Did anyone listen to this BBC interview with the midwife refusing the vaccine?

[piney07]

Broke my heart. I’m fully vaxxed but after listening to this really think this mandate is awful www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bh7tp8

It is completely indefensible. Logic has completely left the country.

I have not listened to it BUT as someone with a degree in medical microbiology - it has been every eligible persons civic duty to get vaccinated against Covid.

I'm usually very open to people doing what they like re not taking a vaccine as herd immunity from the viruses and illnesses we have vaccinations for protects the people we need it to - mainly because these vaccinations have been in circulation for a long time or the illness is rare but very lethal (as is the case with meningitis b).

But Covid is different - none of the population had ANY immunity to it and there is little good data on how long natural immunity lasts. There is absolutely NO reason anyone who hasn't been directly told by their own medical consultant not to get the vaccine to not take the vaccine.

@onlyreadingneverposting8

I have not listened to it BUT as someone with a degree in medical microbiology - it has been every eligible persons civic duty to get vaccinated against Covid.

I'm usually very open to people doing what they like re not taking a vaccine as herd immunity from the viruses and illnesses we have vaccinations for protects the people we need it to - mainly because these vaccinations have been in circulation for a long time or the illness is rare but very lethal (as is the case with meningitis b).

But Covid is different - none of the population had ANY immunity to it and there is little good data on how long natural immunity lasts. There is absolutely NO reason anyone who hasn't been directly told by their own medical consultant not to get the vaccine to not take the vaccine.

The midwife in the interview HAD been told by her doctor NOT to have the vaccine as she had a particular illness.

I have watched a couple of midwives being interviewed over this, and i don't feel sorry for them. If they medically can be vaccinated, i believe they should be.

Their right to body autonomy have not changed, they are still in charge of what happens to their body, there is just a consequence to their action, as NHS staff already have to have certain vaccinations before certain roles, it is in the contract they will take the precautions needed to protect their patients wellbeing.

It's a shame they are refusing to do this and pushing it back in individual responsibility, well yes, those coming to see you have taken that responsibility and been vaccinated, but as she is not, it's proven that it's more likely to be passed on if unvaccinated.

Anyone who supports this mandate has lost their mind

34 midwives are about to be sacked from one single unit. Not sure what percentage of staff it is but at my unit if we lost that many we’d have to close. Possibly permanently, it’s hard to recruit staff at the minute.

@CovidCorvid

34 midwives are about to be sacked from one single unit. Not sure what percentage of staff it is but at my unit if we lost that many we’d have to close. Possibly permanently, it’s hard to recruit staff at the minute.

But how many of those are truly medically exempt like the midwife on the radio was?

There is a huge difference between being told not to have the vaccine because you aren't medically fit to receive it (as is normal with some vaccines and people with underlying conditions), and being a massively selfish cunt.

At our unit, we will lose 7 midwives due to vaccine refusal. We are already 14 midwives short. Almost every shift is hell, and it will get worse. I’m triple vaccinated but I empathise with those who can’t face it.

I appreciate they’re unlikely to all be exempt. Personally I’m pro vaccines, I’ve had three. But I see her point, she has antibodies, she will do 2x LFT a week…..which are now very accurate. What’s the risk?

And I understand that for young people they see their risk from covid as lower than the risk from a vaccine. I agree people should have bodily autonomy. They’re prepared to lose their jobs, so that’s their consequence. But the consequence of their loss is also high for the nhs. I would argue their unit will be less safe without them than with them.

If the government follow through with sacking all of these midwives that pp have mentioned then women and babies will die. Maternity services are already desperately understaffed.

Their right to body autonomy have not changed, they are still in charge of what happens to their body, there is just a consequence to their action

And what of the consequence to the patients? The nhs is already hugely understaffed.

hence why “fully vaccinated” people spread it just as much and it does not stop you from catching it.

This is simply untrue. It doesn't entirely stop catching it and spreading it. It absolutely reduces that risk.

It's not black and white but if I was a labouring mother I'd rather have reduced risk than full risk from my midwife.

I am perfectly happy to be treated by an unvaccinated person. Its absolutely shocking making it mandatory.

hence why “fully vaccinated” people spread it just as much

That’s bullshit. There is plenty of evidence that vaccination reduces transmission. It doesn’t fully stop transmission but it does reduces it.

I can’t understand why people refuse to stop spouting this crap.

@shouldistop

Their right to body autonomy have not changed, they are still in charge of what happens to their body, there is just a consequence to their action

And what of the consequence to the patients? The nhs is already hugely understaffed.

Nobody seems to be addressing this point. I guess people want to bury their head in the sand - until it's them who needs treatment and finds the care appalling or non-existent due to lack of staff. I mean, if people think things are bad now (which they are)...

For anyone who thinks firing these NHS staff members is fair and necessary for the good of public health. Why were they not all fired immediately? Surely you believe it has been unsafe to have them around patients this whole time? Or is it that they were needed during the difficult winter months and soon they won't be as necessary?

Shows how this has nothing to do with health and it is purely to coerce as many people as possible to get a vaccine that they do not want or feel safe getting, in order to keep their jobs.

@CovidCorvid

I appreciate they’re unlikely to all be exempt. Personally I’m pro vaccines, I’ve had three. But I see her point, she has antibodies, she will do 2x LFT a week…..which are now very accurate. What’s the risk?

What’s the risk? Well there’s clearly a risk for the patients she sees on the other 5 days of the week.

@piney07 I just did a quick Google to check, and the NHS England guidelines say that staff who are advised against covid vaccines for clinical reasons don’t have to have them, as you’d logically expect.

I didn’t find the midwife’s citing of medical reasons very convincing in the interview, and she obviously doesn’t meet the criteria for exemption. I think it’s a body autonomy issue for her, I do sympathise, but ultimately it’s better for the world as a whole if we all get vaccinated, so I think we all should do that, especially workers like her who are in contact with the vulnerable, those that travel a lot, etc.

@Covidclaire

hence why “fully vaccinated” people spread it just as much

That’s bullshit. There is plenty of evidence that vaccination reduces transmission. It doesn’t fully stop transmission but it does reduces it.

I can’t understand why people refuse to stop spouting this crap.

Why not make everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, do daily LFTs? Then there is no risk to anyone? Everyone gets to keep their job.

I literally couldnt give a damn about my midwifes vaccine status, all I care about is there being enough of them to actually do their jobs. Same with any medical professionals. I am fully vaxxed but believe everyone should have free choice. The risk of the NHS dissolving from not enough staff and the effect that will have on many more people needing treatment for anything is much greater than the risk of COVID at the moment in my opinion.