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Original poster

that is one brave doctor

501 replies

MrsLargeEmbodied · 09/01/2022 09:20

to speak about not having the vaccination
www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/08/nhs-doctor-challenges-sajid-javid-over-covid-vaccination-rules

he has had a lot of support

OP posts:
DontWantTheRivalry · 10/01/2022 08:59

So he did his job during the first lot of the pandemic? Big fucking deal. Many of us did.

And that’s just laughable.

At the end of the day, there will be people who agree with mandated vaccines and those who don’t.

Neither one of those groups will have their opinions changed so constantly arguing over it - in real life and on MN - is completely pointless.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 10/01/2022 09:04

Do you what is abhorrent though?

A friend of mine lost a parent because their doctor encouraged their vaccine hesitancy. That is abhorrent.

I'm surprised you find it laughable that many people worked, in person, not from home, through the whole pandemic, before vaccines were available.

DontWantTheRivalry · 10/01/2022 09:14

I was laughing at the fact that you are trying to compare his job role to that other people who worked out the home during the peak pre-vaccines. I doubt many of them were working in similar working environments to him when it came to stress, unmanageable work loads, long shifts in PPE (if they actually got any), awful working conditions and the risks of maybe daily exposure to the Covid. The fact he’s an anaesthetist probably makes his risk level even higher.

What he did during pre- vaccines when Covid was at its worst, can only be compared to those in the same roles, nobody else.

Florianus · 10/01/2022 09:33

the TUC union have not brushed this off with most will take the vax, they are really worried.

Most NHS staff (more than 90%) are already vaccinated against Covid-19.

dittymcdit · 10/01/2022 11:23

@DontWantTheRivalry

So he did his job during the first lot of the pandemic? Big fucking deal. Many of us did.

And that’s just laughable.

At the end of the day, there will be people who agree with mandated vaccines and those who don’t.

Neither one of those groups will have their opinions changed so constantly arguing over it - in real life and on MN - is completely pointless.

By a consultant in the same trust who's an infectious disease expert rather than an anaesthetist

covid.joinzoe.com/post/covid-vaccine-natural-immunity-difference

dittymcdit · 10/01/2022 11:24

@DontWantTheRivalry

What is abhorrent is spreading misinformation

What misinformation did he spread?

Oops, this was what I meant to quote you on

covid.joinzoe.com/post/covid-vaccine-natural-immunity-difference

bkyyy · 10/01/2022 11:40

He runs a private breathlessness clinic...

DontWantTheRivalry · 10/01/2022 11:44

I don’t think the doctor on the news said that vaccines don’t boost immunisation though did he? I thought he said something along the lines of him being happy to rely on his natural immunity rather than have vaccines that don’t stop a person getting the virus or transmitting it anyway?

I’m sure he’s well aware of all the research, including how vaccines reduce transmission and the severity of the virus , but he’s happy with his decision. Just because science tells him he “should” do something, that doesn’t mean he “has” to.

He’s aware of all the information out there so his decision to not be vaccinated is an informed one. He may have made a different decision to a lot of other people, but it’s still his decision to make and I don’t think he should be fired because of it.

Mickarooni · 10/01/2022 12:35

I know there was some debate when mandatory Covid vaccination was brought in for social care but nowhere near the same level as now it’s happening for the NHS.

XenoBitch · 10/01/2022 14:39

@bkyyy

He runs a private breathlessness clinic...
So? Having a side hustle is not a crime.
whatfreshheck · 10/01/2022 14:45

No. He is an idiot and I hope he loses his GMC registration. My hubby is an intensive care Dr and can't believe this guy. All of his patients on the unit at the moment are unvaccinated. It's also a bit of a coincidence that he owns a breathlessness clinic.

whatfreshheck · 10/01/2022 14:47

@MrsLargeEmbodied

he is fit and healthy, and has not seen fit and healthy people in icu, where he has been working throughout covid
My husband has see. Plenty. Including those who were fit and healthy.
DontWantTheRivalry · 10/01/2022 14:52

No. He is an idiot and I hope he loses his GMC registration.

Because he hasn’t had a vaccine?

The world has gone bonkers.

ollyollyoxenfree · 10/01/2022 14:58

@DontWantTheRivalry

No. He is an idiot and I hope he loses his GMC registration.

Because he hasn’t had a vaccine?

The world has gone bonkers.

I don't think he should lose his license, but the issue here isn't that he isn't vaccinated, and it's deeply frustrating it keeps getting twisted as such.

The issue is that he's saying things about vaccination that are not true, and are going to be repeated infinitely by the anti-vaccine groups.

whatfreshheck · 10/01/2022 15:05

@DontWantTheRivalry

No. He is an idiot and I hope he loses his GMC registration.

Because he hasn’t had a vaccine?

The world has gone bonkers.

