to find the reaction to BMI related vaccines.... interesting?

[staydazzling]

Ive noticed a lot of posts on twitter and of course Prof. Tracey from Facebook type posts bemoaning the fact people with a high BMI are getting an early vaccine, how undeserving we all are, its almost as if "we only care about your health" only applies if we are at a disadvantage in the health care system, and as soon as an outdated measurement gives us an advantage that 'care' is replaced by resentment 🤔. funny that, almost as if it was never motivated by care at all.
A big reason why ill have to tell noone ive had the vaccine i also have an immune condition that flags me not particularly serious, ive only ever been in hospital to give birth, many others like me, seeing lots of true colours recently. finally benefitting from the blunt instrument that is BMI and apparently that's no ok either! all very interesting.

I've put on weight over lockdown.

I have been too all consumed by looking after my DD whose MH has fallen off a cliff to have any headspace to think about healthy eating.

So shoot me.

@Rasclut

For me it's just ridiculous that someone with a bmi of 40 plus is pretending to be concerned about health when they have had a whole year to lose weight and chosen to spend that year stuffing their faces and posting stay the fuck at home all over social media. If obese people want the vaccine, they should take it, we will all get offered it so I dont care when they get offered it.

I believe obesity is caused by excess calories and is ALWAYS reversible if the patient is willing to eat less. I know there are medical and emotional reasons why people find it hard to eat less but I'm not about to engage with the 'you're mean, it's not my fault I'm obese' crowd. No, it's not your fault you're obese, its your choice to stay obese ffs!

I feel better for that rant!

So it's all down to choice eh? Hmmm. I should cancel my bulimia treatment then, I'll just give them a bell and tell them Rasclut thinks it's all nonsense and not to worry I will sort myself out. In fact, let's stop offering eating disorder treatment to those nasty fatties eh? They don't deserve it like the skinny ones do.

I don't think obese people should feel guilty about being prioritised for the vaccine. It makes complete sense and benefits the entire population.

I do think some (not all) obese people are disproportionately terrified of covid as opposed to the other life limiting illnesses they're just at risk of due to excess weight.

However, labelling "obese" as a lifestyle choice is narrow minded and an over simplified view. I think attitudes on social media are not representative of general real life views.

You're entitled to the vaccine Op so ignore any criticism and don't feel ashamed.

I agree OP. If you’re the kind of person who thinks ‘I would rather fat people died than got the vaccine ahead of a ‘more deserving’ thin person’ (which is what you’re saying if you complain about BMI being a factor in getting the vaccine) you’re a monster and should be ashamed.

@RonaldMcDonald

I don’t care. You’re vulnerable because you’re vulnerable. Faux care for fat people is often just an excuse to judge and bash them

I’m thin but in honesty I am largely disordered in my eating and dress that up as intermittent fasting

If someone needs extra care give it to them. Food and eating is complicated.

Amen. This happens a lot more than people think - myself included. I binned intermittent fasting for this reason as I was becoming too consumed with thinking about food, nutrition and weight. I'm a recovering addict and have realised that any flippin' thing can potentially be channelled into an addiction unfortunately.

As others have said OP, protecting the vulnerable is about reducing the amount of serious illness and death and the burden on our hospitals caused by that.

I am happy for the vaccine to be given to priority groups who, for social, personal or genetic reasons, are more vulnerable, as this then meets the aim of protecting those groups, keeping them out of hospital and stopping serious disease.

That was the aim, this achieves this, I'm not going to split hairs over who they are or why they are at more risk. I'm glad I'm not in those categories and consider myself lucky on that front, and will get it though being 50 plus anyway.

@Rasclut

For me it's just ridiculous that someone with a bmi of 40 plus is pretending to be concerned about health when they have had a whole year to lose weight and chosen to spend that year stuffing their faces and posting stay the fuck at home all over social media. If obese people want the vaccine, they should take it, we will all get offered it so I dont care when they get offered it.

I believe obesity is caused by excess calories and is ALWAYS reversible if the patient is willing to eat less. I know there are medical and emotional reasons why people find it hard to eat less but I'm not about to engage with the 'you're mean, it's not my fault I'm obese' crowd. No, it's not your fault you're obese, its your choice to stay obese ffs!

I feel better for that rant!

You have absolutely proved a point here

Not everyone who is obese "stuffs" there face i personally know people who were skinny but seriously ill the lifesaving medicine turned them obese so they are either fat or dead they prefer to be fat

I just hope that people with a BMI over 40..let their GPS know their weight

I agree. Presumably a lot of people don't have their weight on record with a gp and its down to them to request an earlier vaccine.
I hope the extreme minority shaming /resenting obese people online don't put off members of the public coming forward for the vaccine.

Thanks for the sensible replies

Some of these responses are presenting the issue far better than i could, so thanks for that

A lot of people in denial. Calories lead to weight gain. You can think I'm a bitch all you like, but you would all be so much less vulnerable to all types of diseases, not just corona if you were willing to eat a bit less. Protect yourselves and the NHS! I KNOW IM POINTING OUT THE OBVIOUS BUT I WANT YOU TO STAY ALIVE FOR YOUR CHILDREN! COVID VACCINE CANT PROTECT AGAINST DIABETES WHICH KILLED MORE THAN COVID COULD EVER DREAM OF!

@SmileyClare

I just hope that people with a BMI over 40..let their GPS know their weight

I agree. Presumably a lot of people don't have their weight on record with a gp and its down to them to request an earlier vaccine.
I hope the extreme minority shaming /resenting obese people online don't put off members of the public coming forward for the vaccine.

