To the non-vaxxers who work for the NHS- do we have a leg to stand on?

[LMonkey]

So it's looking like vaccines will become mandatory for all NHS workers from April next year...where on earth can we go fro here?
I really dont want to get in to a vaccine debate. I have strong feelings as to why I don't want the vaccine. I'm a med sec and don't see any patients any way, or go anywhere near them. But regardless of this I strongly feel NOBODY should be forced to have any vaccine. Do we have a leg to stand on? I mean it's not lawful to force an employee to have a vaccine but if the government make it compulsory for nhs staff is there any way round it do you think? This really is causing me enormous amounts of stress. I really don't know what to do (please don't anyone say "get the vaccine"). I'd love to hear from others in the same boat or from a legal standpoint.

@Alcemeg

Thank God you're here, *@JassyRadlett* 🧪🧫📊📉📈🧬🩺💉🤩

😂😂

‘What did you do in the pandemic Mummy?’
‘I repeated the same facts over and over again on the internet.’

I’m sure they will be able to replace you with someone who has had it

You clearly don't understand the severity of the recruitment crisis with-in the NHS. I'm carrying 3 vacancies on my team (of 10). So on any given day we're operating on 70% staff. Factor in holidays and sickness and it quickly becomes unsafe. We've done 3 recruitment drives, had 20 applicants, 7 interviewees and appointed 2 people - both turned the job down.

The choice, vaccine or job. Up to you.

Perhaps if you explained your reasons for not having the vaccine people would be more sympathetic.

Are they advising non clinical staff have a mandatory test and vaccine

A clean driving licence is not comparable to having something injected in to your body that has potential for severe side effects.

No it isn't, and it's also usually discretionary.

I’m pro vaccine but still believe everyone should have a choice. Especially as this vaccine doesn’t stop transmission or getting it yourself. It does however, reduce the severity of illness so the biggest advantage is to yourself.
Everyone should be able to make a personal choice.

Get the vaccine. Do your bit against this pandemic as most of the rest of us have.

They are starting with the health care workers but it will be everyone in the end. I'm not prepared to be jabbed. I'm not against vaccines but this doesn't seem like a vaccine to me when you have to keep being jabbed and it can only be administered under emergency law.

I fail to see how there is an emergency if the NHS and care homes are prepared to sack staff who won't comply.

I understand way this was initially a controversial choice, but now the evidence is clear that the vaccines have a limited impact on spread of covid.

Is it? The reduction in infection risk is quite significant, and I’ve not seen many outlier studies or data to challenge it.

The transmission/immunity picture is obviously challenged by the high case rate at which we opened up in the spring and summer, and slow rollout of teen and booster vaccines.

The current age profile of cases also aligns with this - the huge spikes since September have been schoolchildren and the demographic of their parents (therefore highest risk household contacts).

And the data out of Israel on the impact of boosters is very encouraging.

I’m not making any comment on your personal circumstances - just on what the evidence actually shows.

Honestly I am saddened that people think this is okay/acceptable.

You honestly think someone should lose their rights to body autonomy? You think someone should lose their freedoms/human rights/a job they're good at and passionate about because they refuse to undergo a medical procedure? Really?

Bear in mind the government make millions of pounds in profit from selling this drug....do they really have peoples safety as a first priority??

I really do not think NHS staff should be forced to have the vaccine, the NHS a s already under huge pressure if they lose a lot of staff it is going to affect services even more wreaking even more havoc to be honest I really do not know what they are thinking! Are they wanting to kill the NHS stone dead? How are they going to replace all the staff? Where does it end? Will it be teachers next? Whatever happened to freedom of choice? And I am not an anti vaxxer.

I’m in healthcare and Hep b, Hep are mandatory. We couldn’t start the course without a blood test to prove they’d taken.

It’s just another one to add to the list.

Thing is compulsory vaccines are there already. I'm an optometrist and worked outside the NHS in private practice for a few years, reapplied and they said I needed to have a BCG in order to be registered.

BCG vaccination in people over the age of 40 isn't usually given as it's not that effective. But that was the choice, work in a certain job within my field (and get vaccinated) or don't.

The fact that the covid vaccine IS effective works against you as well OP.

Feel for you OP I agree with everything you've said .
You are being forced to have it if it means you will loose your job if you don't it's awful.
Hopefully it will be clinical staff only not that I agree with it .
There will be massive staff shortages if they decide this very risky.

Hep A.

I'm very uncomfortable with the introduction of mandatory vaccines for anyone, irrespective of their job.

I'm not vaccinated through personal choice, and based on this am very grateful I don't work for the NHS because I'd be in the same boat as the OP.

Unfortunately I don't think you do have a leg to stand on no, but FWIW I think mandatory vaccines for NHS is an absolute wacky idea! The NHS is on its knees, we have a shortage of NHS staff so getting rid of a whole heap of trained and experienced staff seems barmy to me, it's takes years to train as a nurse.... We have 5 months before they'll all be leaving its ridiculous! They worked all the way though the height of the pandemic with no vaccine so what's the difference now? I've had mine and was really grateful for it as we sailed through covid when we had it, but everyone's choice is there own. The government cannot think they get a say on what people do with their own bodies

I'm not prepared to be jabbed. I'm not against vaccines but this doesn't seem like a vaccine to me when you have to keep being jabbed.

Boosters for vaccines are not unusual, especially for adults whose immune systems are less responsive than babies’ and children’s.

What is your definition of a vaccine?

@SWS17

Get the vaccine. Do your bit against this pandemic as most of the rest of us have.

Some of us worked front line for £9.82 an hour, caught covid (because the surgical masks really don't do much to save you from a 'killer' virus), recovered and yet chose to remain unvaccinated.

Others got furloughed and spent the gorgeous summer of 2020 sun-worshipping... Just saying.

Its the consequence of your anti-social behaviour.

@Coyoacan

How horrible all the posts here are. It is not choice when you have to lose your job. I despair of the English and how willingly people give up their freedoms and I say that as someone who is vaccinated

Give up their freedoms? What do you mean?? The whole reason most of Europe and UK has locked down is because the virus has exploded primarily through people who will not get vaccinated. What freedom is she giving up?

17:30Muchtoomuchtodo

@LMonkey, Can you tell us more about your reasons for not having the vaccine?

There are unarguably reasons as to why we should question any vaccine, especially this one. This is a vaccine which was rushed. There's no long term data for it. We have no idea what effect it will have on peoples bodies 10, 15, 20 years down the line. WE KNOW people have died from blood clots. I know 2 people myself. Fit , healthy, young people. WE KNOW it can cause myocarditis in younger people. It's also clear as bloody day THAT IT DOES NOT STOP TRANSMISSION. If people are happy to accept it, to protect THEMSELVES from extreme disease, then by all means have it. That's your choice.I dont want it.

Nhs staff already have to have some vaccinations or have immunity this is no different.
You do have a choice you don't have to have the vacancie, they've already done it with the care home sector so presumably that sets a precedent.
Also you may not see patients but you will probably see other staff who have patient contact. That person could be seeing cev patients. I really hope my dc whom is cev is not unknowingly put in this position without good reason.

THAT IT DOES NOT STOP TRANSMISSION

THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THEY STOP QUITE A LOT OF TRANSMISSION.

Particularly by preventing infection but also interesting evidence from more than one study that they reduce secondary non-household transmission rates too.

Sorry, couldn’t maintain the shouting.