I refused the AZ vaccine, now being judged for it

[cosmoswithcovids]

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.

It amazes me how many people, mostly with a handful of GSCEs suddenly developed an indepth knowledge of the molecules structure and the antibodies development mechanisms as well as advanced mathematical statistic to reassure everyone else how stupid they are to doubt or question any vaccine. Suddenly everyone raising concerns is considered antivaxer or labeled a selfish idiot.
OP, I sencerely hope you have told your husband and his friends that way they expressed their opinions is totally inappropriate.

In this case I think you made the right decision. I thought the policy was for the AZ vzccine not to be given to folk under 40. Im surprised thd doctor offrred it to you.

YANBU, OP. Your risk from Covid is low and you are likely to be offered an alternative to AZ in the next few weeks.

Good for you OP. My DD36 was due to have her covid vaccine last week it was all booked.
Then she received a text from NHS to say anyone under 40 should NOT have the AZ.
She phoned her surgery and her GP agreed that she should wait for an alternative.
DD is now booked in today for the Pfizer.
Your gP friend sounds as though he didn't care.

I hate that Covid has bought the worst out in some people. It has also frightened a lot of people some of who then take that fear or anger out on others.

I know people like you OP who don't want the AZ. I know people who are anti vax. & people who are pro vax.

What I don't do is try and publicly shame people cause come on making a thing of it in a pub is doing it publically regarding their choices .

As long as people are given the information and helped to understand it then fundemently what someone does with their own body is their choice, it's a slippery slope when we start losing that concept.

@MrsMaizel I was looking for other peoples' opinions and points of view, isn't that what people usually post on these boards for? I'm not a medical professional, I'm just trying to follow the rules and advice like I have all the way along.

@cosmoswithcovids

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.

This is one of the biggest drip feeds I've seen for a long time - if you'd put your previous blood clot experience in your OP you would be getting very different responses. But I'll say again Pfizer also has a risk of blood clots. I've had both shots of AZ now and I was glad to have had that rather than Pfizer as I do have a probably irrational concern about the new experimental technology used in Pfizer vs the traditional AZ vaccine.

First world problems eh. You decided not to have it and they think you are a bit of a plonker for that decision. So be it.

The risk of the vaccine is so tiny.

@Larkstongues

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.

You're right, it's a great plan to destroy this man's career and maybe life, that seems a very proportionate response 🤨

They are entitled to their professional opinion and I think you wasted their time and deprived someone else of a potentially life saving vaccine .

OTOH, if you are one of the 999,993 out of a million who is not affected by thrombosis, the AZ will protect you from an unpleasant couple of weeks and potentially long COVID

@TheReluctantPhoenix I really like that perspective of the numbers for risk assessment of AZ 🙂 I’m very supportive of vaccinations but must admit that the media furore had got to me as my loved ones have gotten round to their turn - my tongue has been well and truly bitten though!

@cosmoswithcovids stand your ground you’re well within your rights to choose to wait to be offered a different vaccine (or indeed no vaccine if you wanted). If you’re in an area of concern or if numbers were rising quickly nationally I might try to get you to reconsider if I was your friend because the risk balance changes and time may not be on your side and I’d want you to be protected but I’d certainly not think I had free reign to belittle you and assign you labels. It sounds like it all got a bit tribalistic and I’d be telling them when I had the chance to have a calmer conversation with them.

Ah it's one of those drip feed ones when the OP doesn't get masses of sympathy for what is a first world problem and then decides to add things to make her decision more validated.

You can turn down any vaccine if you want to. They can judge you for being a bit of a '!' if they want to.

@Carriemac

They are entitled to their professional opinion and I think you wasted their time and deprived someone else of a potentially life saving vaccine .

this

@CeibaTree I agree it is a drip feed and I'm sorry I didn't mean it to be. I've never been told I'm at higher risk, I've received nothing from GP to that end so I may very well not be but as I stated I do have irrational fears on health issues - I'm an over thinker and a worrier.

However, I don't think it is that relevant to the OP. I made an informed decision on my health based on the information available and I shouldn't be made to feel stupid because of that?

FWIW I am militantly pro-vaccine, militantly opposed to anti-vaxxers, and have had one dose of AZ (mid 40s).

IMHO the one acceptable "anti-vax"stance is OPs - choosing a small delay in terms of when you are vaccinated in return for a small reduction in risk of being vaccinated is entirely reasonable.

OP - YANBU

@Carriemac

They are entitled to their professional opinion and I think you wasted their time and deprived someone else of a potentially life saving vaccine .

Even when it goes against government guidance?!?

I mean said guidance has been put together following science so what has been guiding their professional judgement if not science?

You are hopefully not an anti vaxxer but your risk assessment and maths skills are full of holes.

Still, it is a choice. I wouldn't sit in a pub with you.

If you’ve had a previous blood clot then my understanding is that you should have been in group 6 - clinically vulnerable? Your risk from covid is much higher than your risk from AZ

I think you were entitled to say no, you know you were going to be offered an alternative very soon and that is your preference.
It is unfortunate that you didn't know before you got there but it's one of those things.
I don't see it as mansplaining . We all come at decisions from our own perspective. Your partner had a different perspective and most medics are used to weighing up overall risks and have been up close and personal with the downsides of covid for the last year. They are also desperate to see the end of the pandemic .
As far as 'ringing mates ' is concerned; the end point of all of this is to vaccinate as many people as possible in as short a time as possible. There is no way to anticipate exactly the number of unused doses at the end of the day and there are not limitless people available for phoning person after person and staying late in the building to ensure exactitude with priority groups. We all have lists to ring of people who could come up but eg at 6.55 at the end of the day , when you can't raise people from the list calling someone that is close to being called that you know is nearby and can get there quickly is very sensible and avoids doses being wasted.
Clearly you are not an antivaxxer but other views in this case are valid.
For those suggesting that the AZ is somehow contraindicated in the under 40s or under 30s that is not th

YANBU to want to wait for the Pfizer vaccine. They were unfair to refer to you as an antivaxer. You aren’t refusing the vaccine, you just want to wait for the one which has been deemed less of a risk for your age group.

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

Chris Whitty you ain't.

Your chance of dying of Covid between now and when you're able to get an alternative vaccine is higher than your chance of dying from the AZ vaccine. You're an anti-vaxxer whether you like it or not - they were completely justified in labelling you that

I think you were right to stand your ground if you were not comfortable taking the AZ, especially when you will be given a different vaccine in a few weeks.
I have had my first AZ and will take the second but it was an anxious 4 week wait after the first and will be again.
I don't see how the GPs opinion was so professional considering he was giving it in the pub.
I wouldn't be too impressed if a doctor decided to discuss my medical decisions in company in the pub! I'm surprised your DP was willing to see you risk a clot again to be honest, was he not worried about you the first time?
I'd be getting busy with my own friends OP for the time socialising is possible as this crowd don't sound like a lot of fun.

People judge for all sorts of reasons all day long.

If you're looking for a life of not being judged, you are going to be disappointed I'm afraid.

Make your own decisions and live with them. That's all any of us can do.

YABU, sorry. I would have gladly taken the AZ