to think health professionals shouldn't shame people

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

My son did not get a Covid jab. His rationale was that his risk of serious illness was very low even if he contracted it, and that all those who are at high risk have now been jabbed. I don't agree with that argument, and have had all 3 jabs myself, but respect that that is his view. He also suffers from anxiety and panic attacks.

He finally decided to have the vaccine, as he realises that various restrictions might impact on him (Covid passports etc) if he remains unvaccinated. So he went off yo the walk-in centre to get one this morning.

He's just got home fuming. When he presented himself, the person registering him asked him why he hadn't had his jab earlier. Why would that be any of their business? He then went through to the vaccinator who asked the same thing. He did explain that he had changed his mind because he wants to go to concerts and to visit his grandparents abroad. The vaccinator then said "that's a very selfish attitude, you won't have a vaccine to prevent people dying but you will to go on holiday".

Surely Health Professionals ought to be encouraging people to get vaccinated, not shaming them? I've given him grief about not getting vaccinated but I'm his Mum and he lives with us. I volunteer in a vaccine clinic and have always made a point of being really positive towards everyone who comes for their vaccine. AIBU?

They absolutely shouldn't have said anything. He's made the right decision in the end; what is the benefit of having a go at him when he is right there, having the jab?

That was very unprofessional of them to pass
Comment

The good news is that he is now having the jab. Hopefully more will follow and change their minds

@DamnUserName21

I’m not saying I had my vaccine purely for altruistic reasons. But I don’t pay tax for purely altruistic reasons either, or insure my car, or not drink drive, or fly tip etc. I do it because it’s the way society works - we are all part of a system that generally works because we all do our bit

On the contrary, we do these because we get fined or go to prison if we don't.
Given the choice, very few people would pay tax or insure their cars, etc.

Vaccines (at present and depending on your line of work) are a choice, selfish or not.

@DamnUserName21 exactly. We do these things because we decide the sanctions and punishments aren’t worth insisting on our rights to refuse to do them.

Like I’ve said many times, that is a potential end point for vaccination refusers - sanctions of some sort, for refusal to do something that is necessary and becomes mandatory.

People won’t go to prison for refusing vaccines, obviously. But they will gradually have their lives and activities more and more restricted, until they reach a point that they change their priorities - ie their right to refuse a vaccine isn’t as important as never being allowed to a pub or restaurant again.

It’s just disappointing that governments have to legislate for these people, over something as simple as vaccination for preventable infection and death. But unfortunately that’s the world we live in

@MrsTophamHat

They absolutely shouldn't have said anything. He's made the right decision in the end; what is the benefit of having a go at him when he is right there, having the jab?

This - it seems counterproductive to me.

It’s just disappointing that governments have to legislate for these people, over something as simple as vaccination for preventable infection and death. But unfortunately that’s the world we live in that assumes that vaccinations are 100% effective and safe. They are neither. If they were, you'd be right.

It's interesting that some people think it was OK for the staff/volunteers to comment on your son's motives for getting his vaccine and it suggests that it's a moral rather than medical issue for some people

It's not a moral issue, people just like to virtue signal on MN and pretend they had the vaccine (or get their kids vaccinated) for the good of society. It's piffle.

It's not a moral issue for society either - it's an economic one. Much cheaper to vaccinate against illness than treat the serious forms of it.

It's shocking to me that 49% posters think it is acceptable for a patient to be called 'selfish' when finally turning up for his vaccination.

5that assumes that vaccinations are 100% effective and safe. They are neither. If they were, you'd be right*

@fakereview you’re wrong though. The vaccines don’t have to be 100% effective to prevent infection and deaths. The vaccines are severely lessening the infection and death rate. Not being 100% is not an excuse not to have them.

@hardtobelieve

It's shocking to me that 49% posters think it is acceptable for a patient to be called 'selfish' when finally turning up for his vaccination.

To me, too. I find it baffling.

It's baffling enough to shout/moan/ be rude to someone doing the right thing; but in those circumstances it's downright unprofessional and rude. I'd have said a "Well done" was more in order.

And next to none of us were there for altruistic reasons, despite what all the virtue signallers on this thread may say.

They've got it bob on though haven't they.

Passing it on to anyone was fine but now he can't go on a holiday or have a piss up he'll have it.

@EverdeRose

They've got it bob on though haven't they.

Passing it on to anyone was fine but now he can't go on a holiday or have a piss up he'll have it.

That wasn’t the question, though.

The AIBU was “AIBU to think the HCP shouldn’t have shamed/passed judgement on my DS?”

The AIBU lots of people have seemingly answered is “AIBU to think my DS wasn’t being selfish not getting his vaccine earlier.”

