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Original poster

I refused the AZ vaccine, now being judged for it

492 replies

cosmoswithcovids · 21/05/2021 07:24

My husband's friend is a Dr, he called yesterday to tell my DH they had spare vaccine and to come over if we wanted one (DH is 33, I'm 30).

We got there and he told us it was AZ, I said I wanted to wait until I was offered the alternative that under 40s are advised to have. My DH looked at me as though I had two heads.

We joined them for drinks at the pub last night where Dr and a couple of other friends were discussing anti-vaxers and I was referenced as one of them. I did reiterate that I'm very keen to be vaccinated but not with AZ. It was then mansplained to me that discrediting the AZ jab (which they've all had and are fiiiiiiiiiiine) was the behaviour of an anti vaxer. I was just meant to feel a bit like an uneducated idiot (I'm not, I'm a solicitor, I'm quite bright) and although my husband says he understood why I didn't want it, the risk is "theoretical" (is it?!)
For the sake of another couple of weeks, I'd rather just wait and have the one which is safer! I'm just feeling a bit rubbish about it all really, I felt quite bounced into it when we got there and it was quite a stress for me having to justify why I didn't want it once we arrived.

OP posts:
MRex · 21/05/2021 08:03

Yes, it's not nice to have other people talk down about you. Because you didn't ask, that dose couldn't be offered to anyone else, which you knew they were trying to do, so it was wasted. Can you not understand that your actions leading to a wasted dose is what caused them to think you're a dickhead? I think it's very silly for people to turn down vaccines based on one risk who have zero understanding of other risks with the other vaccines, all similarly tiny but present nevertheless. You think wasting vaccines doesn't matter in a UK context where cases are low (because of those who took the vaccine you think isn't good enough), but you forget cases are higher in some areas as well as that the UK will export very soon. I respect your right to make whatever decision you like, but when you can't do that responsibly by making people aware before you book a dose that's behaving very badly.

ScarlettSunset · 21/05/2021 08:03

They were wrong to try to make you out to be an anti vaxxer.

A place near me was offering AZ walk ins recently and they actively turned away anyone under 40.

You'll be offered an alternative very soon and and there's no shame in waiting for that

Roselilly36 · 21/05/2021 08:07

Make the decision you want, don’t be pressured, it’s your body. I have added the vaccines to things I don’t discuss with friends etc, alongside brexit, politics & religion as no good ever comes from it.

BentBastard · 21/05/2021 08:10

Not sure it counts as mansplaining when the man in question does literally know more about the subject than the woman (im pretty confident a GPs medical knowledge is superior to a solicitors). But that's a petty aside.

You are, of course, entitled to refuse AZ and wait for a different vaccine even if it wasn't government advise (which it is).

The AZ risk is tiny, but as there's an alternative with slightly lower risk in young people it seems fair enough to wait. Hopefully that dose wasn't wasted, that would be a dreadful shame, but I'm sure they found someone that was able to take it.

catfeets · 21/05/2021 08:11

I'd have had the vaccine if you have no medical reason not to.
I'll be turning down AZ if offered as I've been at risk of clots previously, but if I hadn't then I would take AZ if offered.

My DP was sent by work to get a spare vaccine last week which turned out to be AZ, despite already having a booking for a Pfizer jab (specifically said on his text that he should have Pfizer). The nurse said there was absolutely no risk and no reason to consider turning the jab down. After having the jab, she gave him a leaflet which basically said he should have waited for the Pfizer. He was quite pissed off about being lied to by the nurse and was also one of those with a bad reaction - he had to take 3 shifts off work.

Definitely unreasonable of your friends to class you as an anti vaxxer though. You have a genuine reason for turning it down.

Larkstongues · 21/05/2021 08:13

Report this GP. I mean it.
Offering his mates the jab - nepotism.
Talking about it in a bullying tone in the pub- clear unprofessionalism.
You will not be in trouble, he will.

Do it, please. If not for yourself, his other patients.

This guy deserves to be struck off.

I honestly do not believe that other posters have not picked up on this angle.I really dont. Maybe coronablindness or something.

AppleJane · 21/05/2021 08:14

The nurse said there was absolutely no risk Confused

Dustyhedge · 21/05/2021 08:18

I would have done the same thing OP so don’t let people make you feel bad for taking a very valid choice about your own health. It would be far worse if you’d felt bullied into taking it. The regulatory body has advised under 40s be given a choice and you are exercising that right. There is nothing wrong with that at all. Medical professionals dismissing concern over the clotting issues are doing a disservice to the general vaccination drive IMO. There will be plenty of people like you who would rather take an alternative and that doesn’t make you or them anti-vax.

Lesartisansetlessansculottes · 21/05/2021 08:18

Get a grip. You are looking at this the wrong way. You weren't judged. They had another view, you, presumably set them straight with regards to you not being against vaccines in general. There's no "not fair" or "judging" is there? You just have different views. It happens.

