I Really Do Not Want the COVID Vaccine ?

[AspiringNurse94]

(So glad I stumbled across this website again after almost 6 years! I need to change my username because I am not an aspiring nurse anymore, I have been a nurse for almost 3 years! ?)

Anyway, I really do not want to take this new covid vaccine. I know I can’t be the only one who feels this way. Typically I am not an anti-vaxxer but something about this illness is making me think otherwise. For personal reasons I really do not want to take it when available at my hospital, but I’m afraid it will be mandatory. I am almost considering finding a new job if my hospital forces us all to take it. What a shame because I do like my job and wouldn’t know what else to turn to that isn’t nursing, because chances are most healthcare related places of employment will likely require all employees take it.

I want to use the excuse of it being against my religion but I already took the flu vaccine this year. I have nothing against the flu vaccine but didn’t necessarily want it, but my hospital practically FORCED everyone to take it unless they grant you an exemption. I’m afraid they’ll question me why I took the flu shot but cannot take the covid vaccine. 

What do you guys think about this? Will you be taking the vaccine? I just want us to be able to make our own decisions about this. If patients can refuse medications, procedures, and treatments, why can’t healthcare workers do the same? I read in multiple articles it will not be required by the federal government but each state and employer can decide whether or not it will be mandatory.

And forget the $1500 “stimulus check” that may be offered if you take it. All the money in the world would not change my mind about taking the vaccine. I feel as though if you have to bribe people to take it, something is peculiar.

I don’t know why this is bothering me so much. It should be a choice in my opinion. But by telling a few friends about not wanting it I feel judged. I have worked with covid patients multiple times since I am one of the younger nurses who does not have any kids/am pregnant. I feel like week after week I was always chosen to go to the covid section. At first I was mad but now it doesn’t bother me. I am not afraid to be near covid patients. Luckily through all this time I haven’t caught it. I always tell people I’d rather catch it than get this vaccine. That’s how strongly I feel against taking the vaccine. All of my non-nursing who have had covid are covered and thriving. To me catching it isn’t the biggest deal but others have called me selfish because I could be spreading it to others. Why is it looked at as selfish for not wanting to inject something into MY body. #mybodymychoice

Am I thinking about this too much? What would you do?

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

I believe the public transport issues will be largely federal because the threat of Covd is perceived as so great that it will likely be required whereas traditional vaccines are not elevated to an equal level. Thus, I believe that within a few years there will be an effective “economic” mandate to obtain the vaccination if one hopes to be able to work, travel, eat out or even shop in most places. I believe it is likely to be a coordinated effort between the public and private sectors. It is my hope that more conservative states will resist these efforts in the same way that left of center states like California resisted enforcing immigration policies they viewed  as unjust or unconstitutional.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

So, don’t get it.  Many employers, including mine, are not making it mandatory. I am not getting it right now either. I tend to have moderate to severe reactions to certain vaccines and meds so I’ve been told to forgo it for now.

I've managed to keep myself and my mom healthy without it so I don’t see a need to get it now, 

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

7 hours ago, subee said:

Since all religion is made up already, people can justify ANYTHING using a religion.  I worked with an OR nurse who refused to participate in D&C's, even in cases of miscarriage.  People kill their spouses because divorce is "illegal" in their religion.   Some people use religion for good deeds but others use it as a crutch to do something reprehensible.

 

That was rather judgmental of you. 
 

And, perhaps that OR nurse had been burned in the past before by employers that lie. Meaning, they tell the staff person it’s a fetal demise and it’s really an elective termination of a healthy baby. That is her right to follow her conscience. ?

[toomuchbaloney]

3 minutes ago, myoglobin said:

I believe the public transport issues will be largely federal because the threat of Covd is perceived as so great that it will likely be required whereas traditional vaccines are not elevated to an equal level. Thus, I believe that within a few years there will be an effective “economic” mandate to obtain the vaccination if one hopes to be able to work, travel, eat out or even shop in most places. I believe it is likely to be a coordinated effort between the public and private sectors. It is my hope that more conservative states will resist these efforts in the same way that left of center states like California resisted enforcing immigration policies they viewed  as unjust or unconstitutional.

Interesting. 

Do you imagine that businesses would refuse to serve unvacinnated public voluntarily or would they be required to refuse them service? Do you think that police might be able to randomly stop people and demand ID and vaccination status or might we wear some sort of symbol or mark which identifies our status? 

States don't enforce or prosecute federal immigration laws...not even really big and diverse states. 

 

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

3 hours ago, OhHaiMark said:

All of the disrespectful comments on this thread, especially directed at those who say they don't want the vaccine (at least not yet) is really disappointing. The respect for autonomy we are to practice as nurses with our patients should also extend to each other, especially when we are patients ourselves. Add the fact that we must all continue to mask and distance to protect each other regardless of whether we get the vaccine. The vaccine is for your own - not others - protection - until science can prove otherwise.

