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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I know this is a bit morbid

173 replies

fancyginglass · 08/12/2020 18:33

But do you really think they should have given so much publicity to the first elderly people getting the vaccine? Given their age, what if something happened to them in the next few weeks? This would seriously dent the update of the vaccine and the anti-vaxers would have a field day. Obviously I wish them all well.

OP posts:
sticksticks · 08/12/2020 19:23

@HollyBollyBooBoo

I'm lost as to why we want to immunise a 90 year old rather than an NHS worker.
Is a 90 year old a less important person than an NHS worker then?
providentglue · 08/12/2020 19:30

@Poppingnostopping

Personally, I think NHS front line staff and care staff should have been first,

They have been though? NHS staff have been getting vaccinated today.

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/12/2020 19:31

@HollyBollyBooBoo

I'm lost as to why we want to immunise a 90 year old rather than an NHS worker.
They are doing both. Anyway, she seemed to have all her marbles and could live another 10 years.
providentglue · 08/12/2020 19:33

I understand why they went with care home residents first-

Also, I'm not sure Margaret Keenan is a care home resident. Her statement today said she was looking forward to seeing family after being on her own for most of the year.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/12/2020 19:33

"Given their age, what if something happened to them in the next few weeks?"

If a 90 year old dies in the next few weeks, it will not be a huge shock to anyone and will not be blamed on the vaccine.

Frenchdressing · 08/12/2020 19:34

The attitudes towards the elderly I have seen and heard over the last few months are bloody awful. Her life is no less valuable just because she’s only got a few more years.

OhLittleBoreOfWhabylon · 08/12/2020 19:36

edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2020/12/08/uk-coronavirus-covid-19-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-rollout-vanier-intv-intl-ldn-vpx.cnn

Martin Kenyon, 91, drove into central London to get his vaccination
"Well there's no point in dying now". He wants to hug his granddaughters again. And why shouldn't he?

He's also become a superstar in the USA!

Poppingnostopping · 08/12/2020 19:41

*The attitudes towards the elderly I have seen and heard over the last few months are bloody awful. Her life is no less valuable just because she’s only got a few more years

So, if both children and the elderly were equally at risk, then you would just toss a coin to see who got the vaccine, a 5 year old or a 90 year old?

I don't think it's having an 'attitude towards the elderly' to point out they don't have as many years of life left as a young person who will lose a lot more years of life if they die.

This is a bit irrelevant for the vaccine as we know the elderly are more vulnerable, this is an age related condition, so it does make sense to prioritise the elderly, but I think it's fine to ask questions about how much longer and what quality of life people will have when calculating the risks/benefits of treatment.

cherrypie790 · 08/12/2020 19:44

I'm more concerned if it starts taking out valuable care home staff and frontline NHS workers to be honest.

I think anyone taking this vaccine is incredibly brave given how little is known about its long term impact.

Srslydontgiveacrap · 08/12/2020 19:45

This reply has been deleted

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AdoptedBumpkin · 08/12/2020 19:48

I hadn't thought of this but I agree.

mollypuss1 · 08/12/2020 19:52

My aunt died yesterday. She was 91. She had Covid. If she had managed to avoid this virus for a few more weeks so could have had the vaccine and lived a good few more years. Her life was not less important than anyone else’s despite her age. Some of the comments on here are disgustingly heartless.

Sobeyondthehills · 08/12/2020 19:53

My thought was, if the whole point of lockdowns and teirs is to reduce the stress on the NHS, then you would want the most vulnerable protected first.

sticksticks · 08/12/2020 20:00

@mollypuss1

My aunt died yesterday. She was 91. She had Covid. If she had managed to avoid this virus for a few more weeks so could have had the vaccine and lived a good few more years. Her life was not less important than anyone else’s despite her age. Some of the comments on here are disgustingly heartless.
Sorry for your loss.

We have no idea if elderly people have a good few more years though do we?

Another poster said nan has 20+ years left on her but in reality we haven't got a clue. My mother is elderly, she could go on for years or she could die tomorrow, I can't make any accurate predictions.

GreenLeafTurnip · 08/12/2020 20:00

Well said @Danni91

Chalfontstgiles · 08/12/2020 20:01

@Madvixen

It's to reduce pressure on the NHS. The people being prioritised for the vaccine are the ones most likely to need significant medical intervention if they catch it. Vaccinating them reduces potential pressures on the NHS over the winter meaning that beds for heart attack victims, car crash victims etc are still available. I'd rather my 92 year old Gran got vaccinated than see a 32 year old die from injuries in a car crash because there weren't ITU beds available locally
It’s 100% this ...! Gobsmacked that so many posters haven’t realised this!
fullofhope100 · 08/12/2020 20:01

@Iamtooknackeredtorun

I'm going to mute this thread I think. It's going to make me despair I can already tell.
This. Sad Angry
Chalfontstgiles · 08/12/2020 20:03

Most cases of Covid in the fit and young produce relatively mild symptoms ...so why on earth would you rush to vaccinate that group? Doh! 🙄

DianaT1969 · 08/12/2020 20:05

@HollyBollyBooBoo - you really are lost, aren't you?

Viviennemary · 08/12/2020 20:05

I'm quite a pessimist. But that particular thought didn't occur to me. I did think what a huge fuss about nothing. Let's wait and see if it's effective first.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 08/12/2020 20:05

Jesus Christ. Try doing some reading it's not complicated

& your comment is disgusting

It's not a disgusting comment - it isn't uncaring as you seem to think. To me, the people who get the first vaccinations should be the ones who are in contact with the most other people - health service workers, shop staff, teachers etc.

They are the ones most likely to be exposed, and also the ones who are most likely to pass it on. With the best will in the world, these very elderly people will be safer if their careers and other people they come into contact with are vaccinated before they are. Then the people they are in contact with won't risk spreading the virus.

Camenon · 08/12/2020 20:06

Some poster's are just stupid, simply unable to think through all the implications of what they're saying.

mollypuss1 · 08/12/2020 20:06

@sticksticks but that’s the same for all of us whatever our age. The younger you are the more likely you will live longer but nothing is a given. My aunt COULD have lived many more years, as could any of the older people currently getting the vaccine, but it’s been proven that they stand a much greater chance of dying from this virus if we take the attitude that their lives are less worth saving because they’re going to die soon anyway.

Laiste · 08/12/2020 20:07

In a situation where every age group was equally at risk of dying from the virus then i'm sure they would be vaccinate the young first.

I think the order they are choosing is not about individual risk or value, but more about damage control re: £££. ie: the old are more likely to need money spent on them if they catch it.

Charleyhorses · 08/12/2020 20:07

For fucks sake.
To minimise covid deaths the strategy is 80s and over.
Showing a lady of 91 having it is exactly right.
I bet she is hoping for more than a few weeks on life.

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