Is anyone else still completely unvaccinated?

[Honeyhorse]

I know this will probably cause arguments, but I’m just wondering who else is still completely unvaccinated like myself.
Mine is due to extreme anxiety and a needle phobia.
I’m not anti vaccination and I don’t think it’s a conspiracy theory or microchip etc.
I want to talk to my GP about how I’m feeling but I can’t get an appointment
Now everyone is getting boosters and I haven’t even had one, I feel embarrassed and ashamed, but I can’t do it, it’s like I need to be knocked unconscious before I’ll have it. I’ve even walked into the vaccination centre but ended up leaving after a few minutes as I had a panic attack.

I don’t know what to do.

The booster jag, honestly i hardly felt it. I go into the vaccination centres like someone going to the gallows. Im like beyond scared and i keep my eyes well away from any nurses etc.
But honestly it wasn't sore at all

I am also unvaccinated, does anyone even trust the government now?

@CBroads

I'm still unvaccinated, I have no intentions of getting vaccinated and I won't be guilt tripped into getting a trial drug injected into my body. Each to their own. Boris is mugging every single one of us off, regardless of whether you're vaccinated or not.

I didnt get vaccinated for Boris

This must be frustrating for you op. Keep trying your gp, and hopefully they can give you something to calm you down, maybe Diazepam? The jab really is very mild, you don’t feel it going in. Mine was done within a few seconds, I was sat waiting for a nip/pinch, when the nurse said "done!".

Please, don't be embarrassed! Phobias are debilitating, I have a needle phobic friend who has now managed to have his first vax, but the stress of it made him quite poorly in the lead up to his appointment (which, like you he didn't go through with once he got there) he ended up going to a walk in quite late in the day and a couple of the staff members there helped him though it. He has sadly had quite a lot of grief for not having them yet.

@YogaLite

I am also unvaccinated, does anyone even trust the government now?

No. I trust scientists across the world. Oddly, I do not believe they want to kill me. What Boris has to do with it I do not know, when every government and reputable scientific establishment in the world is recommending vaccines.

@AmigoingcrZy

I'm getting my first vaccines in the new year. Honestly, I didn't get it straight away because I was pregnant and the advice at first wasn't clear. I waited. My partner got both and was very poorly afterwards. No regrets just had to take some time off work and recover and I genuinely considered calling an ambulance after the second dose because he was so ill. He's not getting the booster because of this experience and it put me off too. Fast forward and I now have a 7 week old baby and I want to get the vaccine to protect myself and her. However I need to time it right because if I'm ill, my partner will need to take time off work to help with the baby and we can't afford it with me being on SMP now. So really, its just not been the right time. I have my 8 week check and baby's jabs next week and I'll be mentioning it to my doctor there to get booked in on a Friday hopefully!

Please don't let fear of the vaccine making you unwell postpone getting it any further. If you catch it in the meantime, you could get very sick indeed. Few people get more than a day or so of flu-y symptoms from the jab, and most people don't get anything bar a sore arm. I've had 2 AZs and a Moderna, and no problems with any of them. My own family have had all sorts of combinations, three each, and not one of them was ill even once. Your husband was just very unlucky, unfortunately. Hopefully you'll be fine. Good luck!

Honeyhorse it’s a pity you can’t get to talk to your GP
Can you work out what part of the process you are afraid of or where this phobia came from
I used to have a phobia of needles which seem to wear off as I got older especially when I had children as you become a bit of a pin cushion when pregnant
It’s probably the build up and expectation if someone could do it when you weren’t looking I can say there is a good chance you would not notice With two of my vaccines they had to say all done as I didn’t realise they had finished

My 24 year old son has only had his first jab. No intenntion of having a second or a booster.

@YogaLite

I am also unvaccinated, does anyone even trust the government now?

No I don't trust the government but vaccines aren't made by the UK government luckily

There are a number of medications that your GP could prescribe you that would calm you right down before a jab. Diazepam for example can completely calm down your nervous system and stop a panic attack. I'm not medically trained and I know doctors don't like giving out benzos because of addiction worries but I would have thought a GP could prescribe a minimal number of pills to take as a one off a couple of times for the vaccination. They used to do this for me for when I went on holiday as I had a horrible flying phobia and as a one off for when I had to fly it worked wonders. Just a thought and might be worth asking your GP if there's anything they can prescribe short term to calm you down for this.

I've worked with people with phobias and just want to encourage you to talk to your GP to see what help you can access locally.
In my experience it can be a real general confidence boost in the long run if you can face a fear and manage it.

Yes I am for no reason other than I don’t want to have it and won’t give it to my children either

@Fallagain

As @JesusInTheCabbageVan says, this is simple maths. Look up Base Rate Fallacy. (for beginners if possible) and don't try and derail a thread with misinformation.

OP, good luck. You've had some good advice here.

@DDUW

I'm completely unjabbed. I'm not antivax or needle phobic. I don't come into contact with anybody so I'm not at risk of catching it. I have no way of travelling to get vaccinated. I also worry that if I got vaccinated it would give the impression that I was doing it to get a vaccine certificate in order to go out.

Why would you care about what other people think your reason is? I rarely go out either because I have got an old wobbley dog who can't be left alone and can't get in my car. I do occasionally get a visitor (my bubble partner back from the days of bubbles) and left the dog with her to go out and get my jabs and boosters. Are you sure there is no way you can travel? in many places there are "jab cab" services. If you are choosing not to be vacc'ed then its your choice but I am not sure that your reasons hold up?

