Choosing not to get vaccine

[InnerDiscomfort]

Not looking to start a fight, but interested if you have made the decision not to get the vaccine and have no condition that you know of that would stop you, why not?

Family members abroad have decided not to get the vaccine (Pfizer I think). Vague concerns about it not being safe and/ or tested enough. They both work outside the home and have families. Fairly fit and healthy so unlikely to be seriously affected by COVID, under 50 years of age.

It's not something I agree with but up to them I guess. I'm also unlikely to get ill but had my first vaccine mainly to help stop the spread (and I'd like to go abroad!)

So if you haven't had it, I'm interested in your reasoning if you would care to share.

I've had my first AZ and won't be getting the second. Like a previous poster, I'm still a bit in shock that I got caught up in the whirlwind of being vaccinated and regret getting the first vaccine.

If I'd had a Pfizer vaccine, I'd take the second vaccine too.

I know a couple of people who refused the AZ. They aren't anti vax at all. They are anti AZ though.

I am getting the vaccine (not scared of its effects or questioning what’s in it) but I wouldn’t if it wasn’t about to become company policy and a requirement for us to work internationally in the future. I’m in my 20s, perfectly healthy, I’ve never had a flu jab nor do I see why it would be necessary for me to have this vaccine. I’ve had all vaccines as a child and HPV as a teen, plan on fully vaccinating my children etc, but this is a vaccine for an illness that in my age group tends to manifest itself in the form of a nasty cold. I’ve never been scared of catching Covid and would happily go out and get infected today if that somehow gave me my life back. So yeah, I’m getting the vaccine so I can keep my job and probably save some money on tests from next year onwards, but I don’t feel the need to have it otherwise.

I know of a few people who aren’t having it and they’re all concerned about its safety - they haven’t actually done any research on it, so I do find their reasons a bit stupid.

@pinkmagnolias

I've had my first AZ and won't be getting the second. Like a previous poster, I'm still a bit in shock that I got caught up in the whirlwind of being vaccinated and regret getting the first vaccine.

If I'd had a Pfizer vaccine, I'd take the second vaccine too.

I know a couple of people who refused the AZ. They aren't anti vax at all. They are anti AZ though.

According to your own post you are easily influenced by others. First to have the jab and then to not have the second. Maybe read up and make your own opinions???

Why post about that?

I've had the first and my second is on Monday. I will admit I was unwell for two days after the first vaccine but I will absolutely return and it will be the AZ.

Look ultimately everyone has to make their own choice and noone should be telling you you have to. I put my hands up to some irritatio t hat people sometimes base it on an incredibly naive and silly view that you haven't known anyone who had or died from Covid. I mean that's just ignorant. Not many people have had brain surgery but you accept it exists right? Not many people have been to the himalayas, just because you didn't see it yourself you still believe they exist I assume (if you don't then rational debate of any type is pointless).

I don't judge people for not having it but I do a bit when I hear really stupid reasoning. If you don't want to have it then simply don't but stand by your decision rather than inflating silly reasons.

I did see in a variety of ways dozens of deaths. For me two days of feeling unwell is a no brainer. At the beginning of the first lockdown I listened to people, professionals , cry because one had lost 12 people in 4 days. Another had lost 4 in 36 hours. Even before then watching the numbers escalate I knew if there ever was a shot at a vaccine I would grab it with both hands.

Every person has the right to refuse but stand by it , admit you are scared or worried but don't wrap it up hinting that Covid wasn't that bad or the numbers were inflated. DP teaches in hospitals and this year he's now doing updates with health care professionals he saw a year ago (the nature of what he teaches still had to be done while the pandemic was in place because its a requirement to deliver care in some scenarios) and some of his previous learners are shells of who they were a year ago.

Don't be arrogant enough to witter that it wasn't bad or as bad as you think
Just because Tracy down the road just had a sniffle doesn't mean that thousands of people didn't lose their lives. Stand by your decision but don't be offensive to those people who suffered by minimising the horrific nature of the past year.

Chailatteplease We were told we were allowed our lives back once the old and clinically vulnerable were vaccinated. That's been done. I also notice rates of infection are low and deaths are very low. I therefore don't understand the evangelical zeal to push vaccines for the young age groups. It does seem weirdly desperate to me.

@PetraRabbit yes, thats exactly what we were told and surprise surprise, it was another carrot dangling lie.

The change in policy and the push to vaccinate is because the original virus mutated. The new variants spread more and faster. This makes them more dangerous because more people get sick at once. So the government has had no choice but to ask younger people to get vaccinations to help stop the spread.

