Vaccines: Refusers versus aspirers

[PuzzledObserver]

I sometimes think I'm living in an alternate universe.

There are all these posts over social media, including mumsnet, about how vaccines are evil, they are all sent to kill us, DO YOUR RESEARCH you sheeple.

And then there are all the other posts about so relieved my Mum had her vaccine, it's not fair that I/my mum/my friend who is CEV hasn't got their vaccine yet and the EU are trying to shaft us.

It's a bit disconcerting, if I'm honest. But then I look at the takeup numbers, and it does seem that those who want the vaccine are the large majority.

So, which are you?

1. Had it/will have it when invited
2. No way, Jose
3. Mmmm.... still deliberating.

I'm a 1.

Covid itself can cause blood clots from what I can gather. It can also then lead to heart attacks and strokes. It's the main issue I had when I had covid. My blood pressure rose so high I had to be rushed to hospital with these as real possibilities. I was being scanned for clots and more very quickly on arrival.

Between 2 & 3.

Prob will eventually because I want to be able to travel, and it seems for international travel it'll be hard to escape.

But all the talk about passports and certificates makes me veer towards 2. I find it hugely controlling.

I like your use of sheeple. Not quite sure which 'side' it's meant to be against. But I think it's great for everyone to do their own research.

My own research showed that it's not particularly important for me personally. And for society generally, I'm encouraged to see enthusiastic take-up amongst the vulnerable. Now looking forward to our rights being restored to make our own risk assessments, and given our freedoms back.

1 and literally everyone I know (except for 2 parents of an acquaintance) are having it. Only way to get back to normal IMO

1. No way, Jose at the moment. My mum and aunt had the Astrawhatsit one and were both really ill. My mum still isn't right at all and it's been nearly a month. I'm not against vaccines in general, I think they're amazing, and would pay for the Pfizer instead if that were possible. I don't now what I'll do if vaccine passports become a thing!

1. Already had my 1st vaccine, but I had it purely for my own personal medical reasons. I have asthma, even a the common cold can leave me with a really bad chest so I doubt covid would be any different although I'm not scared of dying from covid. I did not have it for some moral duty to society.

I respect everyone's decision to have or not have the vaccine no one should feel coerced into having it especially not just to have the freedom to go to a pub or restaurant, or because they have been socially bullied into it "for the greater good" that really doesn't sit right with me.

@FurrySlipperBoots

2. No way, Jose at the moment. My mum and aunt had the Astrawhatsit one and were both really ill. My mum still isn't right at all and it's been nearly a month. I'm not against vaccines in general, I think they're amazing, and would pay for the Pfizer instead if that were possible. I don't now what I'll do if vaccine passports become a thing!

Has your mum spoken to her Gp and been referred following the reaction.

It sounds like her reaction is very much outside the norm for this vaccine, or any of the vaccines, so I would hope it was being investigated into why she has reacted this way.

A normal reaction may be a day or so of feeling rough, but not weeks of it.

@ekidmxcl

1 But as people get younger and less vulnerable, take up will decline, which I think is fine.

I’m not so sure about that. My eldest child is in year 13 and they, and all their friends are absolutely desperate to get vaccinated. Some (with p/t jobs in social care) have already been done. Yes some of it is wanting to be able to go abroad but the main part is just a sense of social responsibility and that this is the right thing to do.

I was volunteering at a vaccination centre this morning and someone coming for an injection said how wonderful it was that through vaccination we are all able to do something to help each other, which I thought was a wonderful way of putting it.

I’m vaccinated and having second dose in April as is my dh.

@Buzzinwithbez

3. I see no reason to have it at this point while cases are really low and likely to remain so. It's something to be revisited in September, by which time there should be more info about it available.

Same as this poster.

Plus I have had covid, and Long covid which included blood issues. Not keen to give myself more potential problems.
I keep an eye on how many people may be getting covid twice which seems to be a very small percentage.

So told the NHS, I will revisit the situation in Sept when more information will be available.

Meanwhile, sent off for an antibody test.

1. In my 40s and gutted that things will now slow down and my furst jab could be a few months off still.

‘ I’m not so sure about that. My eldest child is in year 13 and they, and all their friends are absolutely desperate to get vaccinated. Some (with p/t jobs in social care) have already been done. Yes some of it is wanting to be able to go abroad but the main part is just a sense of social responsibility and that this is the right thing to do.’

That’s wonderful to hear.
Yay for your dd and her friends.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel thank you (they’re a ds not that it makes any difference) - they all feel so strongly about the importance of being vaccinated it’s great - I wonder if part of it is having no memory etc off all the MMR debate and having recently learnt about vaccination and it’s benefits at school.

Oops, sorry KittyMcKitty‘s ds!

