Anybody been invited and declined the jab?

[Devlesko]

Beginning to think I did the right thing now.
Anybody else?

I am not against people trying the vaccine if they want. I have chosen not to have it so far. I have been consistent wince March 2020 in being against the lockdowns even if more die and include myself and my own family in that. I woujld rather have a risky life, a shorter life, a life with risk of death than being in a prison of my own home. I do not see too much point in a life without liberty. Of course on an individual basis I do not wnt anyone dying of suicide because lockdown laws threw them over the edge or because the NHS cannot offer them treatment for their conditions or because of covid 19 but 600,000 people die every year in the UK and my doctor father always called flue the old person's friend - for all of us hopefully when over 80 (although my parents died in their 70s so I doubt I will reach 80) flu or even covid is a nicer way to go than the terrible dementia my father had. So I do not mind if more die of covid and fewer of suicide and the other effects of lockdown.

However I accept I am in a minority. Most people in the UK support lockdowns and our CV19 legislation. We have a high vaccination rate which I do support - my children have had every vaccination going. I am a huge supporter of all those MMRs and all the rest. This vaccine is different and for me on a personal basis it is not the one for me (and nor have I ever had the flu vaccine either as never offered it until this year anyway).

We are lucky to live in a relatively free country (other than the CFV19 laws which restrict when we can sing, when we can leave the house and the rest which hopefully on 21 June freedom day every CV 19 law including masks will be abolished).

So if you want the vaccine have it. If you don't don't and just like whether someone has ever had an abortion remember it can be very rude to ask someone if they have had it. If they ask you say you will only tell them if they tell you if they have had an abortion or some other secret medical thing. (My mother never even told us how she voted - some things are private)

I wish there was a choice of vaccine. I refused the AstraZeneca on the day of the appointment (due to the reports from EU). I probably would take the Pfizer one. I am on the wrong side of 30s and don't have the option of a different vaccine.

I have been invited and not gone - yet. My main hesitation isn't due to reading things on SM etc it is that I am more than likely to be offered AZ and what I keep coming back to when I am thinking about having it is that if I lived in many other countries such as France, Canada, Australia to name a few, as a healthy 46 year old I would not be offered this vaccine. That is what is putting me off, if all these countries are being cautious it makes me want to be cautious too. If anyone can reassure me on why it is ok in the UK but not elsewhere I would welcome it (and not with 'more chance of getting a blood clot taking the pill' etc type of replies but actually why the UK deems it to be 'safe' vs other places)

@Malahaha - I’m skeptical about everything yet I’ve had jab 1.

I’ve got long Covid and I’ve been ill for months. (Way before the jab).

GP has put me on 2400iu of D a day now (was on just 800iu when I got COVID).

Many fewer people will get long Covid once vaccinated.

Real world data now Light on R4

With breakdown of numbers

My mil had a phrase for this kind of thread “Nought so strange as folk”.
Afraid of a jab and possible very rare side effects but not concerned about Covid and long Covid. Hmmm!!!

OP if you think there are no excess deaths then you are sadly deluded. www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n799

@KurtWilde

Re Vutamin D, the NHS offered free vitamin D supplements to those at higher risk of coronavirus - those who were shielding etc. It's been advised that all adults - even those not vulnerable - should take a 10mg supplement each day.

10 mg is 400 iu daily. That's a mockery. 1000 iu a day is the minimum dosage. They're just trying to flick away criticism: oh yes, we do recommend it!. The NHS, on their website, even go so far, as to discredit valid vit. d studies, which is truly unforgiveable. In the Spanish vit. d (calcifediol) studies, the death rate plummeted so low that they immediately stopped giving the placebo, as it was unethical not to give the administer something so effective to those needing it in the control group. Many lives were saved that would otherwise have been lost with the conventional covid treatment (ventilators).

@Malahaha

Personally I'd rather reduce my risk of needing one of those 'safe and effective treatments' that apparently exist. You do realise there would also be risks to taking those?

Actually, no. No risks, if the protocal for prescription is followed.
That's what the word "safe" means. They are available over the counter. That's how safe they are. You can buy them like aspirin.