Also around 40 your risk from serious covid starts to increase a lot. Previous we thought that only the over 65s were threatened.

I’m not getting the vaccine because everyone I know who has had it so far has had awful side effects. A couple are still very unwell after several weeks with what are supposedly ‘normal’ reactions to the vaccine. Several of my friends have said their bodies’ responses to the vaccine were worse than their experience of the virus itself. As such, I’m just not convinced that the vaccine is something I want in my body.

I am not an anti vaxxer and have my flu jab every year. But I don’t want to be injected with something that seems to produce such a violent immune response and for which we have no long term data on its effects. If I were in an at risk category for coronavirus I might feel differently, but as someone at very low risk, I see the vaccine as a needless medical intervention I’d rather go without.

I refuse to be cajoled and guilted into accepting medical treatment I don’t need. I am not selfish for choosing not to be injected with something I don’t feel confident is safe. I am sick and tired of this holier than thou attitude around the vaccine. If you’ve had your vaccine, then great for you. There’s no need to try and bully others into doing the same. It feels very much like I’m being proselytised at whenever the topic comes up. Where’s the respect for other people’s choices?

Everyone has the right to choose what is best for them and no one has the right to judge or shame other people’s medical choices.

[quote RoseRedRoseBlue]@PetraRabbit yes, thats exactly what we were told and surprise surprise, it was another carrot dangling lie.[/quote]
Things changed during the course of the last year or so. Therefore the plan had to change too. We had no idea the virus would mutate so much and so fast. Normally they are slower to do so.

@Serenschintte

Yes, it’s still in the testing phase and frankly I don’t want to be a guinea pig. I’m under 50. Reasonably healthy. Have never had the flu vaccine and don’t see the need to have this. I have absolutely nothing against those who choose to have it. My perspective is my body my choice.

I agree with this. I have no issues with anyone having the vaccine at all. I am hesitant to tell people when they ask me though.

once the old and clinically vulnerable were vaccinated. That's been done
Except it isn't 100% Petra. Not every cv or ecv person is over 16, not every person over 16 can have the jab and certain medicines mean the jab won't work well.

@Alonim

I feel similar LondonWFuck - I have health anxiety triggered by death of mum as a teenager.

I got over it, I thought, with some CBT. But I've still got a distrust of modern medicine. If I have this vaccine I'll be worrying about every single thing that happens after it - and worst still I'll be imagining the damage that it's doing to my body long term. That will never go away. My imagination is very strong.

And I'll beat myself up for having my body injected with potentially harmful stuff.

At least with Covid I can try to avoid it.

I have health anxiety as well and I wouldn't cope with the after affects worrying if it had done damage etc. Health anxiety is so hard to explain to people who don't understand it.

Shinyletsbebadguys Health professionals see all manner of horrendous things and with a nasty new virus out there I'm well aware the ones working in that area will have had a really bad year and that many people died. I don't get the flu vaccine either. It's not because I deny flu is a killer or because I'm callous or selfish. It's just a simple risk balance.
I didn't mimimise anyone's death, merely said I am calculating my risk of serious Covid based on my real life experience over the last year. My experience is valid too. On the other hand, you just appeared to minimise my friend's vaccine side effects she was hospitalised for as "Tracy down the road had a sniffle". My reasons are not "stupid". I was hoping the OP would be interested in a detailed answer to her question.

EnidSpyton Everything you said!

According to your own post you are easily influenced by others. First to have the jab and then to not have the second. Maybe read up and make your own opinions???

I had the first through work and yes was influenced and rushed. I’ve had plenty of time to take stock and read A LOT and will not be taking the second AZ vaccine.

Why post about that?

This thread is about those refusing vaccines. That is why I posted. What is your issue?

The only way 'out of this' is vaccination.

There's no other way that won't result in further mass deaths.

If you choose not to have the vaccination- fine. But I think you shouldn't be allowed in public spaces.

For the first time ever, I am on the side of Covid passports. If you have a genuine reason for exemption- fine. But if you don't, stay away from the rest of us.

But if you don't, stay away from the rest of us.

You’re vaccinated, therefore 100% protected against severe illness and death. Why would it matter if someone around you wasn’t?

I say this as someone who is getting her vaccines. But I can’t judge people who won’t like that. Their body, their choice.

