Annoying how much negativity towards vaccination there is on MN

[Tonylepony]

It’s actually verging on irresponsible that every other thread in this section is scaremongering about the coronavirus vaccination which basically is our only way out of this hell. If they’re not going on about the almost negligible chance of having a blood clot, there’s some other complaint about a random side effect. I know a lot of people in RL who’ve had the AZ and we’re on the over 40s here. Not one person has has anything worse than feeling tired the day after. We should be grateful for this jab and the negativity really needs to stop before the vaccination rollout is jeopardised.

@Remmy123
if you are 20's/30's/40's even, you probably would question the need for it The estimation is that 82% of the population needs to be vaccinated in order to control the virus. I’ve never been scared of catching coronavirus but I’m desperate to get out of this current situation.
reduction of transmission is still not confirmed as yet Actually the vaccination has been shown to break the transmission chain.

Sorry because I'm kind of on your side and am pro vaccine but a friend of mine had a blood clot a few days ago after taking it. I'd love to not post this but it is facts and if many more people start getting clots we ought to know about it really.

Indeed. The evidence shows how successful the vaccine programme is and how FEW risks there are.

Many appear to ignore the evidence and have disproportionate fear. Stick to the facts and evidence, there is lots put there and ignore the speculation and fear

I’m generally welcoming of the vaccination programme although having just received my appointment I have (at this stage) declined. Reason being based on the data the chances of a healthy, fit person with no underlying health conditions (I fit into this category) being seriously impacted by COVID is very unlikely. In some senses it’s similar to the flu jab, I wouldn’t dream of having it any other time except when I am more vulnerable such as when I have been pregnant in the past. Although I do acknowledge that COVID is much more transmissible. I do trust the science behind the vaccination but I just don’t want it right now which is my right. I don’t work with people day to day in my job so in some sense I have this luxury.

Agree OP.

I think it’s important people are allowed to discuss their experiences and views regarding the vaccine. Stereotypically speaking the “older” people have had Pfizer and the “younger” people AZ with the latter more likely to use online forums/social media. Remember I did say stereotypically. It will be interesting now the rollout of Moderna is starting whether similar threads appear about that in a few weeks. If not I’d be inclined to think AZ is a problem.

Notice how often when someone posts about their symptoms or with questions about the vaccines they also give a little disclaimer about how their kids have all their vaccinations and they’re not anti-vaxx

It says a lot about how unacceptable it has become to question vaccines in general or a vaccine in particular. This is very wrong, because vaccines are tools for public health with benefits AND risks.

We should always be able to discuss these benefits and risks openly and freely, without emotive slurs like “anti-vaxx” or “scaremongering” being hurled around.

So you want everyone to think and feel exactly the same as you
No I want to get out of this current hell we’re living in. I want my friends business to recover, I want my dc to go to school without having to isolate every other week. I don’t want thousands more people to die. We can only do it collectively by being vaccinated.

I agree with you OP!

There are also lots of the same posters on all these threads. I've name searched some of the most common posters and funnily enough they only seem to post on vaccine threads so either they name change to post on them or they have joined to post on these threads! 🤷‍♀️

The Coronavirus Topic has been such a valuable resource through the pandemic but it's gone batshit in the past couple of weeks and I don't think that's an accident!

@Alfaix that’s great to hear and you’re doing an amazing thing. I felt really emotional when I had my vaccination everyone was so lovely and it was the first time in such a long time I really felt we were getting somewhere.

Disagree. I am pro-vaccine, but we shouldn’t be trying to stifle debate or police how others feel about taking it

I’ve happily had my first AZ jab and will be taking the second. Have hated everything about lockdown and an very keen to return to normality. Not overly concerned about vaccine-related blot clots, although I understand why some are. But after my jab my period was ten days late for the first time in over five years of tracking, and was accompanied by the worst PMS I’ve ever had (I’ve yellow carded my symptoms). I’m almost certain it was just a quirk of my immune response to the vaccine, but I think it’s perfectly valid to discuss these things, and that suppressing debate would be counter productive.

I don't think it's unreasonable to warn people that the vaccine can make you feel bad afterwards. Them people can schedule it at a time when they don't have responsibilities it would impact. 20-30% of people have side effects after the Astrazenica jab. That's not insignificant.

I felt like I had terrible flu afterwards and I've never felt like that with any other vaccine. It came as a complete surprise. So if for example I had needed to do a long shift at work the following day or drive anywhere or look after a toddler I couldn't have done it. I do think it's fair to warn people so they can organise their time

@Terracotta9 the vaccines we give to our children have been around for years so here is more confidence in that than a vaccine that has just been rolled out.