Don't be so ridiculous, there are risks attached to every medication or vaccine. Do you not bother reading the patient leaflets?

Just because something is available over the counter doesn't mean there are no risks attached, including with aspirin FFS. It's quite worrying that anyone thinks like that.

@redferrari

I wish there was a choice of vaccine. I refused the AstraZeneca on the day of the appointment (due to the reports from EU). I probably would take the Pfizer one. I am on the wrong side of 30s and don't have the option of a different vaccine.

I have my appointment tomorrow and feel I may do the same if offered AZ. History of DVT in maternal side, I also take tranexamic acid (daily). But I'm very much a 'don't want to cause a fuss' type of person so I'm hoping they offer the other one

@Malahaha

where is your evidence for your repeated claims HQC and invermectin are effective?
They have both been shown in numerous clinical trials to be ineffective, in fact India readily made invermectin available and that has shown to be completely ineffective there.

I take Hydroxychloroquine for an underlying illness, where it is actually proven to work yet it is not without major risks - it may make me blind or damage my heart.

Vaccines are a tiny percentage of the earnings of Pharma companies, it would actually be more in their interests to manufacture 'cures' if profit were the only driving factor.

@HappydaysArehere

My mil had a phrase for this kind of thread “Nought so strange as folk”. Afraid of a jab and possible very rare side effects but not concerned about Covid and long Covid. Hmmm!!!

Lots of us have had Covid and know many people who have had it and, no, we aren't afraid of it at all. I also know people who had Long Covid who are now better. The body has an amazing thing called an immune system.

@HappydaysArehere

My mil had a phrase for this kind of thread “Nought so strange as folk”. Afraid of a jab and possible very rare side effects but not concerned about Covid and long Covid. Hmmm!!!

No, I'm not afraid of covid because I've had it, as have my family. Figures suggest we're just as well protected with our own antibodies from having the virus as those who have the jab.

@Malahaha have you read the leaflet in aspirin ? All medicines carry a risk to someone potentially

Fully Vaccinated with Pfizer and doing just fabulous 🤍

@Farmer5505

I have been invited and not gone - yet. My main hesitation isn't due to reading things on SM etc it is that I am more than likely to be offered AZ and what I keep coming back to when I am thinking about having it is that if I lived in many other countries such as France, Canada, Australia to name a few, as a healthy 46 year old I would not be offered this vaccine. That is what is putting me off, if all these countries are being cautious it makes me want to be cautious too. If anyone can reassure me on why it is ok in the UK but not elsewhere I would welcome it (and not with 'more chance of getting a blood clot taking the pill' etc type of replies but actually why the UK deems it to be 'safe' vs other places)

This is precisely why I cancelled my appointment. No other country in Europe would I be given the AZ so why should I put myself at risk due to our shambles of a government?

I will bide my time instead of running with my sleeve rolled up to get jabbed with something that has the potential to cause me harm. I'm not an anti vaxxer by any means and would be willing to have one of the more suitable jabs but I refuse to be palmed off with AZ.

The impact of what happens in summer / autumn is directly related to how many decline vaccine. Obviously if you haven’t got immunity and you’re over 40 you are more likely to be part of that.

Kurt would you have the vaccine when immunity wanes?

So FWIW if I can attempt to summarise...

For the vaccine
33 Million people have had it in the UK alone and THE VAST MAJORITY are completely fine.

Outcome: there are fewer cases, fewer deaths and presumably less long COVID. Our nhs is stabilising somewhat and some regular health service is happening, eg operations etc.

Concerns re vaccine

• blood clot cases and adverse reactions are obviously devastating for those involved.

