I've been invited for my vaccine but not sure what I want to do

[annabellacomestotea]

Hello everyone

I've been invited for my vaccine much sooner than I expected. I am a 31 year old woman, I do not work in a public facing capacity and have no health concerns (normal BMI, only health concern of note being diagnosed with PCOS and generalised anxiety disorder, which would have no impact on me being offered the vaccine.)

Although I am of course grateful to have been offered the vaccine, I was hoping to be offered it later as I have had concerns about it.

I am not sure if my concerns are legitimate or the result of absorbing so much mixed messaging online, from friends and family and even news outlets. In real life, some of my friends and family support the vaccine and others are 'wait and see', whilst others are vehemently against.

I have had everything else from yellow fever to rabies vaccinations, but I have concerns about this vaccine, especially as it has been linked (whether factually or not I'm unsure) to infertility. As a 31 year old woman with no pre-existing health conditions, I don't like the idea of taking a vaccine for something unlikely to impact me greatly. I also have never taken the flu jab for the same reason.

Anyone of a similar age group, would you take the vaccine? Do you have any concerns? Are these concerns unfounded, or should I be asking more questions? And if I reject the vaccine now, am I able to take it later on, and how would this work?

Thank you.

There is no evidence of negative impacts on fertility, but the effects of long covid on your health are well-established, for all ages. Get vaccinated and don't put your health at risk of long covid (do you want to be pregnant with dialysis, a lung condition, a heart condition?).

Don't let scaremongering online prevent you from protecting yourself and other people.

They don’t test vaccines on pregnant women and there hasn’t been enough data on whether it affect fertility but looking at an article I read yesterday the way the vaccine works it couldn’t possibly affect it and hadn’t in animals. The article explained it really well as in reality they haven’t looked at it so there is no data-not there is some data that shows fertility is affected but the government don’t want you to know-simply just no data.

[quote MoirasRoses]Well no. 1, why have you been offered it?! Seems like an error?

I’ve had the flu jab yearly since it became a thing. I’m 33 & I’ve had two children, falling pregnant on month 2 of trying each time. It’s given to thousands of people every year with no reported ill affects bar feeling a bit rough after you have it.. do you not think there’d have been major reports into long term side effects by now? It’s been around for years! You have vaccines while you are pregnant to protect yourself & baby. Flu to protect yourself & Whooping Cough to protect baby who otherwise would be born with zero immunity to a killer disease. Again, these would absolutely not be given if there were any concerns.

You don’t have to have any vaccines but just acknowledge that those saying wait & see are at the great gratitude of those who are willing to trust the scientists & take it for the greater good. Your freedom from this mess will be because they listened to actual facts & actual science rather than none
sense online.

Read this Twitter thread from an immunologist. It’s the most factual thing you’ll read about it.

twitter.com/vikilovesfacs/status/1339510379332988929?s=21[/quote]
Thank you Moira. This is very helpful and reassuring.

The claims of infertility come in part from a German doctor named Wolfgang Wodarg, you can read about it here:

www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19-vaccine/news/20210112/why-covid-vaccines-are-falsely-linked-to-infertility

An informed choice would be having the vaccine, which has been through a very stringent approvals process. Rather than listening to anti-vax myths and somehow thinking they have the same legitimacy as actual facts.

Should also add I only got my invite today, hence why I have posted now. I spoke to my partner and he has said he is unsure about having it (he hasn't been invited yet) but that I should think carefully before I do, so that has fed into it a bit too.

When I've had yellow fever, rabies, all my other vaccines, there's never been a chorus of , 'oh really think about that and be careful.' It's quite frightening in a way I haven't felt before in taking other vaccines.

Twitter link above is good.

What link to infertility? Have you actually researched this properly (and I don't mean read facebook posts), or do you not believe that all the scientists and experts that have worked on this have done a hell of a lot of research into it? At the beginning there was a very very vague mention of people who are TTC not having the vaccine because it had not been trialled on pregnant women - not trialled is COMPLETELY different to not safe.

Take it or don't take it, your choice, but if you choose not to, please spend the rest of your life being eternally grateful to those who volunteered to take part in the trials and all those in the country who are choosing to take it with any tiny tiny tiny risk there may be, will mean that lockdown can end and life can get back to being enjoyable, not just endured. At whatever point it happens this year that you visit a friend or family member's house, enjoy a meal out, visit a tourist attraction, go on holiday, enjoy a hobby, just remember that that is only possible because most people made the opposite decision to you (if you decide not to have it).

With lots of evidence coming out now (especially from Israel) about how much the vaccine can prevent transmission, more than ever it is incredibly selfish to go down the route of 'I'd be OK if I caught it, so I won't bother with the vaccine'.

Is there evidence covid doesn’t affect long term fertility? In fact I believe there is conclusive evidence it can affect long term fertility?

It's going to be turned into another 'mmr causes autism' isn't it?

Do what you want OP but don't whine about restrictions and lockdowns if you're not willing to help yourself.

Covid: Claims vaccinations harm fertility unfounded www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56012529

@Teamox

What link to infertility? Have you actually researched this properly (and I don't mean read facebook posts), or do you not believe that all the scientists and experts that have worked on this have done a hell of a lot of research into it? At the beginning there was a very very vague mention of people who are TTC not having the vaccine because it had not been trialled on pregnant women - not trialled is COMPLETELY different to not safe.

