Just wondering if those that have refused to have the vaccine are now wishing they had?

[Lovemusic33]

There’s a lot of talk about vaccinated people not having to quarantine in the future making travel easier, the possibility of a vaccine passport to be able to go to events and travel.

I have several friends that have refused to have the vaccine due to conspiracy theories and ‘not knowing the risks’, if they had taken the first vaccine they would have had their 2nd by now and potentially be ok to travel in the coming weeks or attend events, there even talk of some jobs needing vaccination (care workers).

I’m just wondering if anyone regrets their choice not to vaccinate?

BTW, I am vaccinated but I’m not judging those who decided against it, just wondering if they have changed their minds?

No I don't regret not having it. Travel is off the table for me anyway due to health/mobility issues, as is attending events. shrug

Well if they do, all they need to do is pop along to a local centre and get one. It's not like they've missed their chance forever.

Nope, If anything it makes me even more certain I don’t want it.

Close relatives of ours were avidly anti-vaccine (sorry. She’s a critical thinker and was vaccine-‘questioning’ and doing ‘her own research’ and is ‘absolutely not anti vax’)

That continued despite her being in the very top end of several of the risk categories. It continued when I was heavily pregnant and said we probably couldn’t spend time indoors with them in the third trimester in that case because the risks to women at that stage of pregnancy made me uncomfortable and they were out socialising as much as possible with as many people as possible and still refusing the jab.
It continued despite the risks to themselves, the risks to everyone they came across because they were refusing to curtail their lifestyle whatsoever, the risks to us as a family when we couldn’t get vaccinated for months ourselves etc etc etc.

When it started to look like unvaccinated people would face travel restrictions or extra bureaucratic processes such as more testing or more quarantining…. They immediately got the jab. They live a life filled with travel, and suddenly all those ‘risks’ they were unwilling to take for the sake of their own or anyone else’s health seemed to vanish. All the rubbish about being a guinea pig, ‘still in trials’ vaccines, long terms effects etc which meant they refused the jab…. Suddenly didn’t matter when someone told them that getting a jab MIGHT mean they could more easily get back to sipping wine in the south of France quicker and with less hassle.

I had very little respect for the rubbish they were spouting anyway but watching how quickly they suddenly lost their ‘hesitancy’ about vaccine safety that they’d apparently done so much research on…. Purely because they wanted an easier holiday process, REALLY pissed me off if I’m honest.

For now, you can still travel without being vaxxed, you just need to test and isolate. Same with big events, not everyone at the football matches is vaxxed

No DH (scientist and medical genetics researcher) and I do not regret not having it. But for anyone who does have regrets, surely they just need to make one of the appointments that we are being badgered to get, and have the vaccine?

I have no regrets. Nothing that is barred from those without vaccination is worth swapping for my peace of mind. I'm happy with the choice I've made.

yes, this is a mistake the government is just learning. DP's hospital has Covid patients - majority are middle-aged people who decided not to get the vaccine (but are still happy to spread the virus within hospitals when seeking medical treatment).
A lot of people will only get the vaccine when there is a personal benefit. This is the individualist culture that Boris Johnson's type of right-wing popularism promotes.
So the government do need to make it in someone's personal interest to get vaccinated to keep numbers of Antivaxxing Covid spreaders out of hospital.

The vaccine refusers I know have become increasingly desperate to talk people out of having them. It’s getting a bit lonely out on that limb I think.

I know several who have been vaccinated in the last 2 weeks despite being eligible since March/April. The people getting sick now are in the majority over 40 and unvaccinated/one vaccine recently. They were responsible for us being still restricted now basically. Where I am vaccination is at 98% in over 25's, we only have covid cases in school kids

I am happy at this stage to continue as I am and not be vaccinated.

No regrets here.

@NotAncientHistory completely agree with your point about individualism.

Societies that have harnessed their collective altruism have fared much better.

I understand that people have their reasons and opinions for not getting vaccinated. I don’t travel abroad and rarely go to big events but I got vaccinated, mainly due to my work and having kids with disabilities.

I’m sure there are people that refused the vaccine that have now contracted the virus and been pretty unwell, most of the people now in hospital are those people, I wonder if they feel different about the vaccine now?

I know they can still go and get it but with having to wait 8 weeks for the 2nd vaccine they may have wished they got it when they were called up to do so?

The vaccinated travel carrot was dangled at the start of the year.

You could ask about those that had the vaccine thinking they would be allowed to travel from April and are now a bit pissed off that they can’t?

