Local business targeted in vax attack

James Bailey, Stuart Green, Peter and Debra Papworth, Matt Masin and David Williams are proud to say they are double vaccinated against Covid-19. 256706_03 Photo: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Shelby Brooks

A family run heating and cooling business in Pakenham stood up against bullies after they were slammed online for celebrating their vaccination status.

Melbourne Heating and Cooling proudly announced on their Facebook page that all their employees were vaccinated.

What they didn’t predict was that they would become the targets of an online attack, with hundreds of anti-vaxxers jumping in the comments section to condemn the company.

The post blew up, gaining over 500 reactions and comments on Facebook, mostly negative.

“I’m absolutely proud of our employees; we’re thrilled to have been able to achieve this status,“ Melbourne Heating and Cooling’s director of operations Debra Papworth said.

“I didn’t take it too seriously in the beginning but I was starting to waiver a little bit- some of the comments were pretty heavy duty.

“I don’t believe we’ve done anything wrong and we’ve been able to achieve this vaccination status without any stuff that they’ve accused us of.”

Those accusations ranged from people hoping they go out of business and vowing they’d never use them to blaming the company of coercing their employees and firing employees who didn’t want the jab.

“The thing is, I haven’t forced anyone to get the vaccine and we shared no names, no Medicare numbers,” Debra said.

“Our boys to be honest wanted to go to the pub, that’s why they chose to get the vaccination.

Debra said everyone at the company were trying to laugh off the awful comments from the “loud minority“.

“The good thing is 90 per cent of our population is vaccinated so it’s the minority making comments so we’re trying to stick with that and believe it’s fine,” she said.

“I don’t consider us brave, I see it as taking an opportunity.

“Though after I saw the comments on the post I thought maybe we are being brave!”