Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

To feel envious toward my friends getting their vaccines

102 replies

lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 10:53

I’m 37 and had my first vaccine 7 weeks ago, unpaid carer.

Since the news of the blood clots I feel totally put off by having my second jab.

What’s even more frustrating is now seeing my friends all getting texts to have their jabs and they’re booked in for Pfizer.

I was so happy when I got my vaccine, it took a huge weight off of my shoulders and relieved the constant worry of having severe Covid.

Now I feel a huge weight from the decision of having a second vaccine.

All of my friends are so happy to be getting their vaccine and none of them have this added worry of a potential serious side effect.

I know people will compare the risk of being on the pill, driving to the vaccination centre, or flying etc.. but I feel those comparisons just aren’t relevant here.

It would be like saying your friends can go on an aeroplane that has no known risk of crashing but you can go on one that we know does crash and we’ve told your friends not to go on it because it’s too much of a risk to them... Confused

I feel really really envious of people I know right now and I could kick myself for being so willing to take up the offer of my vaccine.

OP posts:
Rainbowsandstorms · 18/05/2021 11:40

I completely understand. I’m in my 30s and had mine 7 weeks ago too. My husband booked his last night and I’m so happy he has access to an alternative to AZ but I had a bit of a cry last night not because I’m envious but because in an ideal world I would have been booking mine in last night too and having a vaccination that is safer for my age group and would have been spared the worry of making a choice about my second dose, right now neither having it nor remaining partially vaccinated seem appealing and I so stressed about trying to decide what to do. We are where we are though I keep trying to remind myself that I may have picked up covid over the past few weeks if I hadn’t had my first dose but it’s a horrible situation to be in.

Cookerhood · 18/05/2021 11:42

There are so many threads like this that sometimes wonder if people are deliberately spreading fear.
There are dangers with the other vaccines, just not so we'll publicized. You know the risk is minimal, just do it (fwiw my 20 something kids had AZ & have no qualms about having the second one as they gave looked at the scientific information widely available).
People have no concept of relative risk, it's much worse to get Covid. The best jab for you is the one going in to your arm.

rainbowandglitter · 18/05/2021 11:44

I'm in my 30s and had AZ 10 weeks ago. I'm booked in for my second next week. It's reported that there have been no blood clots after second doses, they've all been after the first.

EsmereldaMargaretNoteSpelling · 18/05/2021 11:45

The comparisons are relevant, your total risk of dying from whatever mechanism it might be is many many many times higher for activities you undertake across your daily life. Yes there's a risk wirh AZ, there's a risk with every single vaccine out there, including all the covid ones - Pfizer included.

I get that you're worried, I really do and anxiety is bloody awful - I know - But taking your second jab is the single best thing you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones in the current situation.

Original poster
lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 11:45

@Rainbowsandstorms

I completely understand. I’m in my 30s and had mine 7 weeks ago too. My husband booked his last night and I’m so happy he has access to an alternative to AZ but I had a bit of a cry last night not because I’m envious but because in an ideal world I would have been booking mine in last night too and having a vaccination that is safer for my age group and would have been spared the worry of making a choice about my second dose, right now neither having it nor remaining partially vaccinated seem appealing and I so stressed about trying to decide what to do. We are where we are though I keep trying to remind myself that I may have picked up covid over the past few weeks if I hadn’t had my first dose but it’s a horrible situation to be in.
@Rainbowsandstorms

It’s nice to know I’m not the only one feeling this way.

I also don’t want to remain partially vaccinated and I feel it’s such a crap position to be in.

Ive had friends tell me I should be grateful and they can’t wait for their vaccines.
Funnily enough they’re the friends that now have their appointments booked for Pfizer and so they haven’t been faced with this worry of a risk.

OP posts:
Frequentflier · 18/05/2021 11:47

Imagine how envious people across the world are looking at you, though.

Original poster
lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 11:47

@Cookerhood

There are so many threads like this that sometimes wonder if people are deliberately spreading fear.

How about people are just really concerned and looking for some reassurance?

Not sure why you would think anyone would want to deliberately spread fear.

OP posts:
Original poster
lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 11:49

@rainbowandglitter

It's reported that there have been no blood clots after second doses, they've all been after the first.

That’s not true. There have been cases reported after the second dose.
Info is available on MHRA.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 18/05/2021 11:49

All of my friends are so happy to be getting their vaccine and none of them have this added worry of a potential serious side effect

Erm the others have the potential of serious 'side effects'. The propaganda machine just hasnt gone to town on those ones because they're making billionaires and AZ isn't.

Why don't you do some proper digging and you'll see it doesn't matter which one you have. There's always a small teeny risk with all of them.

Original poster
lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 11:51

@gamerchick

All of my friends are so happy to be getting their vaccine and none of them have this added worry of a potential serious side effect

Erm the others have the potential of serious 'side effects'. The propaganda machine just hasnt gone to town on those ones because they're making billionaires and AZ isn't.

Why don't you do some proper digging and you'll see it doesn't matter which one you have. There's always a small teeny risk with all of them.

@gamerchick

I have seen the side effects and I agree vaccines are not risk free.

AstraZeneca still carries a higher risk of a blood
clot and the benefits of this particular vaccine do not outweigh the risks for my age group.

OP posts:
nameme8746 · 18/05/2021 11:51

I don't understand the concern, it's completely irrational. I'm 33 and I will book whatever even if it was AZ, you can't just dismiss risk statistics, of course they're applicable.

Original poster
lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 11:53

@nameme8746

I don't understand the concern, it's completely irrational. I'm 33 and I will book whatever even if it was AZ, you can't just dismiss risk statistics, of course they're applicable.
@nameme8746

I don’t think it’s irrational to be concerned about a risk, and especially when this vaccine would no longer be given to me had I not had my first dose.

