and linked opinion piece. Unfortunately for some people only the mainstream narrative which is 100% (fact) paid for by the vaccine manufacturers is the carefully selected and produced ‘reasonable and responsible’ reporting. Why can’t people see the conflict of interest there? There are many lawsuits in process that are fighting this. Charges against our government, ministers and media are all in the works. Of course you won’t read about it on your mainstream ‘trusted’ source as they are the defendants in these cases. You can research the gifts and payouts from our government and from the corporate sponsors. Do the research yourself and don’t check ‘snopes’ of fact checkers who’s payroll comes from the source your questioning.
All around the world the science is being done to show people the truth, but that science isn’t backed by Pfizer, Moderna or any other manufacturers. You have to literally find an alternative search engine to even see due to censorship. Conflict of interest… !
Fears and obedience are getting in the way of seeing clearly. I realize there’s virtually no point in sharing this comment here as the fear mongering will only continue and I will receive hate for speaking up. But the haters gonna hate and I’m going to reach out to hopefully lift the spirits of those that are feeling depressed and done with all the masking and isolation. You are not alone. There are millions of us.
The ultimate litmus test of who’s kind, compassionate and of true service and who’s not. Virtue Signalling and fear is NOT kind. Stress is the most toxic poison known to man. This divisive and segregation oriented narrative is insanely stress inducing. Can people just become conscious and have empathy for others and choose peace and let people be responsible for their own selves? Be your own authority. Self responsibility. There are so so many reasons why someone would not be able to get a Covid vaccination. Children absolutely should not be candidates for such a thing. It’s still experimental! And yet EVERYONE is supposed to get this and multiple times over many years? C’mon people . . . think. Feel what your intuitive gut is telling you. It’s a hell of a lot wiser than your ego right now.
Thank you to the Driftwood and Dr Manon Bolliger for this thoughtful opinion letter asking some important questions. Sad to see the attacks and attempts to ridicule Manon’s letter. (wikipedia has not become a reliable resource for definitions or biographies – anyone can overwrite the original text and thus we such see malicious content now everywhere on wikipedia!) . Instead of attacking people’s opinions and professions, I would encourage people to research scientific studies that are peer reviewed and published around the world. We have had two years now for scientists to conduct studies and track adverse events, injury and deaths related to the vaccines. You will find a lot of what she is saying is backed by properly conducted scientific studies like this one from Denmark (can’t seem to publish the link but it is on medrxiv.org) which indicates that vaccinated participants in the study “at 90-150 days post vaccination, faced 76% increased chance of omicron infection with Pfizer, and 39% increased risk of infection with Moderna.” This appears to be evidence of Antibody Dependent Enhancement, one of the known risks of both MRNA and coronavirus vaccines in general.
“Antibody Dependent Enhancement:
In some cases, antibodies can enhance virus entry and replication in cells. This phenomenon is called antibody-dependent infection enhancement (ADE). ADE not only promotes the virus to be recognized by the target cell and enters the target cell, but also affects the signal transmission in the target cell. Early formalin-inactivated virus vaccines such as aluminum adjuvants (RSV and measles) have been shown to induce ADE.”
As a mental health therapist in our community it concerns me that people feel they have a right to ridicule and attack others with differing opinions and that we have a Prime Minister encouraging this behaviour in our country. I am hopeful parents will research well before having their children vaccinated as there are serious side effects and adverse reactions being documented worldwide. In the end we all have to make the decisions we feel are best for ourselves and our families. What will matter when all of this is over, is how we treated one another and the compassion and tolerance we have as a community for differing opinions and resources.
According to your web site, you are an “art therapist”. Calling yourself a “mental health therapist” does a disservice to the actual folks who studied & are licensed as “counselling psychologists, psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists & psychiatric social workers. Each of whom, BTW, know all about “art therapy” as they order it to be done with kids. It is a small part of overall therapy.
Goodness Marie – you went to my website to find something to discredit me because I have supported another health professional in sharing her opinion within our community? And now you think you have something you can attack me personally with? Although I have no need to defend myself, I will with compassion and kindness attempt to help you understand – There is no “disservice” to my colleagues studied in other areas of Mental Health. We all work in the field of Mental Health . I am also a trained Social Worker and I have worked as the “Child and Youth Mental Health Therapist” at Community Services on Salt Spring so yes I can call myself a Mental Health Therapist. You are mistaken in your understanding and accusation and have done the very thing that I believe is undermining the well being of our community members (personally attacking others who have a different opinion than your own) .
Thank you Dr. Manon Bolliger and the Driftwood for sharing and publishing this opinion.
Many on Salt Spring, and around the world, also share this opinion.
I echo that which Diego Vega has written.
I am so very pleased to read a balanced letter, that offers a creditable counter point to the “main stream” narrative. Thank you to Dr Manon Bolliger and to the Driftwood for printing.
I am shocked to see this irresponsible piece in the Driftwood. 80% of Canadian citizens have been vaccinated & so, disagree with this muddled thinking. At a time when Omicron is sweeping all countries on the globe & the majority of populations knowing full well what will curb its spread, I never expected to see such an egregious unproven opinion in our newspaper.
It feels so great to finally read some common sense and compassion in our community newspaper and the replies. Thank you to all keeping your eyes open to the complexity of this issue.
If you don’t want the vaccine, just say so. If you think it can not help your community, just say so. My first read of this article was it perhaps raised some good points, but not enough to convince me not to get a vaccine, or booster. Do I want to build natural immunity by getting COVID? No. I had H1N1. It was awful, I was delirious with fever, for three weeks, Have some empathy for the thousands of medical procedures that are cancelled because beds are filled with COVID patients because they “objected” to getting a vaccine. How many people die not because of COVID, but due to restrictions in place. GET REAL.