Anyone Refussing a Booster?

[Kendodd]

I don't feel comfortable having a third while so many people in the developing world haven't even had one dose. I think I'll refuse and let my MP know why.
This is no criticism of people who chose to have a booster BTW. I'm in good health in my 50s, if I was older or vulnerable I very much doubt I'd still refuse the booster.

postingfortraffichere Oh well if it only prevents death it is just not worth having!

@User45829057

I wonder if I will be expected to trot off to a vaccine centre 20 miles away every 6 months for a booster like I had to for the first 2

What an absolute trial it is and just to save lives.

My CEV husband will be taking the booster, I will too and will be urging my eligible loved ones to do the same. Sorry if that offends.

I'm NHS and we will be offered it. I really don't want it. I felt so ill after the first 2 and the side effects of the second one lasted for weeks. I also hated how it messed up my periods. I've had covid and both jabs so I hope I'll have enough immunity from that to see it off.

I won't not for the idealistic reason you have but because I feel as if I scaremongered into taking the first two.

I shall wait until my GP contacts me this time, that will be at least a year, if not two,

There probably will be a "booster" for the "booster" in the end. This virus is just like flu - it mutates, which is why we have a flu jab every year to boost immunity to new strains. Covid will be no different. I am sure we will be having further new Covid vaccines all over again next year. How lucky we are.

held I don't need educating on vaccines thanks. I've been administering them for over thirty years.
I don't have any fear and am certainly not anti vax. But I'll 'have over 60' in my lifetime when I determine the direct benefit to myself outweighs any tiny even as yet undetermined risk. Particularly when I personally see hundreds of elderly and vulnerable people year after year refusing to be vaccinated themselves.

Third covid jab is not comparable to annual flu jab which is developed to target new strains each year.

My understanding is that unless you are very elderly or immune compromised you should still have good protection from hospitalisation and death beyond 6 months from 2nd jab. I won't take boosters for the sake of it but would if my risk increases, vaccines cover new strains and 3rd jab reduces transmission significantly longterm. Not willing to be boosted every 6 months for ever more though.

Particularly when I personally see hundreds of elderly and vulnerable people year after year refusing to be vaccinated themselves.

But what is their reason for choosing not to be vaccinated?
I have a fit and healthy (for her age) 91 year old neighbour, when covid first started she was more annoyed about lock downs than anything else. She wasn't at all afraid of covid, she knew she was old and wasn't going to live much longer, she was more afraid of years in a care home not knowing her own name. In her words - lived a long and active life and died after a short illness, that's me! I don't know if she was vaccinated or not, I would expect she was.

If there are any medics on the thread, a question if you don't mind.

As I understand a vaccine stimulates your own immune system to react quickly to the virus, shutting it down before it takes hold (?)
So, I'm vaccinated, if I'm out and about in normal life and encounter covid, my immune response kicks into action and I don't become infected (?)
Do these encounters with covid act as a booster in themselves?

Obviously, even if the above is all true it can't be managed in the way a vaccination programme can.

I think we need to be told clearly whether the vaccine passport as it stands at the moment, will be deemed ineffective with just 2 vaccines. Is the booster an 'added optional extra' or will we be classed as non vaccinated if we refuse it? I have had health issues since I had my first pfizer, took my second one and am still having horrid side effects. But if I do refuse, will I then be excluded from things in society and classed as unvaccinated? I feel it's happening so quick and I dont think things are being explained properly. It shouldn't be so black and white. (Take it or leave it).

Not me.
Gordon Brown has been urging G7 nations to send spare vaccines to the developing world. We have, according to him on the radio, I think yesterday, sufficient supply for boosters and child vaccination in this country, and even then plenty to distribute.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000zsdz

About 30 min in. Gordon Brown very clear that we have sufficient supplies to run booster and child vaccination programmes, and have billions of doses for the developing world.

I'll be having mine. I'm CV and had covid recently - of course I'll never know for sure whether it was due to being fully jabbed, but I was probably asymptomatic (I had a migraine/a few sneezing fits/watery nose, but I have migraines and allergies so I'm not actually sure they were symptoms). I also had covid last year, pre jabs, and it was much worse.

I understand your pov OP and agree, up to a point - because I also agree with PPs who say you rejecting yours won't mean it'll go where there's greater need. There are better and more constructive ways to campaign, I think. And although you may be fit and healthy and feel you don't need it, every vaccination protects others too, including the CV.

Vaccination has meant many CV can live a near normal life again without the fear of last year. Everyone, wherever in the world they are, should have the same opportunity. But I'm not sure you refusing your booster will contribute at all to that end.

I won’t have it. It is a bloody joke

If not having it would mean that dose was given to someone who hadn't had anything then yes, I probably would refuse. But since that won't happen my not having it helps nobody

I'll be taking it as soon as it's offered. Just had my flu vaccination yesterday.

I'd have one if I could, to protect others and the NHS. It's heartbreaking how many cancer and other patients are not able to get urgent treatment because ICUs and hospital beds generally still have a lot of Covid patients. While they may not die from Covid, if we can free up the beds it will make space to save other lives.
One way to practically help would be to donate to Vaccinaid. I did this when I had my first one as didn't feel comfortable with being one of the lucky ones in a rich country, but didn't want to let that stop me protecting others around me.

I think it's a bit of pointless protest.
In an aircraft emergency, they say don the mask yourself before helping others.
You refusing a booster won't help other countries. There are enough people refusing vaccine here anyway. Healthy people can still get ill, and they don't offer a booster unless they think they need it.

I'm not having it, I had AZ & had awful side effects with the first jab, I don't want Pfizer or Moderna to have to start again with side effects.

I might be wrong but I think in the coming months the vaccine will be offered as a second dose to 16-17 year olds and in turn younger ones. I read that we have enough Pfizer here for the third dose, so I doubt that if I don't have might mine, it'll go abroad. I'm entitled to a third booster on two counts in the first group, so (I may be selfish) but I'll have mine, and be very grateful for the protection it gives me and to some extent people I come into contact with. Also, it'll reduce my chances of needing medical support, and someone else can have my appointment/bed.

The government put in massive orders with other manufacturers, really hoping they'll be available soon to pass onto other countries.

Gordon Brown article suggesting that there are more than enough vaccines.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/09/west-vaccine-doses-covid-production

Anyway. I’ve just booked my booster for next Monday. After a few weeks I might even consider some supply teaching - especially if the vaccine programme for 12+ is successfully rolled out.

I'm under 50 but at this stage I think I'd refuse a booster. I've had both doses of Pfizer and have been so unwell. My second dose was back in July and I'm still not well from it - fatigue, joint pain, general unwell feeling.