I've got a severe needle-phobia and have had counselling for 4 years to try and cope. It was due to a very traumatic medical event that happened when I was 4 years old (I won't go into it as don't want to scare you!) however it left me being unable to have any vaccinations at all - MMR ... nope... BCG... absolutely not... I was a walking disease factory and I'm actually grateful my Mother didn't try and 'force' me to have an injection as a child as I don't think I would have forgiven her at all.

As an adult, I realised that this wasn't a good way to be, so started talking to someone about it - Since then, I've had my MMR, have had a number of blood tests and also been under general anesthetic 3 times. Do I enjoy it? Nope... do I cry? Yes.. however - all I've found is amazing, lovely and very, very kind people.

When the Covid vaccination drive started, my anxiety went into overdrive - I started using my 'coping' techniques and they helped a lot. When it was my turn to be offered an injection (I'm in the 29-39 band) I had already had a number of friends who had had theirs as they were vulnerable....

1. I asked my friends to 'scope out' the place - Did the place have cubicles or somewhere I could get vaccinated in private? I don't mind a nurse seeing me cry, I didn't want Joe Public seeing that.

1. What's the least busy time to go? That way I could be in and out quickly...

I had mine at the Madjeski Stadium in Berkshire - as soon as I walked up to the volunteer taking names he could see I was petrified - I could hardly get the words out.. he said 'Come with me love', he led me past the queues of people and essentially straight into a cubicle. The nurse was amazing and didn't show me the needle at all - I was done within 5 minutes.

The second time, I made it past the first volunteer looking relatively 'OK', by the time I'd got upstairs, the second volunteer clocked I wasn't feeling great, so again... I was led straight past everyone (at which point I was apologising and crying) and straight into a cubicle. This took even less than 5 minutes to do and that was it.

As someone who isn't anti-vax but incredibly needle-phobic - I totally appreciate how you feel. I now have a massive tube of EMLA cream which I pop on my arm and stick cling film around it an hour before hand (this has really helped as I hardly feel anything at all).

It's crap and someone who doesn't have the same phobia doesn't understand it can consume days of your life worrying about it.

However - just to let you know again... all I've experienced having my first 2 injections was so much kindness, compassion and empathy, it was really amazing.

I was trying to get my Booster injection yesterday and the NHS website gave me a different place to go - cue the anxiety going up again.. 'Where is this place?' 'What will happen?' 'How do I know if they've got a private place where I can be on my own?'.. I did some research and actually sent an email to the location.

Within 20 minutes (on a Sunday night!) someone had replied with massive amounts of kindness, saying that they are well set up for people with phobias and suggesting I do a walk-in this Friday where he could do it as he's got a lot of experience with people who are phobic. I've already started stressing about it, getting teary and ensuring I've got enough EMLA cream left - however I'm also so grateful considering how utterly exhausted and tired these healthcare people and volunteers are, that they are able to be so kind and responsive to people like me.

If you'd like a virtual phobic friend to hold your hand, I'm here

You have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. I honestly think that the fact you are trying to get a vaccine despite your fears makes you braver than those of us fortunate enough to not have a needle phobia. I agree with others who have suggested speaking to a GP or a nurse at your practice. They will be used to people with needle phobias and will know some useful strategies for coping with them.

My husband has a needle phobia, he has finally managed to have both but took forever.
He got sedatives from the GP in the end. Keep trying them, you’ll get an appointment eventually.
I know it doesn’t help much but his phobia is bad and be managed it ok.

Diazepam was my first thought too. A decent dose if possible. I’d definitely speak to your GP and ask for them to help you get this done. You would need someone to accompany/drive you but that would probably be probably good too in terms of moral support. Good luck

@FluffyPersian wonderful response to the OP and I hope it helps them.

@JanisMoplin

Also, people who don't mind dying of Covid because their lives are shit, are you not concerned about giving it to other people whose lives are not shit?

Vaccinated people can pass Covid on, it doesn't make you immune, jabbed or not you could infect someone else.

Government says to jab every 6/3 months for foreseeable??? I'd rather not but hope it works for those who want it.
Fix one problem retrospectively (maybe) and create a new one maybe?

I had covid at the beginning of the pandemic and it’s left me with a permanent chronic medical condition now, where previously I had no physical health issues, that has meant multiple hospital visits this year. If the vaccine had been around at that point I wouldn’t now have to live with this and be costing the NHS a lot of money, so I don’t understand at all people who choose not to get vaccinated for no good reason (that’s not aimed at those with needle phobias). Yes it’s your choice but excuse me if I think you are extremely dim and selfish.

I haven't had any vaccination yet - partly because I really don't like needles but also because I have a strong gut feeling that it is wrong for me. My body is going through a lot of changes right now with menopause and I don't want to risk upsetting what feels like a fine balance of health with this vaccination. As a 52 year old white female with a normal BMI and no health issues I'm low risk of suffering complications anyway.

My life is very isolated - my children are adults living away from home, I don't have any caring duties, I don't have friends so don't go out into clubs,. pubs, etc. Don't use public transport, hate crowds and would never go to a nightclub or festival or gig and can't afford the cinema or theatre and hate eating out so don't go to pubs or restaurants. Supermarket trips are quick and done when it is quiet. Can't afford to travel abroad for holidays and any UK holiday I could afford would be camping on a very quiet site. I work in an office on my own with minimal contact with other people. My risk of catching or spreading the virus is very very small.
I am happy to continue to live my life this quietly and am finding that the constant orders to 'get vaccinated' against a virus that 57 million people still haven't had a sniff of are making me less eager to have it.