It’s not whether the HCP wasn’t entitled to their opinion/their opinion wasn’t understandable- it was whether they should have said that out loud.

And they shouldn’t have.

@EverdeRose

They've got it bob on though haven't they.

Passing it on to anyone was fine but now he can't go on a holiday or have a piss up he'll have it.

Do you seriously think that everyone had the vaccine for the benefit of others? Of course they didn't!

We do these things because we decide the sanctions and punishments aren’t worth insisting on our rights to refuse to do them.

No, we aren't all entirely self serving and selfish in our approach to life and living in a society. I absolutely reserve the right to state why I do what I do for myself without your input to my motivations.

@PleasantBirthday so you had your vaccines PURELY for the sake of others? You insure your car PURELY for the benefit of others, and take no comfort from knowing expensive repairs won’t be your problem? You pay as much as tax as you can PURELY so that those that don’t/can’t work can have as decent life as the government can afford with your contributions? You put your rubbish in bins PURELY so that your waste doesn’t disturb others, and take no comfort from litter not just being strewn all over your garden and driveway?

I think I can smell something...

@EverdeRose please read my OP. I didn't ask if he was being selfish. I asked whether the HCP should have told him he was when he finally turned up to get it.

He is selfish. It is true however, they should have kept their opinions to themselves. They could have had a rant at home. He turned up and should have hot his jab without judgment.

A couple of normal questions & he gets ratty wow how pathetic, just answer them as part of a conversation,ridiculous

Well he is selfish, his attitude sucks. Probably unprofessional of her to say that but she's not wrong. I'm all for refusing entry to concerts, pubs etc for those who are unvaccinated by choice (obviously exemptions need to be made for those who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons).

A couple of normal questions & he gets ratty wow how pathetic, just answer them as part of a conversation,ridiculous

Commenting that someone is selfish isn’t a question though is it? It’s a statement, it’s also a judgement that they shouldn’t me making out loud.

Every fucker thinks they can shame people for not doing as they do these days.

We're all pro choice until you mention covid

[quote Derbee]@PleasantBirthday so you had your vaccines PURELY for the sake of others? You insure your car PURELY for the benefit of others, and take no comfort from knowing expensive repairs won’t be your problem? You pay as much as tax as you can PURELY so that those that don’t/can’t work can have as decent life as the government can afford with your contributions? You put your rubbish in bins PURELY so that your waste doesn’t disturb others, and take no comfort from litter not just being strewn all over your garden and driveway?

I think I can smell something...[/quote]
I didn't say any of that. Actually, it's very ill becoming to pretend that you don't understand what other people are saying in such an extreme and silly manner, it makes you look more stupid than necessary.

I live in a society and as such, we all take actions that benefit the community and ourselves. In order to expect other people to take the socially responsible course of action, we need to be prepared to do our bit as well. So yes, I am happy to pay my tax and insure my car. It makes the word better for me and for others too. I am also happy that other people do the same. I don't want to live in a squalid world where people are dying in the streets for want of shelter and food, so yes, I'm happy to pay tax. I don't want to live in a tip so I clean up my rubbish and I'm glad other people do the same. I don't want to get a bad dose of covid, so I get my vaccine. But I know that you or I doing these things alone is pointless. It would achieve very little for me to clean up my rubbish if you don't bother, it wouldn't make your environment markedly better if you cleaned up your rubbish but mine came over your fence in a gust of wind. Community effort is the only way we have of improving everyone's life and I think that's worthwhile. It benefits me and it benefits you and both matter.

@PleasantBirthday right back at you, about misunderstanding on purpose. You’ve basically reiterated my original point about living in a society and all doing our bit. Zzzzzzzz

@Magenta82

If I was hi I'd have told them to piss off and walked out. He was there he was getting jabbed, what more do they want? There was really no need for the guilt trip and it doesn't help anyone

The jab only works if you get it for completely selfless reasons don'tcha know 😇

😉

@EmmaGrundyForPM

I should have added no its not professional but still true.

However are you even sure it was a HCP. Our vaccine centre is rammed with volunteers giving up days each week to come help. I've done shifts as a paid HCP alongside, and as you can imagine it will get peoples goats when they're told they're only bring vaccinated to go to a nightclub.

@Chely

Every fucker thinks they can shame people for not doing as they do these days.

We're all pro choice until you mention covid

Agree with this so much! This pandemic would've been so much easier to deal with if it hadn't been for the awful bullying attitude displayed by some people. I haven't even been directly on the receiving end of it all, it just makes life so much more unpleasant for everyone doesn't it.