Colleague who does not want to get vaccinated

[JennieLee]

I've recently returned to work in a venue that has been closed because of Covid.

Was chatting with various colleagues about whether they'd had first and/or second jabs and one person who is of mature years - and rather anxious - said they weren't having vaccinations, though they 'weren't an anti-vaxxer.'

One of my other colleagues says this is because they have a condition which affects their immune system. I was already aware of this condition but on looking it up, the official medical body says there is no reason why people with this condition should be adversely affected by the vaccine. The official advice is to have it.

It seems to me that by working in proximity with her over prolonged periods I am at increased risk of carrying the vaccine and infecting others. (I've had both jabs.)

Is there anything I can do, I wonder...?

@Toty

The vast majority of people have known someone who was seriously ill or sadly died as a result of covid

OK, I'm sorry for your losses, genuinely, the care home deaths were a scandal, but your statement is completely untrue. If there has been 100,00 deaths out of a population of 70 million then no, only a tiny minority will actually personally know someone who has died of covid. I certainly don't. You're talking about a virus that has absolutely no symptoms in the vast majority of people.

I don’t know anyone either. The vast majority of those who have been ill have recovered. Just because you know someone who died still doesn’t give you the right to police what others put in their bodies. All Covid deaths were a tragedy but many of those very elderly who died would also have died if they caught the flu and I’ve never heard of people trying to force their work colleagues to have the flu jab. Have it to protect yourself but leave other people alone.

This really really needs to stop.

I have no issue trying to encourage vaccination on a population level - eg vaccination rates in this age group look a little low, let’s try and target advertising and education or vaccination rates in this town are 10% lower than in the neighbouring town, this is a potential issue ... but on an individual level this level of interest and harassment is not acceptable.

Honestly, I would encourage anyone who has not had the vaccine to lie about it if this is what happens.

All you can do is keep a distance and not socialise with the vaccine refusers. I know some who have refused and they will be permanently two metres from me. Choices - and consequences.

@murbblurb

All you can do is keep a distance and not socialise with the vaccine refusers. I know some who have refused and they will be permanently two metres from me. Choices - and consequences.

Why? Don’t you think your vaccine will protect you?

Long Covid is not a barrel of laughs either. A friend has it. Hearing her breathe is terrible. Having to breathe that way all the time for the foreseeable future is also terrible. Some children are suffering terribly with long Covid.

I'm not disputing that for many it is mild illness.

Measles - now largely eliminated - was a mild illness for many people. Unfortunately the mother of a man I used to know got measles when she was pregnant. As a result her son was born with a severe visual impairment.

Most people alive now have benefited from effective public health care. Common diseases that could be serious or fatal have been eliminated as a result. And the result of this successful programme has been - in too many cases - contagious selfishness and stupidity.

Are you staying 2m away from all children/young people who haven’t been offered the vaccine too?

Last post to @murbblurb too

@JennieLee

No man is an Iland, intire of itselfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Manor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.

You have lost the plot

@murbblurb

All you can do is keep a distance and not socialise with the vaccine refusers. I know some who have refused and they will be permanently two metres from me. Choices - and consequences.

Even as a fully vaccinated person I'd gladly stand 2m away from you and anyone with the same thought process as you on principle alone

No man is an Iland, intire of itselfe; every man
is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine;
if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe
is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as
well as if a Manor of thy friends or of thine
owne were; any mans death diminishes me,
because I am involved in Mankinde;
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.

😬🤪

I have an immune system disorder and have my 2nd dose appointment next week.

Before I had the first one I was incredibly anxious not least as I got sod all advice from my health provider (hardly surprising as generally they've been as much use as a chocolate teapot) as the vaccine had the capacity to affect me badly - as they have previously.... There was a lot of unspoken pressure from my family and friends. Not being nasty but I was left feeling that I'd let everyone down if I didn't regardless of my own personal risk. Fortunately for me everything has been fine so far .

I tolerated it because its my family and I don't have many friends.
Someone like you who knows bugger all about my condition and how it affects me or how the vaccine could have affected me wouldn't be given any headspace whatsoever.

This goes to show that there have been some positives to the pandemic such as WFH and not having having to deal face to face with mean minded ignoramuses.