Larkstongues · 21/05/2021 08:19

AppleJane I can believe that a nurse would say that, sadly. Most nurses are great but some are crap. Like in all professions.

Tootsey11 · 21/05/2021 08:21

Op, your choice, your body. I certainly would not think very much of my DH, if he sat there and let them talk to you the way they did. If it had of been me, I would have probably told them to fuck off and left, as its not really to do with anyone but you.

CeibaTree · 21/05/2021 08:22

You know Pfizer also has a blood clot risk right?

Hoppinggreen · 21/05/2021 08:24

While they are completely right it wasn’t on to publicly shame you in the pub for it

SlipperyDippery · 21/05/2021 08:24

I honestly do not believe that other posters have not picked up on this angle.I really dont. Maybe coronablindness or something

It’s not the point of the thread though - OP is asking about being judged.

OP it’s completely up to you what you put in your body and you’re not an anti-vaxxer. However I’m furious at the negativity towards Astra Zeneca, which is playing such a crucial role in keeping covid under control here (and will particularly do so in developing nations in the near future I hope), given how fucking minuscule the risks are.

I’m female in my 30s and won’t hesitate to have it if offered to me sooner. I think your risk assessment is ridiculous and you should have asked before you went if you were that concerned.

AppleJane · 21/05/2021 08:25

@Larkstongues oh yes I think so too. I've seen on MN people being told by nurses that the blood clot risk is one in a million! (It's one in 80k and possibly as high as one in 40k for women)

Pyewackect · 21/05/2021 08:25

I believe the overall death risk from the vaccine is higher than from the disease

WTF ?????

Divebar2021 · 21/05/2021 08:29

This guy deserves to be struck off

How ridiculous. Jesus get a grip. You didn’t make “the right decision” you made a decision based on whatever source of information that you have used. I’m surprised you wouldn’t have mentioned to your DH that you didn’t want the AZ. Medical professionals have probably had enough fannying about around vaccinations to last them a lifetime ( particularly since most people who are vaccinated usually know nothing about the vaccine they’re getting or who makes it...but all of a sudden everyone’s an expert). Presumably this GP friend has other redeeming qualities if he is a friend of yours. I would have thought a solicitor would have put paid to any of his sniping easily enough. Be happy with your decision now that you’ve made it.

PurpleBiro21 · 21/05/2021 08:30

I’m surprised they’ve berated you for this.

Surely as a GP they know that you may have health issues that you didn’t want to discuss with them?

I went for an AZ jab. Once asked various questions on my medical history the medics decided I should have Pfizer (which they didn’t have).

Divebar2021 · 21/05/2021 08:30

NB the risk of blood clots is lower than the risk from the contraceptive pill which presumably you don’t take ?

Tryingtryingandtrying · 21/05/2021 08:31

@mangoontoast @pyewacket For a 30 year old woman in England at the moment the risk of ending up in ICU with a blood clot caused by AZ is higher than chance of catching covid and ending up in ICU. This is not a theoretical risk. Young people have died in this country following these very rare side effects of the jab. Just because their faces haven't been splashed across newspaper front pages doesn't mean it didn't happen

Tiktokersmiracle · 21/05/2021 08:31

The illness or death from AZ is tiny
You were daft not to take something offered that protects you and more to the point other vulnerable people you come into contact with

I would have agreed with them. Anyone offered who says no is selfish.

Hoppinggreen · 21/05/2021 08:32

@Pyewackect

I believe the overall death risk from the vaccine is higher than from the disease

WTF ?????

What other totally made up nonsense do you “believe”?
Original poster
cosmoswithcovids · 21/05/2021 08:33

I admit I should have asked. It was stupid of me to assume, absolutely.

I did think the GP offering to friends was just him trying not to waste vaccines - we lived locally and so he called us to see whether we wanted one, rather than maliciously. But I agree there should be priority list in the event of leftover vaccines.

I probably don't know enough about any of the vaccines. But on a practical level I'm assuming that because the advice is to take an alternative vaccine if available, that on balance of risk given I'm only a couple of weeks away from being able to book through the system, I'm better waiting for that? I just don't want to put myself at more risk than I need to. I did suffer a blood clot from a reaction to an insect bite five years ago, I don't know whether that makes me more susceptible, possibly not, but it does feed into my irrational anxiety over it all and on balance I'd rather wait.
I did feel judged, I felt stupid for refusing to be vaccinated with AZ.

OP posts:
CutieBear · 21/05/2021 08:33

Only a small number of under 30s had the AZ vaccine, but a high percentage of this small sample size developed blood clots and other side effects. This is why they’ve advised under 30s (I think under 40s too) to avoid the AZ vaccine. You’re not anti-vax for putting your health first. I wish scientists had tested these vaccines more before giving them to people who are high risk of blood clots and heart conditions.

TableFlowerss · 21/05/2021 08:34

You’re not wrong OP. You’re not an anti vaxer, you just want to wait and rightly so as they haven’t put the cut off at 40 for no reason!!

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