Refusing services to unvaccinated. What are your thoughts?

[TheChip]

I'm just curious to hear of people's thoughts on this.
I have currently been refused a service due to being unvaccinated, in the UK. Its not a service that would require close proximity like a hairdresser, but in the same space for a period of time.

My thoughts on it are while I understand and respect people's choices and comfort levels, I do find it hard to grasp when the virus is both passed between those vaccinated or unvaccinated. Even if you throw in the comments about how vaccination reduces transmission, it is still transmissible.

I would have been more than willing to LFT before every contact, and wear a mask. But this wasn't an option. Which I guess is the part I find most difficult to understand. That they would be comfortable and willing to be around those vaccinated, possibly even without testing. Which I'd expect testing to be expected for both vaccinated and unvaccinated for someone who is clearly so uncomfortable.

So yeah, what are your thoughts

I think. As time has gone by and it's been shown that vaccination doesn't prevent transmission at the same time as Omincron being generally very mild, it's a silly position to take

@Idontbelieveit14

Maybe they just don’t want to spend time with anti-vaxxers?

I know a couple who own businesses and I will not use their businesses on principle.

Medical exemption different kettle of fish.

Unvaccinated people are not either anti-vaxxers or medically exempt. The majority of people not vaccinated will fall in the middle.

Tbh, I would not want to spend time with someone who bangs on about how unvaccinated people are selfish and are killing vulnerable etc.

Vaccines don't totally prevent infection but you are more likely to
a) fight it off with antibodies ( no infection)
b) fight it off with T cells and other parts of immune system ( milder illness and less virus produced so less infectious)
The instructor is just trying to reduce risks to his business.

You can’t fly to the US (and a lot of other countries too) unless you’ve got a Covid pass either. We’ve just been and all the attractions we went to including museums and the theatre, and most pubs and restaurants are asking to see proof that you are fully vaxxed before they let you in. If you don’t have it, they don’t. We were told hairdressers and nail places, leisure centres etc are the same.

I think it should be the norm here too.

We all know the jabs don’t fully prevent transmission but they massively reduce it and we are trying to come through the other side of a global pandemic to regain normality .

To be honest, if his website said he only accepted vaccinated people I think he would get MORE trade.

I think a lot of people would much prefer to sit in car that 20 other people had sat in that week if they knew they had all been vaccinated. Same for taxi drivers.

Those LFTs should only be free to people that need them for work like NHS, everyone else should pay, vaccinated or not.

I won't be testing in that case. If the government are so keen for us to test they need to remain free (and yes, I know it comes out of taxes before anyone decides to point it out).

Maybe they just don’t want to spend time with anti-vaxxers?

Not having the vaccine doesn't necessarily make you an anti vaxxer! I've had all 3 but I've already made the decision that I will only have another vaccination after a year at least. If the government announces we need another one in 3 or 4 months I won't be having it. That doesn't make me an ant vaxxer.

Driving instructor I'd think at higher risk of transmission than hairdresser.

A hairdresser you'll see once, or once every few months. Driving instructor you'll be in a car with them presumably every week for months and months (unless you learn quicker than I did!). Hairdresser salons tend to he big rooms, cars you're sitting in a small space together. Yes you could leave car windows open, but maybe they'd rather just take a different client instead especially in cold January.

You have a choice whether to get vaccinated, however you can't control how others respond to that choice.

In any case, covid cases are high now and driving lessons in huge demand. Maybe in a few months when cases are lower you will have an easier time booking lessons.

You also don't know the instructors circumstances. An acquaintance who was extremely cautious I later found out had a highly vulnerable young child.

Maybe they just don’t want to spend time with anti-vaxxers?
People love a good label don't they!

People who have had other vaccines, but opt out of having one particular vaccine aren't 'anti vaXXers' Stop making assumptions about the OP.

It never occurs to me to ask someone whether they're vaccinated or not

I don't need driving lessons but if I did I might ask this if I was going to be spending a lot of time with an instructor.

It doesn’t make much sense though (does anything in this pandemic?!)

We currently have an outbreak at work. All vaccinated and boosted but still passing it on very easily to coworkers and family members,

I’d be much happier with lfts

If we need to ‘penalise’ unvaccinated people then a tax like Greece have introduced to go towards their care should they catch covid would make more sense seeing as they are more of a ‘danger’ to themselves than other people.

It personally wouldn't bother me if someone is vaccinated or not because of the reasons already stated (safer unvaccinated and doing a test beforehand etc), but, in the same way that it's your choice to not be vaccinated, it's the driving instructors choice not to have unvaccinated people in their car. People are entitled to make their own choices and decisions.

Yes, the tax thing does make the most sense out of everything when it comes to unvaccinated. Since the whole reason for people to be vaccinated is to protect themselves and to help prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.

@TheChip

Yes, the tax thing does make the most sense out of everything when it comes to unvaccinated. Since the whole reason for people to be vaccinated is to protect themselves and to help prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.

The vast majority of people who get Covid don't need hospital treatment at all... vaccinated or not. Financial penalties disproportionally affect the poor.

Good on them. They want to minimise the risk of them becoming ill and having to miss work.

They shouldn’t have to accept customers they don’t feel comfy with

Good point @xenobitch

Businesses like this are being highly discriminatory. Hopefully they will go out of business.

I'm fully vaccinated, but if I were asked about it before accessing a service, I'd take my business elsewhere, because it's ridiculously intrusive and I won't have people who choose to not have the vaccine 'othered'. Not on my money, anyway.

While I dont agree with businesses taking this approach, I can understand and respect their choice to do so.

Just not if it is strictly due to them being against unvaccinated. Because you are still able to catch it whether you're vaccinated or not. I dont think people should be shunned for having a different opinion or making a different choice, and I do worry that that is what is not only happening, but being encouraged.

I think people should be shunned for being unvaccinated. Sorry but that is how I feel.

To the PP who said about tax towards health cover, where does that stop. Shall we tax sports players in case they break a leg. Avoidable so why not? Smokers and obesity for sure. Starts to look like a social credit system that will only further divide the rich and the poor.

@DolphinFC

I think people should be shunned for being unvaccinated. Sorry but that is how I feel.

Why?

@DolphinFC

I think people should be shunned for being unvaccinated. Sorry but that is how I feel.

Maybe unvaccinated people would wear a bell around their neck so you can hear them coming.. and you can yell "unclean" at them.

Every time I see a comment like yours, I wonder if there is something in the vaccine that makes people lose all empathy and understanding about different viewpoints and choices.
Or I wonder if those sorts of comments come from an anti-vaxxer who is trying to make those that are ardently pro-vaxx look nuts.

Or I wonder if those sorts of comments come from an anti-vaxxer who is trying to make those that are ardently pro-vaxx look nuts

I'm starting to think that must be it. No-one can genuinely think that way, can they?

Driving lessons can be 2 hours long. Instructors can have 3 lessons a day. All different people. Multiply that number over the week, 2 hours is a long time to sit close to someone even if the windows are open and both are wearing masks. The instructor could also have CEV family at home. And yes, them having to isolate loses them their income for 10 days potentially. I can understand why they would prefer vaccinated students. Instructors are massively in demand where I live, they can afford to be picky as most have waiting lists.