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Original poster

To expect to be able to choose not to have the vaccine without being made to feel uncomfortable? *edited by MNHQ at OP's request*

571 replies

Drogonssmile · 05/01/2021 11:32

Risking a flaming here:

I work in the NHS not patient facing. Our Trust has said all non frontline staff are likely to be offered the vaccine next week. (1000 staff have already been done which is brilliant!)

I'm a fit and healthy 39 year old with no underlying health conditions. I am not an anti vaxxer however I am concerned about the lack of long term research that has understandably not been able to be done on the vaccine and have made an informed decision that I probably won't have it. I'd prefer my dose to go to someone more vulnerable. I believe this should be my choice.
My colleague is 62 and is all for having the vaccine which is great. I said I probably wouldn't as it doesn't affect transmission only the severity of the illness. Now she isn't speaking to me.
AIBU?

(Also given the amount of setbacks and govt lies/omissions in the last 10 months I wouldn't be at all surprised if the vaccine isn't the silver bullet we've been told to expect. The way things are going I can see is in the same situation in 12 months time).

OP posts:
CorianderBee · 05/01/2021 12:56

@Marmunia1975

I fully support you and stand behind you. I WON'T be getting it, neither will my elderly mum and family. I have refused vaccinations in the past as I'm not entirely convinced of the lack of link with autism etc. I was talked into getting the flu vaccine for my child a few years ago and she ended up in hospital with....the flu.
The autism link was a hoax which the doctor who published his 'findings' has been in prison for his offence. Idiot.
CuriousaboutSamphire · 05/01/2021 12:57

The SARS vaccine was linked to increased risk of narcolepsy, guillain barre syndrome and liver damage in ferrets so hardly reassuring.

The forst was never substantiated for most of the vaccines, only Pandemrix, and that shown to be very low.

The second is within the usual rises of associated issues with any vaccine

I am not a ferret!

Such is the stuff anti vaxxers rely on. Taking very real issues and obfsucating them! Such unqualified pronouncements make it very hard for many to see through the fear it stirs up to the real data - which is always dry and unintersting!

CorianderBee · 05/01/2021 12:58

@Drogonssmile of course it's your job, but if that means you lose your job so be it. You refused the terms of employment.

CorianderBee · 05/01/2021 12:58

Your choice* not job

Original poster
Drogonssmile · 05/01/2021 12:59

[quote CorianderBee]@Drogonssmile of course it's your job, but if that means you lose your job so be it. You refused the terms of employment.[/quote]
Where is it in the terms of my employment?!

OP posts:
Sushirolls · 05/01/2021 12:59

YANBU I have also declined.

Bluntness100 · 05/01/2021 12:59

It's their choice though!!! I don't particularly want my mum to get it but she will because she wants to and that's fine. It's her choice. Why can't I have my choice?

But you can. Not one person has said you can’t. It’s you that started a thread saying you wanted to put your colleague at risk and accepted her to be nice to you about it.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 05/01/2021 13:00

@Marmunia1975

I fully support you and stand behind you. I WON'T be getting it, neither will my elderly mum and family. I have refused vaccinations in the past as I'm not entirely convinced of the lack of link with autism etc. I was talked into getting the flu vaccine for my child a few years ago and she ended up in hospital with....the flu.
You are not even vaguely acting on any valid information!

Wakeley is a total fraud. He is probably the only person I'd happily bring back the death sentence for. His self aggrandisement has caused so much suffering.

Flu vaccines are given at a time of rising flu infections. There is always the statistical possibility that someone will have the vaccine at about the same time they catch flu! They tell you that when you sign up for the vaccination...

amymel2016 · 05/01/2021 13:00

Came on to say YABVU OP but happy to see others have covered it far more eloquently than I could

FourTeaFallOut · 05/01/2021 13:01

The first sentence is really why you don’t want the vaccine. You want everyone else to be your guinea pig. You’re willing to reap the benefits but not share in the risk

It does seem very cowardly.

