Why the hand wringing about sections of the population not taking up their jab.....

[TransplantedScouser]

I keep hearing people banging on about it.

They’ve been offered it
They refused

The outcome of any is surely their choice. Either by restricting what they can do due to passport or if they suffer badly from covid.

@Lalalablahblahblah

For now I think if people have been offered and refuse just move on! There's loads of younger people who would love to take up a jab but haven't been given the opportunity. I'm mid 40s and asthmatic I'd happily take a jab that someone higher priority doesn't want. I don't think it's worth wasting time on repeatedly contacting refusers until everyone else is done.

I agree what's the point constantly harassing a 50 year old to have the jab when you could vaccinate plenty of eager 40s old in that time.

I know someone in France I spoke to recently - she said she wouldn't get it because it was full of metals - like mercury!?

It does have Mercury in it as do many vaccines. Trace amounts though that are harmless.

1. caring about people;s health is not 'handwringing'

2. the main reason for vaccine hesitancy is misinformation or distrust of the medical profession, so this is an attempt to get over that issue which is seen in higher number sin some groups (for very understandable reasons)

3. Those in highest groups for vaccine hesitancy are also in highest groups for risk of covid due to poverty, crowded housing, frontline work and lower general health

4. variants affect us all and risk the vaccine gains

5. there is such a thing as society

@Purplewithred

Unfortunately their decision impacts on the rest of us:

• if they get seriously ill they will use up NHS resources and hamper our ability to get on with other treatments
• they give the virus the opportunity to mutate faster than we can keep up with it
• the vaccinated can still catch covid, so restrictions designed to keep Covid from transmitting will have to stay in place

They only affect us in the same way that those people affect us who get fat and need treatment or drive erratically and have accidents or get drunk and fall over and need treatment. NHS treatment isn't rationed on stupidity levels.

My view is I get vaccinated to protect me. If you want to protect you, get vaccinated too. But it's none of my business what you do (and more to the point, vice versa).

@Alittlelouder

I know someone in France I spoke to recently - she said she wouldn't get it because it was full of metals - like mercury!?

It does have Mercury in it as do many vaccines. Trace amounts though that are harmless.

Does it?? I haven't seen Mercury (or any metals) listed on the ingredient sheets for either AZ, Moderna nor Pfizer vaccines. Where are you getting that information?

I think we should keep going back over and over to those who are hesitant as they may change their minds. Some I know are not “refusers ” rather “not yet-ers “ and may say yes in the summer or autumn. And that should be encouraged.

Surely it's not the vaccine that contains mercury, but it's present in the microchip?

@Nerdygirl

As Chris witty said yesterday the majority will have no symptoms or very mild symptoms. The majority will not end up in hospital so won’t be putting pressure on the NHS.

Many are weighing up the personal risk to them and many have already had it. Vaccinated people can still contract it so variants can still exist.

This coercion for a virus that has a lower death rate than everything else that we are vaccinated for doesn’t sit right for many .

Rather than demonise people, people should perhaps try understanding and respect others view.

^This

In relation to variants and potential risk to others, it’s ridiculous to be concerned about a small percentage of adults not having the vaccine when millions of children/young people don’t have it.

The black community are specifically at risk but take up is low in comparison, so making an effort to persuade people to take the vaccine is valid. The more it mutates the less effective the vaccine is until revised. The more it circulates in the unvaccinated population the longer it will take to bring the numbers right down and it impacts all the activities of the rest of us and delays normal life resuming

@CuriousaboutSamphire

I just don’t like the control aspect of this full pandemic. even when for some cohorts that 'control' is actually an honest attempt to provide accurate infomration so they can make an informed decision?

