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Original poster

Has your life been taken over by ‘the vaccine’?

101 replies

QuietBatPeople1 · 06/05/2021 13:31

Mine has and it is wreaking havoc on my mental status and anxiety-

Mainly at work as I’m not into pubs etc so my socialising is me going on a run/school pick drop etc
Today at work there were conversations around some staff wanting vaccine passports implemented so they feel safe against the unvaccinated.

I haven’t had the vaccine yet and I have a lot of anxiety around this particular vaccine. The constant push to have it doesn’t help. Anyone else feeling like this?

OP posts:
SmileyClare · 06/05/2021 17:32

Society would completely fall apart if no one "gave a toss what anyone else was doing" If we all did what we wanted and demanded no consequences. Be careful what you wish for!

Anyway, I shouldn't really get involved with vaccine refusal threads. They always land me in an argument with other posters. I appreciate not everyone shares my views.

bumbleymummy · 06/05/2021 17:33

@SmileyClare

Here's what my husband's letter said;

Dear patient (name)

You are now being offered the vaccination that will protect you against you against Covid- 19. Details on how to book your first dose are shown below.

How on earth is that not being given a choice? I think it's silly to feel the NHS letter is bullying you into it. You're being offered a vaccine, take up the offer or don't. Surely that doesn't have to be explained in a separate part of the letter. Confused

Hmm. It’s still a bit misleading isn’t it? Although I suppose,

‘You are now being offered a vaccination which may protect you against serious illness from covid-19’

isn’t quite as catchy and persuasive is it?

XenoBitch · 06/05/2021 17:36

@Nerdygirl

I am sick of feeling pressured to get the jab. I have been offered it fine, you don’t need to chase me again. The coercion mainly comes from the social side, frames on Facebook and people asking you whether you have had it yet! That really annoys me, no one asks me anything else personal related to my medical health. Why is this allowed ? Perhaps I will just lie and say yes and then they may back off
I stupidly commented on a thread in AIBU about the vaccine.. that I would lie and said I had it to stop "friends" giving me abuse. Woke up to being tagged in lots of comments that were deleted. It got nasty as hell.
Temp023 · 06/05/2021 17:36

Just have it OP, then you won’t have to worry about it.
Honestly, do you people think that there are thousands of “vaccine side-effect” victims being whisked away by the government in the dead of night and stored in old railway carriages somewhere, like an episode of Torchwood?
Having the vaccine is a total non event, just get on with it and then we can all get back to normal!

loulouljh · 06/05/2021 17:42

Not really. I am not having it. I say that quite openly. I don't care what other people thing. If they want it, fair play. But for me, for multiple reasons, its not the right thing to do. I hate all the discussion about it/the stupid border thing on FB...Have it. Dont have. But don't advertise what you are doing and what a hero you think you are!

loulouljh · 06/05/2021 17:48

and to the person above who says "just have it", wow! Have you thought about the long term effects that NO_ONE can predict with any certainty. People have every right to be cautious. I would feel somewhat differently if (a) the drug companies were having liability for their drugs (b) it wasn't in trial still (c) the Government had a decent compensation scheme. All of those things don't give me comfort and leave me with a very uncomfortable feeling. That is putting aside all the issues people have had from actually having the jab.

If any friend didn't want to see me because I have not had a vaccine (a) they would not be a friend any more and (b) I would be questioning how my judgement of someone was so wrong.

XenoBitch · 06/05/2021 17:50

@loulouljh

Not really. I am not having it. I say that quite openly. I don't care what other people thing. If they want it, fair play. But for me, for multiple reasons, its not the right thing to do. I hate all the discussion about it/the stupid border thing on FB...Have it. Dont have. But don't advertise what you are doing and what a hero you think you are!
There is a frame on FB that looks the same as the vaccine one, but it says "I have applied my haemorrhoid cream" Grin
Dowser19 · 06/05/2021 17:51

@SmileyClare

My husband just had his third phone call from our gp inviting him for a jab..it sounds like they're getting a bit desperate now

No, It sounds like a reminder or follow up just as you would get with any NHS procedure routinely offered. Patients often lose letters or forget to book thingsm I often get follow up letters or calls if I defer having my smear. I don't think anyone's being hounded into anything here.

Honestly it’s more than that

Our last conversations with the receptionist were where she said if you change your mind , don’t worry there will be still be here.

There was really no need to ring him again.

loulouljh · 06/05/2021 17:53

@XenoBitch: love it!!!

SmileyClare · 06/05/2021 17:57

If a friend was undergoing chemo therapy treatment (so no resistance to infectious disease) or had compromised immunity due to a variety of possible reasons then they'd be sensible to avoid socialising with you wouldn't they?

A very personal choice about your own body can seriously affect people who have no choice in being protected by immunisation.