No, whether he gets the vaccine or not is none of my business even if I think it's incredibly selfish. What I take issue with is his spreading blatant disinformation.
Florianus · 10/01/2022 15:51

Don'tWantTheRivaly
He’s aware of all the information out there so his decision to not be vaccinated is an informed one

How on earth do you know what he is or is not aware of? Anaesthetists don't keep up with the latest information on Virology, any more than Virologists constantly read up the latest on anaesthesia.

If he really is aware of all of the information on Covid-19, he needs to explain why he disagrees with the collective view of the British Society of Immunology - which is that the best protection for someone who has been infected with the virus is to be vaccinated.

DontWantTheRivalry · 10/01/2022 17:55

If he really is aware of all of the information on Covid-19, he needs to explain why he disagrees with the collective view of the British Society of Immunology - which is that the best protection for someone who has been infected with the virus is to be vaccinated.

He doesn’t need to explain himself to anybody. He’s made his choice so just let it go.

Do you think all the people on this thread who are shrieking in horror about the fact he doesn’t want a vaccine is actually going to change his, or anyone’s mind?!

No, it won’t.

ollyollyoxenfree · 10/01/2022 17:58

@DontWantTheRivalry

If he really is aware of all of the information on Covid-19, he needs to explain why he disagrees with the collective view of the British Society of Immunology - which is that the best protection for someone who has been infected with the virus is to be vaccinated.

He doesn’t need to explain himself to anybody. He’s made his choice so just let it go.

Do you think all the people on this thread who are shrieking in horror about the fact he doesn’t want a vaccine is actually going to change his, or anyone’s mind?!

No, it won’t.

He does when he is peddling misinformation about vaccines in his role as a consultant on sky news. His collegaues have summarised this issues better than I can.

I respect his choice & totally disagree with mandates but this is genuinely unacceptable.

dittymcdit · 10/01/2022 18:02

@DontWantTheRivalry

If he really is aware of all of the information on Covid-19, he needs to explain why he disagrees with the collective view of the British Society of Immunology - which is that the best protection for someone who has been infected with the virus is to be vaccinated.

He doesn’t need to explain himself to anybody. He’s made his choice so just let it go.

Do you think all the people on this thread who are shrieking in horror about the fact he doesn’t want a vaccine is actually going to change his, or anyone’s mind?!

No, it won’t.

It's the fact that he's added fuel to the fire if the anti vaxxers and will have lead some of those who are hesitant to decide that no they don't want it. He gave his view publicly. A view that is not backed up by the majority of the scientific and medical community and certainly not by the British Society of Immunologists. That is why his actions were abhorrent.
ollyollyoxenfree · 10/01/2022 18:03

Do you think all the people on this thread who are shrieking in horror about the fact he doesn’t want a vaccine is actually going to change his, or anyone’s mind?!

This is moot, it's not about individuals, it's how this clip of misnformation will be used again and again by anti-vaccine groups.

Legitimate news source. Legitimate discussion. Legitimate setting. Legitimate doctor. Legitimate outfits. British accent. Regurgitates anti-vaxx sentiments. His opinion holds weight. It will be recycled and replayed for years, mostly out of context. It's the anti-vaxx wet dream.

twitter.com/drmeenalviz/status/1479824842937491471

DontWantTheRivalry · 10/01/2022 18:52

I doubt people who want the vaccine are now going to change their mind based on what one doctor on the news says.

Let the anti-vaccine people use the clip to their hearts content if that’s what they want to do to validate their opinions, but it won’t have any bearing on the people who know the importance of getting vaccinated and want to do so.

After all, it’s not as though he’s telling other people not to get vaccinated, he’s just saying that in his own circumstances he doesn’t feel he needs it.

Just because the doctor doesn’t agree that vaccines are necessary for him personally, that doesn’t mean he should be silenced. It’s called freedom of speech.

Tealightsandd · 10/01/2022 19:33

whether he gets the vaccine or not is none of my business

Well that's lovely for you. But it very much is is the business of vulnerable patients and their families at King's.

One of the (many) ICU doctors on the twitter campaign is a colleague of his. A senior consultant anaesthesist at King's.

addictedtotheflats · 10/01/2022 19:41

Very irresponsible, he is definitely in the minority. He's given an excuse for anti vaxxers to prove their "right"

Also I think he will be in a lot of trouble by saying this on national television while representing his Trust. As HCP we have the responsibility to advocate and protect our vulnerable patients and using Sajid to voice your opinion on the BBC isn't responsible at all

Florianus · 11/01/2022 09:19

@DontWantTheRivalry

If he really is aware of all of the information on Covid-19, he needs to explain why he disagrees with the collective view of the British Society of Immunology - which is that the best protection for someone who has been infected with the virus is to be vaccinated.

He doesn’t need to explain himself to anybody. He’s made his choice so just let it go.

Do you think all the people on this thread who are shrieking in horror about the fact he doesn’t want a vaccine is actually going to change his, or anyone’s mind?!

No, it won’t.

In that case he should lose his job. He's not safe to work in a patient-facing role in a hospital. He needs to justify why he disagrees with the British Society of Immunology.