To ask if you're not getting the vaccine...

[Soitis83]

Then why? Just curious as to why some people will not get it

This is the thing people don't seem to get. It doesn't just affect you.

I understand perfectly well that it doesn't just affect me. My daily actions and choices affect a myriad of people in various ways. That's the way life is.

I am ttc #1 and at 38 I don’t have time to wait or to risk any fertility impacts. Will have it once (if) we have a family.

(As per government guidance).

I understand why someone who expects Covid to be mild for them waiting until other people take the risk on the vaccine, to free-ride off them.
I can see why someone might think (IMO wrongly) that long-term effects aren’t known yet.

But how can anyone claim it “gives you cancer” whilst saying “the long term effects aren’t yet known”? It makes absolutely no logical sense.

My daily actions and choices affect a myriad of people in various ways. That's the way life is.

Doesn't usually involve jeopardising the health of others or the economic well being of society so directly though, eh?

Again, what's plan B please?

If I didn't have DH to consider, I'd sign up to be in a trial if there was anything in my area - including if any 'direct challenge' trials are run.

@Saz12 maybe it’s instant cancer?

Can I just say for all the people out there referring to "guinea pigs" how rude could you get about the people who have taken risks to help us all? My sibling was a volunteer in the trials and put their own health at risk to make sure we all had a shot at a safe vaccine.

Don't be so fucking dismissive of those brave individuals who've made a contribution you aren't willing to make by calling them "Guinea pigs".

“Instant cancer”... well, OK, but would also need instant diagnosis. So how would that happen? Obviously you’d develop cancerous cells, they multiply locally, to the point where they cause symptoms that you notice. Then you go to dr, get referred for scans, and diagnosed.
It would have to an implausibly fast-growing, new type of cancer and phenomenally quick diagnosis for anyone to “know” the vaccine “caused the cancer”.

Also, the Pfizer vaccine mechanism can’t be carcinogenic. It’s not how it works.

The “carrier” stuff in the vaccine has been used for decades and no one has spotted a cancer link to them.

Possibly the most risky things about getting the vaccine at the moment are (a) queuing up with other people and (b) the risk of slipping on icy paths getting there or (c) traffic accident.

I won't be having the vaccine. In a similar manner to PPS, I take vaccines either (a) when I'm forced to (for travel sometimes) or (b) using a risk-based approach.

Who forces you to travel?

The Pfizer vax basically tells your cells to make the spike protein and then your body attacks those cell in an immune response, but how can they know (yet) whether the attack is limited to those cells and not other healthy cells

Because the spike protein, like every other living thing, has a unique set of genes. It's those unique set of genes the messenger RNA is told to target. Essentially it does exactly the same as your body when it comes across a cold or any other sort of virus it's seen before - it remembers the immune response it mounted last time, and does the same again but much quicker because it knows what to do.

The clever thing about the mRNA vaccines is that they don't need to code for the entire virus, just a bit of the protein. So small natural mutations won't be affected as long as that same tiny bit of protein stays the same.

@Janegrey333

I despair of those people who see conspiracy around every corner and who, at times like this, wilfully endanger a massive community effort.

This morning I find myself comparing them to those “democrats” who stormed Capitol Hill yesterday.

I feel contempt for them.

No conspiracy, many just don't feel we know enough about the new vaccine. Rather be cautious than let any Tom Dick or Angela inject me with something nobody knows anything about yet. There's enough people who are lining up to provide herd immunity.

@Cheeserton
It's not up to you or anyone to decide what risks others can take with their own health. If someone is willing to risk covid then that's their business. Just like people take risks every day with their own health and safety. I know the risk of covid to elderly relatives is high, I've still said "it's entirely your choice but if I were you I would get the vaccine" and then dropped it, because it's their body.

It's no ones job to have a medical procedure done to protect others. If you want the vaccine to protect someone else, go for it, but that's a choice. Just like we can decide to donate blood or organs for the sake of other people, but you cant force someone to give blood can you, even though it's very low risk and just a little needle.

I hope everyone having a go at people who dont want the vaccine for the sake of others are regular blood donors and signed up for every donor register. I am, I'm comfortable with the risk vs benefit of giving someone my bone marrow. I'm not comfortable with the risk vs benefit of having a new vaccine for something I'm not particularly at risk of being ill from or passing on to vulnerable people.

Don't be so fucking dismissive of those brave individuals who've made a contribution you aren't willing to make by calling them "Guinea pigs".

Brave, lol. I think the original term was more fitting. Or, daft

Doesn't usually involve jeopardising the health of others or the economic well being of society so directly though, eh?

Again, what's plan B please?

My Plan B? Wasn't aware that I needed one. I won't be getting the vaccine. That's it from my personal perspective.

It's not up to you or anyone to decide what risks others can take with their own health. If someone is willing to risk covid then that's their business. Just like people take risks every day with their own health and safety. I know the risk of covid to elderly relatives is high, I've still said "it's entirely your choice but if I were you I would get the vaccine" and then dropped it, because it's their body.

It's no ones job to have a medical procedure done to protect others. If you want the vaccine to protect someone else, go for it, but that's a choice. Just like we can decide to donate blood or organs for the sake of other people, but you cant force someone to give blood can you, even though it's very low risk and just a little needle.

I hope everyone having a go at people who dont want the vaccine for the sake of others are regular blood donors and signed up for every donor register. I am, I'm comfortable with the risk vs benefit of giving someone my bone marrow. I'm not comfortable with the risk vs benefit of having a new vaccine for something I'm not particularly at risk of being ill from or passing on to vulnerable people.

Amen.

My advise is if you decide not to have it keep to yourself.

Why? Because a random selection of (mainly) women on MN might call me names. I can deal.

I probably won't because at the rate the French are vaccinating, I will have died of natural causes or old age before I reach the top of the list to get mine. If by some remote chance I live to 175, yes I'll have it

Having the vaccine is the only way we can get back to normal. The only way. I just don't understand why people don't want that.

For those that would like further info on how the vaccine works

My colleague is dubious as she wants to have a baby in the next few years and has been scared bu suggestions the vaccine may cause issues with this. I don't know anyone else planning to decline if offered.

@SheeshazAZ09

Gwendoline We both use homeopathy and it’s helped with lots of health problems including allergies. I’m a science writer. You will find that many doctors and scientists use it—we are not all closed minded

Coincidence- I'm a medical writer too. It's all evidence-based though so clearly a different field to yours. And I work with very many scientists and clinicians and I don't know a single one who would advocate homeopathy. Because it's bullshit.

@Nanny0gg

Thank you. That's a nice, short and simple explanation for the Oxford vaccine.