The U.S. government has done several things which make me leery of believing the attestations that the vaccine is safe, on top of the fact that the long term effects of the mRNA technology simply can't be known at this early juncture. Remember when masks were not recommended when this all began? Then suddenly, they were - the CDC didn't trust the public not to make a run for masks. I think that was a legitimate concern, but it doesn't change the fact that the recommendation was manipulated. Remember when 14 days was the quarantine recommendation? Now it's 7-10 days. Not because the science has changed, but because the thought is more people will comply.  The pharmaceutical companies and the U.S. government have a lot riding on people taking these vaccines, and stemming the spread, monetarily and politically. People are going to continue to die from this even with the vaccine, unfortunately. If less people are masking and distancing because they think life its back to "normal", that's even scarier. 

For me, it is a risk-benefit calculation. If I was really at risk of death from COVID, I would want a vaccine, even one of these using the new technology. But since I'm not...I think I'd rather wait and see.

Yup. But it doesn’t surprise me. Nursing is full of the self righteous, and the judgmental. I think it’s because it’s so female centric..I hate to slam my own gender but it’s the truth.

[toomuchbaloney]

3 minutes ago, GadgetRN71 said:

Yup. But it doesn’t surprise me. Nursing is full of the self righteous, and the judgmental. I think it’s because it’s so female centric..I hate to slam my own gender but it’s the truth.

You can do better than this. 

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

4 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:

You can do better than this. 

This is how I feel and experience has borne it out. I’ve worked with mostly male teams and places with no males. The female heavy teams were full of gossip, backbiting and general nastiness. ?‍♀️
 

 

[toomuchbaloney]

23 minutes ago, GadgetRN71 said:

This is how I feel and experience has borne it out. I’ve worked with mostly male teams and places with no males. The female heavy teams were full of gossip, backbiting and general nastiness. ?‍♀️
 

 

Yet that has nothing to do with the topic of the thread and is a rather ironic observation in a remark critical of self righteous and judgemental behavior. IMHO

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

For me it's a huge relief that the vaccine is here.  After reading post after post of understaffed units, burn out because of patients dying at high rates, coworkers dropping like flies with covid exposures, social medial full of doctors and nurses begging people to be careful, ICUs at 100% capacity, no PPE, on and on and on.  I'm just so tired.  

However, it's my strong believe that no one should be shamed or coerced into getting the vaccine if they've made an intelligent decision to not take it.

The people that think that it's government control to implant devices need to be challenged.  We need to make sure correct and accurate information is out there.  Sure 50,000 people or more have taken it and long-term effects aren't known, and every reaction will make headline news, but I am relieved.  

This I think is a huge achievement of scientific process. 

My employer has made it know that it's not mandatory.

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

1 hour ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Interesting. 

Do you imagine that businesses would refuse to serve unvacinnated public voluntarily or would they be required to refuse them service? Do you think that police might be able to randomly stop people and demand ID and vaccination status or might we wear some sort of symbol or mark which identifies our status? 

States don't enforce or prosecute federal immigration laws...not even really big and diverse states. 

 

I believe that stopping people to be unlikely. As for federal immigration laws some states (and more specifically some cities) were relatively less likely to enforce the federal immigration laws. I believe that some conservative states my be similarly inclined with regard to issues such as Covid vaccination mandates (or gun laws) that may be forthcoming in the upcoming administration. Do you disagree that this is possible?

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

Here is an article that discusses one modality as to how mandatory vaccination might occur from earlier this year https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/08/how-coronavirus-covid-vaccine-mandate-would-actually-work-cvd/.

 

[toomuchbaloney]

1 hour ago, myoglobin said:

I believe that stopping people to be unlikely. As for federal immigration laws some states (and more specifically some cities) were relatively less likely to enforce the federal immigration laws. I believe that some conservative states my be similarly inclined with regard to issues such as Covid vaccination mandates (or gun laws) that may be forthcoming in the upcoming administration. Do you disagree that this is possible?

Again, states are not responsible or required to utilize their resources to enforce federal immigration laws. Knowing that, why would it be a problem for any state to refrain from enforcing federal immigration laws? Similarly, any federal mandate on vaccines would be enforced using federal resources, states could cooperate if they chose and had the capacity, right? I am certain that a good number of "conservative states" would challenge a Biden vaccine mandate as unconstitutional.  Heck, a number of them just signed on suggesting to the SCOTUS  that they didn't like election results in some counties of some states so democracy should just be suspended while Trump is appointed as president. 

Americans are dying in record numbers from an out of control pandemic, half of the country is more afraid of the vaccine than the disease and you want to fret about your firearms.