@murbblurb

All you can do is keep a distance and not socialise with the vaccine refusers. I know some who have refused and they will be permanently two metres from me. Choices - and consequences.

How long will you keep that up? The pandemic wont last forever.

I am not quite sure where some of these comments are coming from. There's a lot of DARVO.

I have returned to work. There was a lot of comment about who's had 1 vaccine and who's had 2. A woman in late middle age who has been up front about her medical condition in the past said she has not been vaccinated.

I have not asked her any further questions or commented on her decisions.

I have enquired here about whether other people have had similar issues at busy workplaces .

As Mumsnet likes to say, 'Did you mean to be so rude?'

Probably you did, which is very very sad.

@JennieLee

I am not quite sure where some of these comments are coming from. There's a lot of DARVO.

I have returned to work. There was a lot of comment about who's had 1 vaccine and who's had 2. A woman in late middle age who has been up front about her medical condition in the past said she has not been vaccinated.

I have not asked her any further questions or commented on her decisions.

I have enquired here about whether other people have had similar issues at busy workplaces .

As Mumsnet likes to say, 'Did you mean to be so rude?'

Probably you did, which is very very sad.

No you didn't, you asked if there was anything you could do about your colleague.

Long Covid is not a barrel of laughs either. A friend has it. Hearing her breathe is terrible. Having to breathe that way all the time for the foreseeable future is also terrible. Some children are suffering terribly with long Covid.

Measles - now largely eliminated - was a mild illness for many people. Unfortunately the mother of a man I used to know got measles when she was pregnant. As a result her son was born with a severe visual impairment.

Posts like these are just trying to scare people into the vaccine. They’re as bad as when anti vax posters come on here trying to turn people against the vaccine by telling some horror story.

I know it's radical but I'm all for the Pimlico Plumbers model of "No jab, no job!"

I'm not vaccinated and work in a busy environment. Luckily my colleagues aren't arseholes and have the common sense to realise their 'risk' from me, especially as they've been vaccinated, is pretty non existent. Some of the views on here are truly worrying.

@TheWashingMachine

I know it's radical but I'm all for the Pimlico Plumbers model of "No jab, no job!"

Your right it is radical (one word for it anyway)

I'm pro vaccination, but I don't get the big deal here you've had both doses yourself and that's all you can do to best protect yourself at the end of the day. Remember all children havent been vaccinated either and could be spreading it around!

Some of you are batshit. Ways of making people's lives less pleasant? No jab no job? JFC.

Your colleague shouldn;t have told you. I am not happy with all this policing and judgement and looking up whether other people can have the jab and discussing medical statuses at work and generally everyone now being a massive nosey twat.

If they are the only unvaccinated person at your work, your risk from them will be small.

The biggest worry is school kids...

@Toty

The vast majority of people have known someone who was seriously ill or sadly died as a result of covid

OK, I'm sorry for your losses, genuinely, the care home deaths were a scandal, but your statement is completely untrue. If there has been 100,00 deaths out of a population of 70 million then no, only a tiny minority will actually personally know someone who has died of covid. I certainly don't. You're talking about a virus that has absolutely no symptoms in the vast majority of people.

I only know personally a few people who have had it and certainly not anyone who died of it.

OP are you also worried about being around children?

@TheWashingMachine

I know it's radical but I'm all for the Pimlico Plumbers model of "No jab, no job!"

What do you want the unvaccinated to do then? Are you happy for them and their families to go hungry, lose their homes?? I'm shocked and upset that people would even consider such an awful idea tbh.

@JennieLee

Weirdly enough since Covid swept through my father in law's care home killing a high proportion of the residents and the manager's partner, I have felt a certain amount of concern about this condition. As if, our choices do actually have significant impact on one another.

But not in the deeply selfish world of Mumsnet trolls it appears. I pity some of you. And I fear for you.

My father died from Covid two days before New Year. Her body, her choice. I fear for anyone who feels that others should be shamed, guilted or forced into medical procedures on their bodies they do not want or consent to. We did that before, wound up with women killing themselves or dying from backstreet abortions.

Fuck that! You're vaccinated. Crack on.