@Ultimatecougar

I don't think it's unreasonable to warn people that the vaccine can make you feel bad afterwards. Them people can schedule it at a time when they don't have responsibilities it would impact. 20-30% of people have side effects after the Astrazenica jab. That's not insignificant.

I felt like I had terrible flu afterwards and I've never felt like that with any other vaccine. It came as a complete surprise. So if for example I had needed to do a long shift at work the following day or drive anywhere or look after a toddler I couldn't have done it. I do think it's fair to warn people so they can organise their time

We were all given a leaflet telling us we might suffer flu like symptoms as side effects - I don't think we need 20 threads a day telling us the same thing!

Fwiw I’m under 40, I’ve had the AZ first dose and I was over the moon as I’m considered vulnerable. But given how much the coronavirus topic has taken over Mumsnet the past year (I do understand why) with an unbelievable effect on my health anxiety, it now makes sense that also the side effects of the vaccine is discussed. I do completely get where you are coming from but anything people have read about is discussed here and this is no exception unfortunately.

Having said that, I wonder how many people are actually feeling fine (side effects wise) after having AZ because I wasn’t contacted to report back any symptoms whatsoever. Is this the same with covid as well then, we only hear about the most rare, horrendous cases? No wonder so many are terrified.

It’s almost as if pharma science hasn’t got any previous long lists of meds initially approved & but later withdrawn through concerns that only become apparent through time & wider exposure innit?

But hey, these demi-gods aren’t open to question ever?

I disagree OP. These are not just concerns taken out of thin area amor from social media. Other countries have paused or age restricted the AZ vaccine. Are these countries misinformed and irrational too? Australia has said no to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as it is the same type as AZ. So I guess the concern is not necessarily from misinformed people, but from people who are following international news too.

It is a cost-benefit situation and I think while it is brilliant for older people, I do think young people should give plenty of consideration before having the jab

I've name searched some of the most common posters and funnily enough they only seem to post on vaccine threads so either they name change to post on them or they have joined to post on these threads!

I’ll put my hand up for this one. It’s because it’s become so unacceptable to question vaccines people don’t want to risk having the label anti-vaxx attached to their usual username.

I’m not even anti-vaccine in the traditional sense, more questioning of elements of the whole pandemic response. But the reason why I separate out my username is mostly because of the vaccines.

I find the label anti-vaxx functions a lot like TERF. It’s a way to shut down the conversation without having to engage with any of the arguments. (OP, I’m aware you didn’t use the term “anti-vaxx” in your post, I’m just speaking generally)

Looking at the officially reported adverse effects which have now reached a total of 774 deaths and numerous serious side-effects between the 2 vaccines being used, I think people have justifiable concerns that we are recklessly aiming to dose the entire population including children (otherwise why would trials be ongoing?) with an experimental cocktail and not holding back to see how the early vaccinees fare when lockdowns end and full socialising is underway again.

We've only seen the immediate/early side-effects so far, and they are bad enough, creating life-changing injuries for some and death for others. What might still lie in store months or a couple of years down the road?

AZ reactions

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/977006/COVID-19_vaccine_AstraZeneca_analysis_print.pdf

Pfizer reactions

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/977005/COVID-19_mRNA_Pfizer-_BioNTech_Vaccine_Analysis_Print.pdf

I find the opposite. I have worries about the vaccination but I’ve seen people get so much abuse for asking that I won’t bother. And ironically this will probably lead to me not getting it because I just don’t know enough.

terracotta that’s exactly how I feel.

@Isolatedizzy I was given the leaflet after I'd had the vaccine, not before. As were all the other hundreds of people at the vaccine hub.

In any case most vaccines have such things listed as a side effect, but in my experience they are not as frequent as the Astrazenica. I've had flu vaccines etc before and never experienced a side effect.

I agree OP.

Other social media sites have started linking to vaccine facts automatically. It’s only again in MN that I see it being repeatedly discussed but zero linking to reliable sources of information by the site itself. I agree it is irresponsible IMO.

It is a cost-benefit situation and I think while it is brilliant for older people, I do think young people should give plenty of consideration before having the jab

Agree. I’m pretty complacent about the vaccine potentially messing up my menstrual cycle a bit; I’m 40, have completed my family and while I’ve never been worried about Covid from a personal perspective I was happy to take the vaccine to be socially responsible and help end lockdown. But I’m not sure whether I’d feel the same if I were a decade younger and thinking about ttc, or 25 and worried about blood clots.