I don’t completely disagree. I will likely get the vaccine later down the line, but I respect other people’s choice to decide not to get it. I’m of the mindset that as an adult you have the ability to make your own decisions & risk assessments (facing the consequences of those choices) & I feel this full pandemic has stopped this from being the case. We have managed to turn a full country against one another, turn on our neighbours & incite ourselves into other people’s business, all under the pretence of “the greater good”. People smoking, overusing alcohol, taking drugs, obesity, driving recklessly all put the NHS under great strain every day, yet we don’t crucify these people & shout at them in the street, but god forbid someone goes into their mums house or meets 2 people outside & suddenly they’re the soul cause of the NHS’s downfall

They only affect us in the same way that those people affect us who get fat and need treatment or drive erratically and have accidents or get drunk and fall over and need treatment.

Fundamental misunderstanding of an infectious disease here!

If you are overweight, that does not increase my chances of being overweight.

Plus variants variants variants variants variants and did I mention variants?

In relation to variants and potential risk to others, it’s ridiculous to be concerned about a small percentage of adults not having the vaccine when millions of children/young people don’t have it.

Although this is correct of course - schools are a wonderful pool for the virus to swim in

@Newmama29 you are making a decision based on infomration you have deemed to be meaningful. That is also true about some sections of society who have only been fed lies and misinformation. It would be criminal, and in the long run used to reinforce the fears and misinformation n the same cohorts.

It isn't slowing down the roll out. It is working with the most disenfranchised in society. It just isn't the same as your more, erm, middle class angst over it.

The more people who aren’t vaccinated the greater chance of new variants, pressure only the NHS and school bubbles continuing to burst and affecting kids education. It affects us all.

[quote Jo99996]@BigWoollyJumpers but for the bulk of the population Covid doesn’t cause death either.[/quote]
"...and I don't give a shit about those it does kill".

There - fixed it for you!

How about a really simple, totally selfish explanation (sometimes I think these are the only kind that get through to some people).

More sick people = NHS tied down treating covid for longer.

Means longer waiting times, higher taxes for everyone else.

Because they have no understanding of herd immunity or protecting those that can't have it. Or they don't care.

It's all very well to quote 'personal choice' but that shows no social responsibility.

@bumbleymummy

it’s ridiculous to be concerned about a small percentage of adults not having the vaccine when millions of children/young people don’t have it.

Clearly saving the lives of these vaccine hesitant isn't even on your radar. Not that that particularly surprises me.

@Alittlelouder

I know someone in France I spoke to recently - she said she wouldn't get it because it was full of metals - like mercury!?

It does have Mercury in it as do many vaccines. Trace amounts though that are harmless.

Neither the Pfizer nor the AZ vaccine contains thiomersal.

The ethylmercury based preservative in vaccines is considered safe by WHO. Methylmercury is the one you want to avoid so eat a bit less tuna.

Beyond that needs a lot more chemistry than my rusty a level and I'm sure the thick fuck antivaxers are also no experts.

@lostoucan even better update! Thank you.

@CuriousaboutSamphire no I’m all about educating & spreading correct information. What I don’t like is the way people are tarred as “crazy anti-vaxers” if they say they don’t want it yet, or want to look more into it. I also don’t like the way it’s being forced on people as if they’re a murderer if they don’t get it. I’m happy for people to educate others but I hate the judgement.

Even better if I could spell thimerosal 🙄

[quote notrub]@bumbleymummy

it’s ridiculous to be concerned about a small percentage of adults not having the vaccine when millions of children/young people don’t have it.

Clearly saving the lives of these vaccine hesitant isn't even on your radar. Not that that particularly surprises me.[/quote]
Of course we should continue to offer the vaccine to people. Why wouldn’t we? Everyone who wants it should be able to and their decision about whether or not to have it should be an informed one.

People should accept that others may make a different informed decision than the one they have made for themselves though.

it’s ridiculous to be concerned about a small percentage of adults not having the vaccine when millions of children/young people don’t have it

But it isn't a small percentage of certain demographics. It's HALF, which is not enough for herd immunity, nor for the avoidance of death and disability to those people who aren't having it.