What will happen to anti-vaccers when a vaccine is available?

[Coolieloach]

Just wondered when a vaccine is available, presumably the at risk groups and key workers will be vaccinated first. What about everyone else, will it be compulsory? I hope so as that’s the only way to eradicate COVID. How do you think it will work?

[Pollynextdoor]

Anti-vaccers rely on others to vaccinate themselves.

[1940s]

I hope it's not mandatory. I don't like the thought of the government having control over my body

[andadietcoke]

I doubt it very much. I'm on a vaccine trial and they're talking very much in terms of 'eligibility' for any successful vaccines - ie even the people on the trial who get the placebo won't be offered the active vaccine when the trial ends unless they're eligible to receive it.

I'm assuming frontline healthcare, and then clinically vulnerable and the elderly, then moving down in age brackets, but that's a guess.

[MrsMigginsMate]

They might pay the ultimate price for their decisions. Although as a PP said there will probably end up being enough herd immunity created by those who get the virus to protect the naysayers.

[Funkypolar]

Not everybody will get it.

www.ft.com/content/d2e00128-7889-4d5d-84a3-43e51355a751

“Less than half the UK population can expect to be vaccinated against coronavirus, the head of the government’s vaccine task force has said in an attempt to clear up the public’s “misguided” perception of the programme’s aim.

Kate Bingham told the Financial Times that vaccinating everyone in the country was “not going to happen”, adding: “We just need to vaccinate everyone at risk.”

Ms Bingham said the government was aiming to vaccinate about 30m people, compared with a UK population of about 67m,if a successful vaccine against Covid-19 was found.

“People keep talking about ‘time to vaccinate the whole population’, but that is misguided,” she said. “There’s going to be no vaccination of people under 18. It’s an adult-only vaccine, for people over 50, focusing on health workers and care home workers and the vulnerable.”

[MrsMigginsMate]

*vaccine not virus

[babba2014]

Those who take the vaccine will be protected so no reason to worry about 'anti' vax people.

[catsarecute]

I can't see it being mandatory to have the vaccine. There would be uproar. And it would also buy in to the conspiracy theory nonsense that's going around too if they make it compulsory.

I think front line staff and the extremely vulnerable will be offered it first, then it will be rolled out more widely.

I guess anti-vaxxers will just take their chances and work on the basis that they will have some immunity if they actually get covid (I know the science on this suggests that immunity will only last a couple of months, but lots of people seem to be keen on the herd immunity approach through catching it sadly, and are constantly going on about the low mortality rate, so...🤷‍♀️). It's not ideal but what can you do.

[Nancydowns]

Why would anyone want to live under a government that can forcebly inject people with medication.

I'm not an anti vaxxer. But I won't be taking the covid vaccination unless I suddenly fall into a vulnerable category. Because I'm not at risk of covid, there is no need for me to be vaccinated. Same as I don't need a flu vax.

[MeringueCloud]

Not sure why this particular one would be compulsory,,

[Givemeabreak88]

God why would it be compulsory. I won’t be taking it and I’m not anti vaccines my kids have had all their vaccines but we won’t be having this.

[paintedpanda]

@babba2014

Those who take the vaccine will be protected so no reason to worry about 'anti' vax people.

This is a dangerous myth spread by anti-vaxxers as justification for them not having it. No vaccine is 100% effective, so even those who are vaccinated can still contract the disease (not just COVID, but all vaccine-able diseases). The more people who have the vaccine, the better herd immunity is.

[MitziK]

Hopefully, the information that will be gained from their infections/illnesses will be ultimately useful for successfully treating others who actually cannot be vaccinated and finding out about the long term damage done to children who are allowed to catch it.

[1940s]

@Nancydowns

Why would anyone want to live under a government that can forcebly inject people with medication.

I'm not an anti vaxxer. But I won't be taking the covid vaccination unless I suddenly fall into a vulnerable category. Because I'm not at risk of covid, there is no need for me to be vaccinated. Same as I don't need a flu vax.

100% agree

[MarieFromStTropez]

I think it should be mandatory for certain things, eg getting on planes or working with vulnerable groups.

[Stellaris22]

It won't be (and shouldn't be) mandatory. But I honestly don't understand why anyone wouldn't, absolutely foolish and dangerous decision.

For international travel it definitely needs to be encouraged, make travel insurance more expensive if you haven't had it.

[BlueBlancmange]

@Nancydowns

Why would anyone want to live under a government that can forcebly inject people with medication.

I'm not an anti vaxxer. But I won't be taking the covid vaccination unless I suddenly fall into a vulnerable category. Because I'm not at risk of covid, there is no need for me to be vaccinated. Same as I don't need a flu vax.

I don't understand how any one can feel so sure that they are not at risk from Covid.

[MadisonMontgomery]

I work in the NHS so presume I will be offered it - I will have it, genuinely curious why some people wouldn’t?

[BunsyGirl]

It won’t be mandatory but I suspect that you won’t be able to do certain things unless you are vaccinated (e.g.travel to certain countries). I also wonder whether some private schools will insist on pupils being vaccinated.

[Hugosmugo]

You do realise this virus isn't getting eradicated?

[callmeearly]

There won't be enough to go round so anti vaxxers won't need to worry.

[Funkypolar]

As I posted from the link above, children under 18 won’t be vaccinated, nor will more than half the population according to the vaccine’s head of task force.

[Funkypolar]

www.ft.com/content/10240274-c479-41c3-8383-d5a29f37d3cd

[Wheresmymind]

Hmm, I’ve heard the idea that they don’t say it’s compulsory but they’ll make it so you’re unable to travel or work perhaps if you’ve not been vaccinated? The vaccine passport, or is that made up crap?

[byvirtue]

A) covid won’t be eradicated
B) the (Astra Zeneca) vaccine (at least) has not yet been tested on under 18s and therefore won’t be licensed for children when first released
C) we still retain body autonomy and therefore vaccines are a choice.

The covid vaccine will be rolled out in a similar way to flu minus the kids/pregnant women until sufficient testing has been carried out (in a few years) when they will become eligible. This isn’t about anti vaxxers it’s about the vaccine going where it is needed. The healthy young population do not need it as a matter of priority.