-why aren’t the blood clots in women (mostly) taken as seriously as in Canada France Germany etc? Just geopolitics or are they less tolerant of side effect deaths..? -will the UK gov actually release us on 21 June or will the effectiveness of the vaccine be in debate and so was it all worth it anyway? -will variants come along and f* it all up? -AZ and Pfizer have been mired in dodgy and unsafe selling and safety trial practices for decades -and presumably this isn’t going to stop? -Coercion from the government and health service and social is offputting -other potential side effects including inoact on those with autoimmune issues, impact on fertility, menstrual cycles etc -anyone sceptical of any vaccine is shot down in flames. So genuine worries are never aired/ debunked. Reports of grant funding withdrawals are worrying -but difficult to substantiate? -PPs saying that Ivermectin and hydrochloriquine (sp!?) have not been given adequate or fair testing? Not sure of evidence here. -Vitamin D as a preventative is safe for most people and yet most people only take small doses which probably isn’t enough to prevent serious illness with COVID. Should this be considered as en masse prophylaxis? -If a massive and sustained effort at reducing obesity and increasing exercise and health were instigated... would this help? Has this option been labelled ‘too difficult’ and rejected?

Have I missed anything out?
On balance - it’s bloody emotive and divisive and judging others is pointless because there are so many valid and varied areas of concern.

What I’d like to see is:

-more research into areas of vaccine concern eg vaccine impact on clots, autoimmune, infertility
-more research into potential treatments and into high dose vitamin D prophylaxis
-a test to see if some people are immune anyway and don’t need the vaccine??
-Mass weight loss and exercise programmes, alcohol reduction programmes etc
-paying ppl who can’t actually afford to isolate to do that
-no gagging of opposing medical voices. We aren’t in Russia ffs.

-I don’t know how you get vaccine companies to act lawfully but presumably somebody has some ideas.

I think we should push for the above - not least to avoid dropping all our eggs in the vaccines basket! Lockdown is unsustainable even in its current form IMO.

But in the interests of getting our lives back and preferably sooner rather than later - those who want the vaccine should have it and we should all act as safely as we possibly can in the meantime.

Can’t wait for all the negative comments on my grammar, spelling and inability to summarise big issue of the day in 10 lines

This is precisely why I cancelled my appointment. No other country in Europe would I be given the AZ so why should I put myself at risk due to our shambles of a government?

I will bide my time instead of running with my sleeve rolled up to get jabbed with something that has the potential to cause me harm. I'm not an anti vaxxer by any means and would be willing to have one of the more suitable jabs but I refuse to be palmed off with AZ.

It is a shame as I would also be willing to have another jab, I am not at all against vaccines - in fact last time I went for travel jabs they said I had probably had enough to last me 20 years! And I would have had the AZ jab if other countries hadn't done this - I was following the news when they suspended the use and was hoping that they would resume using it. I am torn to be honest as I do want a vaccine, not that I am scared particularly of covid - my health and lifestyle doesn't make me high risk at all - but I can see it is hopefully a way out of this situation.

@MarshaBradyo
Kurt would you have the vaccine when immunity wanes?

We have very little data on waning immunity, at this point it’s just speculation.

I’ve had covid twice. The second time around I didn’t even get properly ill, just felt a bit under the weather for a day and only knew it was covid because it was picked up on a test.

Clearly my immune system is doing its job, and I have zero reason to fear further covid infection.

[quote Terracotta9]@MarshaBradyo
Kurt would you have the vaccine when immunity wanes?

We have very little data on waning immunity, at this point it’s just speculation.

I’ve had covid twice. The second time around I didn’t even get properly ill, just felt a bit under the weather for a day and only knew it was covid because it was picked up on a test.

Clearly my immune system is doing its job, and I have zero reason to fear further covid infection.[/quote]
Yes as you are speculating.

Wonder if any studies had been done on it so far

@MarshaBradyo I'm not sure, and that's just me being honest. I haven't been swayed by talk of side effects or friends who are HCP refusing the jab, although I do wonder why the UK thinks it knows better than other countries when it comes to not pausing the AZ vaccine!

For me it's about having had covid recently, knowing my body will have set up some immunity to it. I also don't fall into any type of vulnerable category so that's another factor of my decision.

I'm by no means an anti-vaxxer, btw, my children are fully up to date on their jabs!

Best post on the thread sitthisoneout. I may well have the vaccine when called, I don't know yet. But I won't have it whilst discussion is being shut down, and not until I know much more about the gene therapy thing.

I haven't been offered yet but seriously thinking of not having it, because of otherwise healthy and fit family members having rather worrying reactions (after AZ specifically).