@Brabraboo

Close relatives of ours were avidly anti-vaccine (sorry. She’s a critical thinker and was vaccine-‘questioning’ and doing ‘her own research’ and is ‘absolutely not anti vax’)

That continued despite her being in the very top end of several of the risk categories. It continued when I was heavily pregnant and said we probably couldn’t spend time indoors with them in the third trimester in that case because the risks to women at that stage of pregnancy made me uncomfortable and they were out socialising as much as possible with as many people as possible and still refusing the jab.
It continued despite the risks to themselves, the risks to everyone they came across because they were refusing to curtail their lifestyle whatsoever, the risks to us as a family when we couldn’t get vaccinated for months ourselves etc etc etc.

When it started to look like unvaccinated people would face travel restrictions or extra bureaucratic processes such as more testing or more quarantining…. They immediately got the jab. They live a life filled with travel, and suddenly all those ‘risks’ they were unwilling to take for the sake of their own or anyone else’s health seemed to vanish. All the rubbish about being a guinea pig, ‘still in trials’ vaccines, long terms effects etc which meant they refused the jab…. Suddenly didn’t matter when someone told them that getting a jab MIGHT mean they could more easily get back to sipping wine in the south of France quicker and with less hassle.

I had very little respect for the rubbish they were spouting anyway but watching how quickly they suddenly lost their ‘hesitancy’ about vaccine safety that they’d apparently done so much research on…. Purely because they wanted an easier holiday process, REALLY pissed me off if I’m honest.

Jeez I'd avoid them like the plague.

I honestly dont have any time with the anti vaxers. Have it or dont have it but dont spoil it for the rest of us and please stay away from me.

I certainly dont want to sit next to you on the train or a plane.

@Brabraboo a friend of mine got jabbed after saying she wouldn't in case it impacted travel...that this friend works with vulnerable people and also refuses regular "invasive" testing, refuses to send kids to school in masks and refuses lft tests, refuses to wear masks in shops etc (masks and testing are easy ways to keep those around you safer and keep things open for longer and are tiny things) show it is only for travel in her case.

I think many people who have refused the vaccine are waiting for more info before they make their decision, so I assume there will be greater take up eventually (assuming no major side effects or long term effects) and those that then want it can have it. I've been jabbed, feel grateful and mostly secure in my decision, but have fingers crossed that no long term effects. I feel uncomfortable about pressurising people to take a vaccine, but I also feel uncomfortable about unvaccinated people working with others who have no choice to be there eg schools, care homes, hospitals, prisons etc.

No. If that changes then I imagine people will just book an appointment to get the jab. There will be no ah haaaa told ya moment for people who were first in line, not even a badge. Having a choice over your body is a wonderful thing, why people want to make it a competition il never know.

Forgot to add I haven't refused and they've only just summoned me for mine. Which I will get, I just dont understand this mentality people have (on both sides tbf) if people who refused it the first time round finally get it because they are comfortable with any effects etc, then that's good. If they get it because people have made it they can't live a normal life without it, then that's not that great. It shouldn't be a har har moment imo.

@Franklin12

I honestly dont have any time with the anti vaxers. Have it or dont have it but dont spoil it for the rest of us and please stay away from me.

I certainly dont want to sit next to you on the train or a plane.

Don’t understand why you posted as your post has nothing to do with what the op asked she asked people that haven’t been vaccinated if they are now changing their mind and thinking of getting the vaccine she didn’t ask people their opinions on people who haven’t been vaccinated there are other threads for that so maybe go and comment on them.

Also just to add you won’t know if a person on the train sitting next to you has been vaccinated or not.

No. If anything it's the opposite, because I was quite close to getting it and now increasingly glad I listened to my gut feeling and didn't.

I'll probably get it when more evidence of long term data is published though.

I don’t regret waiting this out at all, in fact after reading the comments about menstrual cycles being affected and the fact cases are still rising amongst the double vaxxed it makes me want to wait for the correct vaccine even more so. I’ll take it when we have got a year or two of data on side effects, efficacy and immunity duration.

Until then I’m not going abroad, have no intention of going to crowded venues and will continue wearing a mask and being aware of my surroundings.

I’ve only met one person in real life who has refused the vaccine (her reasoning being that she’d already had Covid).
It’s only here on social media that I’ve seen the vaccine hesitant, or those who refuse to have it.
I do have sympathy for those with medical reasons who decline, so long as they take care around others.
I don’t have sympathy for those who refuse, show little regard for others and place their personal freedom way above the needs of the rest of society. It also frustrates me that they then spread harmful misinformation to justify their stance.

Yuck, what an awful OP

Why is it that you are so nasty about people who may legitimately and reasonably not want the vaccination?

As an aside, there were many ‘conspiracy theorists’ saying 12 months ago...”watch out, vaccine passports are coming...limiting your freedoms in your own country, never mind abroad”

Obviously they were dismissed as being bonkers, yet look where we are....people, normal people, calling for restrictions based on vaccination status for absolutely standard things, such as going to watch a football match

Do you realise the power you are giving to the government, willingly?