Take it or don't take it, your choice, but if you choose not to, please spend the rest of your life being eternally grateful to those who volunteered to take part in the trials and all those in the country who are choosing to take it with any tiny tiny tiny risk there may be, will mean that lockdown can end and life can get back to being enjoyable, not just endured. At whatever point it happens this year that you visit a friend or family member's house, enjoy a meal out, visit a tourist attraction, go on holiday, enjoy a hobby, just remember that that is only possible because most people made the opposite decision to you (if you decide not to have it).

With lots of evidence coming out now (especially from Israel) about how much the vaccine can prevent transmission, more than ever it is incredibly selfish to go down the route of 'I'd be OK if I caught it, so I won't bother with the vaccine'.

I appreciate your comment, but please do not call me selfish. I am being very honest about just wanting to know a bit more, hence why I came here. I have not said I'm not having it, just sharing my concerns, which I thought many might understand giving the endless information swirling around. It's not 'I won't bother having the vaccine', as much as I want to understand the risks involved if I do.

Research articles about vaccine safety are long, boring and hard to read.

Conspiracy theories on social media are everywhere, short, and easy to read.

So that's why people read nonsense and end up believing it. It's not because the evidence is stronger, it's just easier to find and understand stuff that is, unfortunately, often just made up.

Read this article from bbc OP, it shows how the completely false rumours about fertility started.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/health-56012529

I think the most important thing here is that you check with gp if you are actually entitled. If you aren’t due to be vaxxed it would be a shame to jump the queue in front of more vulnerable people

@gamerchick

It's going to be turned into another 'mmr causes autism' isn't it?

Do what you want OP but don't whine about restrictions and lockdowns if you're not willing to help yourself.

I am not sure why people respond in ways like this to threads where people are simply asking for a bit more information. I have not posted with any malice at all. I haven't whined about anything so far, just gotten on with things as best I can. I suppose Mumsnet is always a mix of helpful comments and people just wanting to have a pop.

@glugg

Research articles about vaccine safety are long, boring and hard to read.

Conspiracy theories on social media are everywhere, short, and easy to read.

So that's why people read nonsense and end up believing it. It's not because the evidence is stronger, it's just easier to find and understand stuff that is, unfortunately, often just made up.

Thanks glugg.

@IdesMarchof

I think the most important thing here is that you check with gp if you are actually entitled. If you aren’t due to be vaxxed it would be a shame to jump the queue in front of more vulnerable people

Yes, I will definitely do this too, as I was quite surprised to be offered a vaccine so quickly given my age and low risk factor.

There aren’t any major risks. Hth

I was unexpectedly invited to book my vaccine on Friday. I am a teacher and I do have a higher BMI but am otherwise healthy. I felt concerned at first but I booked it and had the jab yesterday. I
am feeling a bit rough today but am grateful. I took the opportunity and would again.Some areas have vaccines available so rather take them go to waste I would take it.

You are looking for information in all the wrong places! Facebook and Mumsnet are not the places to get medical advice.
The vaccines have been rigorously tested and are backed by all major health organisations. GPs are also firmly behind the vaccination programme and are probably better informed than some mate who's read the headline of some half-baked antivax nonsense.
As a responsible adult you should not hesitate. Get the bloody vaccination and be grateful for it.

Think about it logically. Covid has been known about for what? Twelve months? Vaccines are younger than that - there can’t possibly be any meaningful link found with fertility in women in the timescales we’re talking about.

Covid, however, has been linked with inflammation of the testes and triggering early menopause. It’s yet to be determined whether these are temporary states or not, or even if it’s much more than a tenuous link, but it at least has a credible basis in why the actual virus may affect fertility.

@Sirzy

I’m a few years older. Had my vaccine yesterday and no regrets.

I don’t believe their is any scientific evidence to suggest any impact on fertility

Are you saying that research has been done into the impact on fertility and nothing has been found or are you saying that no research has been done 🤔

Did you do your due diligence before having other vaccines to go on exotic holidays or to work abroad? Are you aware or were you aware that any were linked to fertility or foetal abnormalities?
Do you drink or take recreational drugs? There is ample evidence that these chemicals cause fertility issues and foetal abnormalities but people still take the risk.
I can understand that the novel vaccines based on RNA may be jumped on by media, but the other vaccines are based on tried and tested methods used every year in the flu vaccine.
The other question we need to ask for a balanced argument is if Covid itself can cause infertility. If it was shown to render you infertile anyone under the age of 40 would be clambering for the vaccine.

I am not sure why people respond in ways like this to threads where people are simply asking for a bit more information. I have not posted with any malice at all. I haven't whined about anything so far, just gotten on with things as best I can. I suppose Mumsnet is always a mix of helpful comments and people just wanting to have a pop

These threads seem to be posted multiple times a day all saying the same thing, which gets the same replies. The more people go on about unfounded crap like infertility the more it gains traction. It's irresponsible.

People are suffering with the long term effects of covid, why anyone would want to risk that is beyond me.