@Alonim

*I know vaccines have side effects but I've never seen anything like this and such a wide gap between what I am told in the media/social media and what I see in real life. My concerns are amplified by the number of very pro-vaccine people I see posting on my social media accounts- extreme stuff like vomitting, period problems, "the most ill I've felt in years" "shooting pains in my boobs so bad I can't breathe" are just some I read and see people commenting below the posts saying it's all normal and they had the same but don't worry it's just your immune system working!!! That just doesn't feel normal to me. I also know someone my age who was hospitalised after her vaccine and another person with ongoing investigations into a popping effect in her leg. In contrast I don't know a single person who's been hospitalised or died from Covid. Maybe that's contrary to official statistics but I have to go on what I see around me in real life.*

This is my experience too. It's unnerving.

On the other hand, I know loads of people who have had it. My MIL felt ill for a day, my husband felt tired and a little lethargic for a day, my sister had a sore arm for a few days, my 77 yr old mum had a sore arm for a bit, my 84 yr old dad had no effects at all, I had no effects at all. Out of the many many people I know personally who have had the jab, only two have had a bad reaction - and that just involved feeling wiped out, flu-like, for two days.

I've no intention of having any any time soon.

I agree with the pp who said the huge push to vaccinate young healthy people feels...odd. Desperate, even a bit creepy. Adverts for it everywhere, facebook banners etc.

So many people I know who've had it are almost fanatical about how necessary it is, how they're looking forward to going back to normal and everything being fixed, how everyone just absolutely must have it or you're a hysterical, uneducated moron that wants to murder little old grannies and disabled kids.

It's almost a bit cultish and it worries me to be honest.

@Miljea that’s just ridiculous, discriminatory and unworkable.

@RaiseTheBeastie

I've no intention of having any any time soon.

I agree with the pp who said the huge push to vaccinate young healthy people feels...odd. Desperate, even a bit creepy. Adverts for it everywhere, facebook banners etc.

So many people I know who've had it are almost fanatical about how necessary it is, how they're looking forward to going back to normal and everything being fixed, how everyone just absolutely must have it or you're a hysterical, uneducated moron that wants to murder little old grannies and disabled kids.

It's almost a bit cultish and it worries me to be honest.

Yes wanting to vaccinate ppl is creepy and cult like. The most cult like ppl I've noticed are anti vaccers.

There's currently an outbreak in an area about 90mins from me. There are ppl in their 50s in hospital , some in ITU. They're not sure of the source but say if they can't slow it there will be deaths.

This is happening in an area that has never had a big outbreak. They're speeding up the vaccine programme to try and stop it. Ppl are being asked to test even if asymptomatic, as they're querying it's the asymptomatic that are spreading it.

If it happens there it can happen any where.

We now know that vaccines offer limited protection to people who have had organ transplants and lowered immunity in general. Some degree of herd immunity is necessary for a genera protective effect.

@RaiseTheBeastie

I've no intention of having any any time soon.

I agree with the pp who said the huge push to vaccinate young healthy people feels...odd. Desperate, even a bit creepy. Adverts for it everywhere, facebook banners etc.

So many people I know who've had it are almost fanatical about how necessary it is, how they're looking forward to going back to normal and everything being fixed, how everyone just absolutely must have it or you're a hysterical, uneducated moron that wants to murder little old grannies and disabled kids.

It's almost a bit cultish and it worries me to be honest.

Shock horror, people are looking forward to a way out of this mess using scientific advancement. How is this cultish? Older generations in particular are keenly aware of the incredible impact of vaccination programmes and how they can’t be taken for granted.

I find that some people who care little for vaccines are also the ones who think covid in general is no big deal and all overblown. It’s the same line of thinking.

I feel like they would actually prefer covid to continue in high circulation rather than to have minimal cases, since this vindicates their nonchalance and bravery.

I work in ICU so obviously don’t know anyone who’s said no. Perspective helps. As does a grasp of how pharmaceutical products are regulated and tested.

I’ve only encountered refusers online. Not one has been able to articulate the usual processes for pharmaceutical product testing and release and the steps they specifically believe have been skipped. None seem to be aware of the scientific research over the past two decades that underlies current vaccines. The reasoning is vague and suggests a lack of familiarity with basic principles of science that concerns me in people who (I assume) have finished primary school.

I am seeing some overlap with people refusing the flu vaccine. Again, this is not something I encounter in my circle of people with a combination of scientific knowledge and the aforementioned perspective. People who are perfectly healthy in their 20s who don’t think they need the flu vaccine should google ‘ECMO’. That’s what each of the perfectly healthy people in their twenties I’ve seen die of influenza were on right up until their death.