0gfhty · 05/01/2021 13:02

Yabu if you expect to participate in society and are happy to resign from your job

Notthemessiah · 05/01/2021 13:02

Good to see once again that some of the pro-vaccine lot are as deeply unpleasant as a lot of the anti-vaxxers.

I hope those advocating not treating those who don't have the vaccine are themselves not fat\drinkers\smokers\unfit and expecting the NHS to treat them for any conditions where those are contributory factors.

YANBU OP to not wanting to be emotionally blackmailed or effectively forced (by restricting where you can go or what you can do) to have the vaccine, especially when this particular vaccine has not yet been proved to protect anyone other than the person having it (yet).

I'd still suggest you think again though as I believe the risks to you are still higher from COVID than from the vaccine.

Pawpatrollers2021 · 05/01/2021 13:02

You wouldn’t be, ‘being discriminated against’, choosing not to have a vaccine isn’t a protected characteristic in law.

TheDailyCarbunkle · 05/01/2021 13:03

@FourTeaFallOut

The first sentence is really why you don’t want the vaccine. You want everyone else to be your guinea pig. You’re willing to reap the benefits but not share in the risk

It does seem very cowardly.

Interesting that this is the attitude, when so many pro-lockdowners are happy for medical staff and retail staff to take on the risk of covid, to keep services going for them, but they're unwilling to take that risk on for themselves.
Spidey66 · 05/01/2021 13:04

The SARS vaccine was linked to increased risk of narcolepsy, guillain barre syndrome and liver damage in ferrets so hardly reassuring.

That's as maybe, but the risk of developing Covid and all the complications are far higher. I'll take my chances. -Plus I'm not a ferret-

Spidey66 · 05/01/2021 13:04

Plus I'm not a ferret

anniegun · 05/01/2021 13:05

Just because someone has correctly identified you as an idiot does not amount to discrimination

CuriousaboutSamphire · 05/01/2021 13:05

Where is it in the terms of my employment?! Depending on where in the NHS you work, if yu actually do, there is a list of vaccines you should have, you are required to keep clear records of them all.

It is not at all unlikely that this will be added to the list... which is legal.

There is also a vaccine refusal form, which will include things such as

"I understand that my employability within the job role could be at risk^

Maybe you need to rethink your choice to refuse!

Spidey66 · 05/01/2021 13:05

To do a strike through you need x 2 hyphens-it's not very clear!!

Crystalclair · 05/01/2021 13:06

I completely support you OP. Some people here seem to forget you have freedom of choice, and if you are concerned about the vaccine (which many are), it is your right to refuse and for your decision to be respected.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 05/01/2021 13:06

I hope those advocating not treating those who don't have the vaccine are themselves not fat\drinkers\smokers\unfit and expecting the NHS to treat them for any conditions where those are contributory factors. Where is the equivalence?

FourTeaFallOut · 05/01/2021 13:06

Interesting that this is the attitude, when so many pro-lockdowners are happy for medical staff and retail staff to take on the risk of covid, to keep services going for them, but they're unwilling to take that risk on for themselves

Nice straw man. Any other stories you have about me based on nothing?

Butterymuffin · 05/01/2021 13:07

I'm against making panic decisions that may have long-term consequences.

Do you think Covid doesn't have long term consequences? We haven't been able to do long term research into that yet, either. Many people who have had 'long Covid' might point this out. You're not guarding against long term consequences by refusing the vaccine, you're betting that the Covid ones will be preferable, so much so that it's worth foregoing all the benefits of the vaccine for you and others. Now that's what I'd call a 'panic decision'.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 05/01/2021 13:08

@Crystalclair

I completely support you OP. Some people here seem to forget you have freedom of choice, and if you are concerned about the vaccine (which many are), it is your right to refuse and for your decision to be respected.
As has been said, yes, of course she does. But her choice doesn't have to be respected past the acceptance of her choice.

She will still need to face the possible ramifications of her choice, including being judged and possibly losing some or all of her current job!

DayBath · 05/01/2021 13:08

OP you're a coward for not enabling voting.