Dowser19 · 06/05/2021 18:02

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Stripyhoglets1 · 06/05/2021 18:03

I'll have to avoid freinds who don't have it as the risk of taking it back to a vulnerable family member is too great to risk, as the vaccine doesn't completely remove the chance of catching it and passing it on, just reduces it. So I'm not willing to take that risk.
I agree that people should have the free choice to refuse the vaccine but then I have the choice to not want to risk being inside with you in return.
I love the Facebook frames showing how far the vaccine programme has got now!

loulouljh · 06/05/2021 18:07

Of course. And I have a friend in that scenario actually. She is very careful and does not come close to anyone, wears a mask even outside etc. Quite right.

BUT I have no idea of the vaccination status of other vaccines including flu of my friends. I am sure no-one does. That's always been the case in the past. Equally I have no idea of the vaccine status of my friends children. People who have a vulnerable immune system have to be careful for a variety of reasons and take appropriate action. My partner has had chemo. He was of course careful as to who he was exposed to. But he did not go around asking his friends and family of their vaccination status! He took the precautions.

I would not have a vaccine that I am not comfortable about (and that could cause me harm) just on the basis it may protect other people. You will no doubt come back and shout selfish and goodness knows what. But that's my position on this.

SmileyClare · 06/05/2021 18:11

Hmm I would counter that argument with the number of people who have died or are suffering life limiting complications due to not having a vaccine. It's definitely more than three people posting anecdotes on Facebook.

People refusing a covid vaccine do have the luxury now of living in a developed country with a successful vaccination programme with a good take up. Being in the minority you are protected from an infectious illness ( proven serious side effects including death) .

Perhaps be grateful you have that luxury instead of complaining that everyone isn't happy for you.

Temp023 · 06/05/2021 18:12

Nope, Still think you should have the vaccine!

Bluntness100 · 06/05/2021 18:15

It could be useful to add your additional thoughts into previous threads OP, because not everyone well be aware of your history so you might get responses just about vaccines that don't recognise that you have a history of significant anxiety related to a range of things

I think this is really important op. From your post people don’t understand about your anxiety and mental illness and people would respond differently if they were aware of this.

SmileyClare · 06/05/2021 18:32

Fair point Blunty although Op did open with a reference to her mental state and anxiety.

It would be interesting to know if there's a higher precedence of vaccine refusal amongst people with diagnosed anxiety.
It's often fruitless to present a counter argument to someone who is gripped with general anxiety, which is by definition irrational.

Dowser19 · 06/05/2021 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

SmileyClare · 06/05/2021 18:40

Sorry Dowser what I meant was that not having the vaccine means you are exposing yourself to catching Covid 19.
Covid's serious side effects are too numerous to list, the main concerning side effect being death.

Are people who are not prepared to risk a jab in case of reported side effects forgetting that they're unprotected from the disease. The majority of people have weighed up the benefits and risks of a vaccine and had the vaccine.

ZammoUK · 06/05/2021 18:40

I totally know what you mean OP. There is a massive sense of pressure. When I chat to multiple family on zoom they are all "have you had yours yet, can't wait for mine, we are all doing our bit", etc etc etc. But I am pretty scared of having it purely because I have lots of other health issues and I don't want to trigger anything that leaves me with months and months of issues. At the same time I am obese so I do worry about getting COVID too, but I am a hermit, due to my health I am at home 99% of the time with fully vaccinated people, so I rarely interact with others to catch it. Having chronic anxiety is hard to explain to people how you can't just switch it off, those anxious thoughts transpire in to mental agony.

XenoBitch · 06/05/2021 18:41

@SmileyClare

Fair point Blunty although Op did open with a reference to her mental state and anxiety.

It would be interesting to know if there's a higher precedence of vaccine refusal amongst people with diagnosed anxiety.
It's often fruitless to present a counter argument to someone who is gripped with general anxiety, which is by definition irrational.

I have diagnosed anxiety and have declined my invite. For me though, it is nothing to do with side effects etc, but more my severe needle and medical phobia.
SueSaid · 06/05/2021 18:44

Dowser your anti vax scaremongering is not helpful.

'Crawling up the stairs' etc etc etc 🙄

SmileyClare · 06/05/2021 18:49

I'm sure you're not alone Xenobitch I'm sorry you are struggling with your phobia. I suppose even without a needle phobia, anxiety can present in other people as a health anxiety, so fear of side effects of anything medical.

You've only got to read the "reported side effects" bit on the instructions in your contraceptive pill or a packet of aspirin to frighten yourself. Nothing is completely safe is it.

Temp023 · 06/05/2021 18:49

Yep, we crawled upstairs after the vaccine and stayed there 24 hours, this is rightly deemed a minor side effect. Stabbing pains in the heart are almost certainly anxiety!

tentosix · 06/05/2021 19:07

No, I've had two doses and apart from a sore arm, I'm fine. So much more relaxed about the pandemic situation