*@puppeteer * you have put into words my feelings exactly. I'm one of those apparently irritating people who ask 'why' when told (or strongly advised) to do something as I like to have as much information as possible. I have been invited for my vaccine (51years old). I have read the accompanying leaflet and there is NOTHING on there that shows me that it would be beneficial to MY health to have these drugs put into my system. I don't know anyone who is vulnerable. I don't do any caring duties. I am past nurturing duties (kids adults but not parents themselves). I work alone/at a distance from others. I avoid crowded places as I get panic attacks so no shopping centres or festivals or concerts. Don't travel abroad for holidays or city breaks and only very occasional work trips. I'm fit and healthy BMI 25. I'm not scared of being ill in fact, I weirdly enjoy my annual cold as its a sign to me that my immune system is functioning properly. Why am I being forced to have this vaccine and not the flu one ?

You’re not being forced to have the vaccine!

I have been invited for my vaccine (51years old). I have read the accompanying leaflet and there is NOTHING on there that shows me that it would be beneficial to MY health

What about the health of people like OpheliasCrayon and others who are unable to have the vaccine? It isn't just about YOU.

Like you, I always question why, but I found the information I wanted, and made what I consider to be an informed decision to have the vaccine. I felt a tiny bit tired and headachey the day after, that was all.

I don't know why and can't explain it but something doesn't sit right with me about the way it's being pushed by the government.

Maybe because they realise
a) people don’t want to stay in lockdown forever
b) they don’t want to be blamed for another 140,000 deaths?

@OpheliasCrayon thank you from me too for responding and it sounds like a very sensible decision given what you’ve said. You also probably have a good degree of immunity anyway from having had the infection,. They are saying immunity from vaccination will last longer, but that’s just a guess based on how other vaccines behave, we obviously don’t know yet!

Like you, I take comfort from having had Covid and not being severely ill with it, even though they’ve now decided I’m CEV too. But I still went for my vaccine because I have no contraindications to it.

1. Had the AstraZeneca vaccine. Felt fluey for 36 hours, then completely fine. As I work for the NHS I was offered Pfizer in Jan but, apparently differently from everyone else, I was more worried about Pfizer as it is quite a new vaccine technology (yes, I know it has been used before, but not as widely.) With AZ, yes of course you expect some side effects, though my husband who also had it had none, but to me they are just evidence it is doing what it is meant to do. We are both very happy to be protected and waiting for second doses now.

For those wishing to wait until there is more information it may be worth bearing in mind that vaccine side effects show up quite quickly. I think it is unlikely we'll have reams more information before the autumn/winter.

I like your use of sheeple. Not quite sure which 'side' it's meant to be against. But I think it's great for everyone to do their own research.

I’ve mostly seen it used as a derogatory term by people espousing conspiracy theories against people who accept the position as reported by mainstream media, hence “Do your own research.”

I agree that doing a bit of digging is sensible. I don’t believe that the mainstream media are part of some big international conspiracy to subjugate the human race or any such thing.

A free press is a tremendously powerful force for keeping both government and industry in check. You can bet your bottom dollar that if the media got wind of government, official bodies or corporations deliberately doing something known or calculated to be harmful, they would be all over it. If there are errors or obfuscation in the data, all it takes is one whistle blower and it will be all over the front pages.

This is why I am not worried about ADE after vaccination and many other things which are put forward as a reason not to vaccinate - if it was going to happen in any numbers, we would know about it by now.

NB - there are genuine medical reasons not to vaccinate for some.

If I wasn't already sceptical, things like this twitter.com/i/status/1346896975531298817 make me even more determined to resist.

Tony Blair "In the end, vaccination will be your route to liberty"

Do people think this is benign or acceptable?

1. Had my first AZ shot 3 weeks ago, looking forward to my 2nd in May.

The only refuser in our family is the one with autism and a LD. I'm hoping a nasal spray will be available soon and she will be eligible for it.

@dividedwefall

If I wasn't already sceptical, things like this twitter.com/i/status/1346896975531298817 make me even more determined to resist.

Tony Blair "In the end, vaccination will be your route to liberty"

Do people think this is benign or acceptable?

It is sinister as fuck. And what is more sinister is people who think this is the way forward and are begging for it.

1

Originally I wasn't sure, but then I got to the stage that I realised it is the only option we have towards a better life and protecting myself and my family. I got my head around it, unexpectedly qualified early through work. I jumped at and got first appointment the next day. It was such a relief, I felt great afterwards. Actually looking forward to my second vaccine.

@dividedwefall

If I wasn't already sceptical, things like this twitter.com/i/status/1346896975531298817 make me even more determined to resist.

Tony Blair "In the end, vaccination will be your route to liberty"

Do people think this is benign or acceptable?

It’s now crystal clear this was never about a virus.

1. I work in public health and it is better for everyone to be vaccinated if they are able to be as it will protect the most vulnerable in the population for whom vaccination is not an option.