Unfortunately some of those views are held by GPs, and overweight people are very aware of it. Things need to change and obese people need to feel more able to approach the medical profession for balanced and fair care. The treatment options available for slimmer people are often withheld from overweight people pending weight loss, making their problems much worse before they finally get taken seriously.

@Rasclut

A lot of people in denial. Calories lead to weight gain. You can think I'm a bitch all you like, but you would all be so much less vulnerable to all types of diseases, not just corona if you were willing to eat a bit less. Protect yourselves and the NHS! I KNOW IM POINTING OUT THE OBVIOUS BUT I WANT YOU TO STAY ALIVE FOR YOUR CHILDREN! COVID VACCINE CANT PROTECT AGAINST DIABETES WHICH KILLED MORE THAN COVID COULD EVER DREAM OF!

Careful with the mad frothing, all that shouting and foaming at the mouth can't be good for you. It's especially sad watching you scream into the void because literally nobody here gives one flying fuck about your rabid madness. Quite pathetic really, I feel sorry for you.

@GertiMJN

The vaccination priority protocol is not prioritising which people are deserving of being protected soonest- its about the reducing the impact on the NHS of those people getting the virus.

Exactly this. The vaccines have only been available for a couple of months and some fuckwits are already squabbling about them. Every arm they go into benefits us all.

I don't think this thread is going Rasclut's way!

[quote GraduallyWatermelon]@Rasclut

I WANT YOU TO STAY ALIVE FOR YOUR CHILDREN

Lol. Pull the other one and fuck off.[/quote]
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Now DP has been vaccinated I give no a shiny shite about anyone getting a vaccine for any reason 👌

@Etherealhedgehog

The prioritisation for vaccines isn't based on some kind of ranking of deservingness - otherwise they obviously wouldn't have started with people in their 90s who are on their last legs anyway! It's designed to reduce pressure on the NHS and society as quickly as possible by reducing the level of serious illness and death. On those grounds it absolutely makes sense to prioritise people with high BMI as we know they are at higher risk of hospitalisation/death.

People who think that those with high BMI are undeserving and should be deprioritised presumably should also be in favour of all sorts of other criteria being used - deprioritise anyone with a history of law-breaking, prioritise anyone who does volunteer work etc etc. Except that would be nonsense, obviously. This is a practical public health exercise, not some kind of biblical reckoning.

Wise words @Etherealhedgehog

My BMI used to be 40+ (slow gain due to long term mobility issues)
4 years ago, I separated from my exH & as I have 2 kids with SN (& am disabled myself) I got scared after a chat with my GP about my long term health so I did something about it. BMI is now 27: (relief)

BUT I just got offered the 1st jab (in a fortnights time). I called my GP to make sure there wasn't a mistake as my BMI is now normal (ish). They said they didn't know why I'd been offered - no longer BMI flagged but it but it might be because I have bad sleep apnoea so use a Cpap at night. They said: 'take it'. Of course I will and I'm grateful.

But I've had a family member very resentful as they have asthma and work in a public facing role in transport 'and you've been offered the jab first and all you do is sit at home (I'm a Carer for my two SN kids who attend mainstream school). It's really divisive and that is so sad.

The more of us who are vaccinated, the better it is for all of us surely?

I'd like to know if all of the people who think BMI is an 'outdated' or 'stupid' measurement are therefore claiming that those with a BMI of over 40 (the only people who are getting vaccinated on that basis) might in fact be healthy?

I've put weight on in lockdown, but I've also struggled with my weight since I was younger - I've had 25 years of yo-yoing between a size 10 and 20. I'm well aware of my failings and wish it was as simple as Rasclut pointed out - I could just eat less, why didn't I think of that.... possibly because of bouts of depression over the years, an abusive marriage, single parenthood and the past year possibly being one of the hardest of my life due to isolation (aside from my kids who are absolutely wonderful but I dont think we're meant to be together 24/7) - some days the only interaction I have with people is Mumsnet and that is quite sad!

I am group 6 but not just because of weight, I have underlying health conditions which yes are probably made worse by my current weight, and I have had someone suggest to me that I should wait my turn and not queue jump simply because I'm overweight - everyone's entitled to their opinions.

But it does start up a whole thought process about whether skinny alcoholics fall into the group of people that Rasclut feels "aren't worthy", or people with lung cancer who refuse to pack up smoking - all of those could be classed as "deliberate - you brought it on yourself" conditions as well couldn't they?

For me - I dont care whether I am group 6 or group flipping 25 - lets celebrate every single person who gets vaccinated, in whichever order that's done, as its one step further towards normality.

I want to get out of lockdown.

To get out of lockdown, hospitalisations from Covid must reduce.

To reduce hospitalisations from Covid, those who are most likely to need hospitalisation must be prioritised for vaccination.

I therefore support prioritising vaccination for people with a high BMI.

Nothing like a bit of fat bashing to start the day off, because we all know there's nothing worse on the world than being fat

maybe I should have read to the end before I posted as the thread seems to have gone a bit haywire!

anyway, I just meant that people can have a v high BMI for lots of reasons. yes, its great to try to reduce that for general health but that isn't always possible long term (even with surgery if you look at stats). I have made progress but to keep that for life is by no means certain and takes daily effort as I am not very mobile. Shaming folk for high BMI & / or health conditions is pointless and cruel.

It's a pity that 'me first' re vaccines seems to be a thing with some folk as we all need to be offered one asap and the more folk that take them up the safer we all are, right across the globe.

It's your paranoia making you think I've said you are unworthy! I've never said that. Hypocritical, yes, but not unworthy.