What would be the consequences of refusing the coronavirus vaccine?

[Redolent]

So it’s being reported today that a sixth of all UK adults wouldn’t get vaccinated for coronavirus, and up to a third are unsure. I had a chat with my own sister-in-law few days ago and her family is also ‘worried about what they’re going to pump into us’...

I can’t see the vaccine being compulsory - it would just further fuel conspiracy theories - so what might be the consequences of turning down a vaccine? For instance, restrictions on international travel, countries refusing admittance? Employers requesting evidence of vaccination?

Agree I can only comment on people I know. It's up to everyone what they chose to do. Doesn't bother me either way.

A lot of people I work with have had it already

I wear ppe so don't expect to pass it on to patients

We've also been told that even if immune from covid you can still pass it in to patients. That was the whole Neil Ferguson scandal. So even if immunised we'd still have to wear ppe?

Currently nhs staff who are antibody positive have to wear full ppe. How would a vaccine be sng different?

Currently nhs staff who are antibody positive have to wear full ppe. How would a vaccine be sng different?

Exactly Summerflowers79. Most nhs workers i know have seen what covid can do. They don't want it. They don't want to be asymptomatic and give it to their Mum, their 80 year old with heart failure, their 30 year old cancer patient etc.

Most nhs staff I know hate the restrictions on working that limit how many patients they can treat for non covid.

As for comparing covid to flu. Or the uptake of the flu vaccine. Seriously? Are you Donald Trump?

Ffs. Our country is screwed until we have a solution. Long term social distancing sounds pretty horrible to me. I want my kids back at school. Am not looking forward to it closing at the first sign of covid.

We don't even have a vaccine yet and people are trying to avoid it! At least wait until we know what sort of vaccind we might get (if we're lucky to get one).

Then if you choose not to vaccinate, stay away from my elderly high risk parents. I would really like to see them this year but we are too high risk for covid.

The totalitarian state is becoming a reality if there is compulsory vaccination. People are entitled to choose what enters their bodies - it is a fundamental human right. We are not cattle.

Many thousands of people died in traffic accidents last year in England, yet there is no talk of banning driving. Many thousand die of flu every year yet no talk of compulsory flu vaccine.

People are entitled to choose what enters their bodies

What a quaint idea ...

Sadly the reality isn't that simple

All nhs staff are meant to have annual flu vaccine to protect patients and prevent large numbers going off sick. Same reasons as for any covid vaccination. But uptake is really poor.

I can't see it being different for covid, especially as so many have already had it

I wouldn't support people being held down and forcibly injected and I think the chances of that happening with BJ in charge are vanishingly small. He is many things but that is most certainly not his style.

I wouldn't be surprised if certain activities are limited to those who have been vaccinated. I can imagine some work places, nurseries etc, some travel. Plus what other countries do is up to them. I can well imagine that countries like New Zealand and Australia won't allow people to enter without being vaccinated.

If you don't want the vaccine you may have to accept you can't go everywhere in the world.

I do not support compulsory vaccination but neither have I seen any evidence that a possible Covid vaccine has been “rushed” so until there’s evidence of that, I think it’s unacceptable to be fear mongering.

People are entitled to choose what enters their bodies - it is a fundamental human right.

What about the right to leave our homes whenever we choose and freely go where we want? Of children to have an education? To marry? Also “fundamental human rights”. These were very neatly whipped away “for the good of society”. If these can be taken away, there’s no reason enforced vaccination can’t be imposed.

That said I don’t think people will be rounded up and vaccinated against their will but it may end up being de facto compulsory if you want your children to attend school, if you want to travel or get a job.

They cannot and should not make anything compulsory. However, some countries may make it mandatory for entering their countries. Which is their right to do so, if they wish.

@openplankitchen

Sadly the reality isn't that simple

All nhs staff are meant to have annual flu vaccine to protect patients and prevent large numbers going off sick. Same reasons as for any covid vaccination. But uptake is really poor.

I can't see it being different for covid, especially as so many have already had it

it's not a poor uptake where I work. The vast majority take the vaccine especially the clinical staff. They don't want to get the flu or pass it to their patients/ own relatives. I think you have a poor opinion of NHS staff!

And I think even those that don't usually get the flu vaccine may well take the Covid vaccine as the two are entirely different.
Much more incentive to take the Covid vaccine - not least for the person's own health and that of their family members. It will be a vaccine that 7 billion people want.

But I do not think it should be compulsory.

What do you think they're going "to pump into you"?

I’d have the vaccination. That said, we do not live in a police state and people still have freedom of choice. Making it compulsory would be stepping backwards and also stepping into 1984, chanting the views of the party as the absolute truth with no alternative. It is scary how Twitter and the media have made people into unquestioning sheep, not only on this issue, but many others.

Many countries may make it a compulsory vaccination if you wish to travel there. Like Yellow fever.

Making it compulsory would be stepping backwards and also stepping into 1984, chanting the views of the party as the absolute truth with no alternative

No different than what they’ve done up until now in the response to this pandemic. That’s the point. If they can de facto lock people into their houses, stop them attending work, prevent children accessing education, all for the supposed “greater good” mandating a vaccine is small fry in comparison.

It entirely depends eg. If it has to be taken annually and I already have antibodies there would be no benefit and risk unknown as no long term effects data.

I don’t want to take anything that hasn’t been studied over a long time. If I was in a high risk group I’d probably feel differently.

I’m waiting on an antibody test. Do you think people who already have immunity should be made to have a vaccine?

@sashagabadon

Flu vaccination rate in nhs England staff was between 47-71% last year.

I have a very positive view of NHS staff. We have worked incredibly hard during this pandemic

Doesn't mean I would agree to a vaccine without risk data.

@openplankitchen

What do you do, out of interest?
There isn’t even a vaccine yet, so to suggest it’s going to be rushed or pushed is a bit on the fear mongering side.

You're incorrect about flu vaccination rates in the NHS. Most districts are over 75% take-up.

Do we need a vaccine still? Deaths will be zero per day soon.

@FluffyKittensinabasket - yes please, we haven't all caught it and don't fancy keeping up social distancing forever. Cases are still rising in many countries in the world, this isn't over.

Do we need a vaccine still? Deaths will be zero per day soon.

Yes as it only takes one case to start it all back up again.