OP posts:
Original poster
lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 11:53

@nameme8746

Also, you will not be given AZ so don’t have to worry about this.

OP posts:
Vallmo47 · 18/05/2021 11:56

I’m sorry you’re feeling anxious. The only thing I can say is what my dad tells me - one morning you might wake up to the news that the AZ is the better option of the two because of XY or Z. I’m having my second AZ on Saturday and very thankful to be given some armour against Covid.

DappledOliveGroves · 18/05/2021 12:00

I've got my second AZ on Thursday. I'm 39. There are a multitude of things that could kill me. I could get hit by a lorry, I could get an infection from one of my many cats accidentally scratching me, I could get cancer, I could die from a brain haemorrhage, I could have a stroke. I was on the pill for years and didn't spend my life worrying about DVT. At the end of the day, the risk is tiny and we're all going to die one day, so I'm fairly chilled about it.

nameme8746 · 18/05/2021 12:00

@lifeisbutadreamer the clot stories have been out for months, I wasn't concerned, if I could get a vaccine today and it was the AZ I'd take it in a heart beat. It's totally irrational to worry about something that has a chance of one in 250,000 of happening, do you worry to that extent about everything else in your life? On average around 2 people in every 100,000 die in a car accident in the UK every year, that's more likely to happen, do you never get in a car?

Rainbowsandstorms · 18/05/2021 12:01

@lifeisbutadreamer it’s a horrible situation to be in if you’re someone who is more risk adverse. I think many people are also relatively unaware of the current numbers, as there hasn’t been much press coverage since the initial concerns were flagged. I don’t think many people are aware that there is now an incidence rate of at least 20 cases per million in 30 year olds with a incidence rate of 1 per 20,000 seen in Norway which is 50 cases per million. There is also the misconception that there have been no cases after second doses but this is changing too. It’s such a hard decision to make as so much of the data is still emerging. I’ve decided if there still isn’t a clear picture re the risk after second doses I’ll wait a further 2 to 4 weeks, as it appears that the extra weeks make no difference to the level of protection provided by the second dose but will give a little more time for data to emerge re the risk of a second dose in our age group. I also think it’s very easy to dismiss such concerns when your not in the position of having to make a decision about a second dose. I think there are many people who are quick to dismiss concerns about AZ who wouldn’t take it themselves.

Original poster
lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 12:03

[quote nameme8746]@lifeisbutadreamer the clot stories have been out for months, I wasn't concerned, if I could get a vaccine today and it was the AZ I'd take it in a heart beat. It's totally irrational to worry about something that has a chance of one in 250,000 of happening, do you worry to that extent about everything else in your life? On average around 2 people in every 100,000 die in a car accident in the UK every year, that's more likely to happen, do you never get in a car?[/quote]
@nameme8746 the risk for someone my age to develop a clot
from the AstraZeneca vaccine is 1 in 60,000

  • not 1 in 250,000.
OP posts:
Original poster
lifeisbutadreamer · 18/05/2021 12:04

@Rainbowsandstorms

I also think it’s very easy to dismiss such concerns when your not in the position of having to make a decision about a second dose. I think there are many people who are quick to dismiss concerns about AZ who wouldn’t take it themselves.

Completely agree.

OP posts:
Frequentflier · 18/05/2021 12:05

[quote Rainbowsandstorms]@lifeisbutadreamer it’s a horrible situation to be in if you’re someone who is more risk adverse. I think many people are also relatively unaware of the current numbers, as there hasn’t been much press coverage since the initial concerns were flagged. I don’t think many people are aware that there is now an incidence rate of at least 20 cases per million in 30 year olds with a incidence rate of 1 per 20,000 seen in Norway which is 50 cases per million. There is also the misconception that there have been no cases after second doses but this is changing too. It’s such a hard decision to make as so much of the data is still emerging. I’ve decided if there still isn’t a clear picture re the risk after second doses I’ll wait a further 2 to 4 weeks, as it appears that the extra weeks make no difference to the level of protection provided by the second dose but will give a little more time for data to emerge re the risk of a second dose in our age group. I also think it’s very easy to dismiss such concerns when your not in the position of having to make a decision about a second dose. I think there are many people who are quick to dismiss concerns about AZ who wouldn’t take it themselves.[/quote]
I have not only taken it myself but will be advising my 21 yr old DD to take it. I am aware of the current numbers.

nameme8746 · 18/05/2021 12:05

@lifeisbutadreamer so you're still more likely to die in a car accident, so my question stands, do you still get in a car?

RoseWineTime · 18/05/2021 12:07

If the Indian variant continues taking off, the risk benefit will swing the other way and AZ will be recommended for all adults again.

WaterBottle123 · 18/05/2021 12:09

OP just spend two minutes imaging how envious an Indian person is of you, if that doesn't cure you of this bizarre, rather ungrateful attitude nothing will.

Couchbettato · 18/05/2021 12:12

OP have you ever taken the contraceptive pill? People get blood clots from that all the time and yet people still take it.

I've had several blood clots in my life, and I would still take any vaccine offered.

You need a bit of perspective.

Rainbowsandstorms · 18/05/2021 12:14

I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to think about it. Just an acceptance that everyone assesses risks differently and some people are very relaxed about risk while others are far more risk adverse. Neither of these things are a bad thing just different. I’d just like to see less dismissiveness of people who are concerned about AZ because there are safer options for younger people and it’s not without potentially very serious side effects. I often wish I was one of those people who accepts that there is risk with everything we do and therefore didn’t worry about my second dose but unfortunately I’m not.