Vaccine Rollout in Australia - personal accounts.

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So, this is more a personal account of an anti-vaxxer. I have a 60 year old friend who is a registered nurse, although she is not currently working as a nurse. She has always seemed to be an intelligent, caring person. However, she is outright anti-vax, not hesitant, but instead totally refusing to have the shot, citing "bodily sovereignty". She's not a COVID denier, though. She believes that COVID exists and that it is bad for some people, and maybe even for her.

When we were discussing the vax situation a few days back, and I was trying to change her mind a la @Flying mermaid, she said "well if you are vaxxed and can't catch it or don't get very sick, what do you care if I catch it." I started with "because you're my friend and I don't want you to get sick". Not effective. So then I moved to "because I don't want the hospitals to be over run with a pandemic of the unvaccinated - for health reasons". Not effective. Next argument was the same, but for economic reasons. Not effective. Also tried lockdowns do damage to mental health and businesses. Not effective. So finally I tried "because the governments are insisting on protecting people like you from the consequences of your choices, and that impacts on me because they won't open up for me to see Seat Son (who she knows well) because of the risks to unvaxxed people." Her response - "I did not ask them to protect me from the consequences of my choice, so don't blame me that you can't see your son."

I am not sure that will will remain friends after this conversation, which is such pity as we have been good friends for more than 25 years and have done so many fun things together including overseas travel, working together, studying together and extensive skiing together in Australia. We were looking forward to skiing together in Japan in the future, but I cannot see that happening.

I feel sad.
 
So, this is more a personal account of an anti-vaxxer. I have a 60 year old friend who is a registered nurse, although she is not currently working as a nurse. She has always seemed to be an intelligent, caring person. However, she is outright anti-vax, not hesitant, but instead totally refusing to have the shot, citing "bodily sovereignty". She's not a COVID denier, though. She believes that COVID exists and that it is bad for some people, and maybe even for her.

When we were discussing the vax situation a few days back, and I was trying to change her mind a la @Flying mermaid, she said "well if you are vaxxed and can't catch it or don't get very sick, what do you care if I catch it." I started with "because you're my friend and I don't want you to get sick". Not effective. So then I moved to "because I don't want the hospitals to be over run with a pandemic of the unvaccinated - for health reasons". Not effective. Next argument was the same, but for economic reasons. Not effective. Also tried lockdowns do damage to mental health and businesses. Not effective. So finally I tried "because the governments are insisting on protecting people like you from the consequences of your choices, and that impacts on me because they won't open up for me to see Seat Son (who she knows well) because of the risks to unvaxxed people." Her response - "I did not ask them to protect me from the consequences of my choice, so don't blame me that you can't see your son."

I am not sure that will will remain friends after this conversation, which is such pity as we have been good friends for more than 25 years and have done so many fun things together including overseas travel, working together, studying together and extensive skiing together in Australia. We were looking forward to skiing together in Japan in the future, but I cannot see that happening.

I feel sad.
There are some people where you just can’t change their minds - I have had one failure as well :( The sad part is not so much that they don’t want to have the vaccine, but the total lack of empathy for other people. I know people who have chosen to have it not so much because they felt they needed it, but as a contribution to the community they live in.

It is very sad for you that she was so uncaring.
 
4 days post 2nd Pfizer dose and I was a smidge worried that I was injected with saline because I didn’t experience any side effects aside from a sore arm and minor headache, nothing nurofen couldn’t fix.
My arm was sore for 3 days after the first dose, this time I tried to keep it moving in case it helped and I’m no medical expert but it was less sore this time around!

It’s only sinking in now that I’m part of the two-doses statistic, can I leave the country now lol (please). I’ve been wildly optimistic holding onto my NZ flight for October but will sadly have to cancel it, so now I’m really just looking forward to everyone getting both their doses!
 
I had my second dose of Pfizer today. The queue (at RPAH) was noticeably longer, something to be expected when cases are shooting up. Just hoping I don't get the flu-like side effects that many people get with the second shot.
 
Had my second Pfizer jab on Friday morning last. About midday Saturday I started to develop a minor dull headache, some hot flushes and some minor joint pain throughout the body ensued for about 24 hours. Nothing too unpleasant and was completely gone by midday Sunday. Wife is due for her second tomorrow and then all four of us in the house (2 adult children) are fully vaxxed and ready to go.
 
Excellent.

Telstra will pay workers $200 to get Covid-19 vaccine but doesn’t rule out mandatory jabs​

Telstra will pay thousands of workers $200 to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in one of the largest incentive schemes so far.

AUSTRALIA’S biggest telco will pay its workers the equivalent of $200 to get fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in one of the biggest incentive schemes in Australia to date.
Telstra chief executive Andy Penn revealed the company’s new plan to the company’s 28,000 employees on Monday morning, announcing a plan that could cost more than $5.7 million.


Stupid.

Mining magnate Clive Palmer taking WA government to High Court over Covid-19 ‘vaccine passport’
Billionaire Clive Palmer is taking the WA govt to the High Court again, this time over its ‘vaccine passport’ he claims discriminates against NSW.

 
7 people a day in a population of 8 million people across a year is equal to roughly 8000 a year on an annual basis Australia wide. Or around #4/#5 cause of death - similar to lung cancer, about 6-7 times the annual road toll.
It doesn't seem all that long ago that the road deaths were in the multiple thousands per year. It's fallen to about one sixth of the rate per 100,000 from 1975 until now.

There are some people where you just can’t change their minds - I have had one failure as well.
I was a little surprised today to hear that someone had changed her mind. Seems the change was driven by the realisation that ultimately, and probably sooner than later, vaccine proof will become necessary for any form of normal life. Not just travel, but everything.... The carrot was never going to work.
 
SYD+1 and I were fully upgraded this afternoon with AZ at our regular GP clinic. We were comfortable waiting the full 12 wks between jabs.

No issues - not even a sore arm this time (so far).

We both had our ICVPs stamped with both doses (because that can’t hurt). Medicare hasn’t updated yet but the 1st dose didn’t appear until overnight - unlike some who’ve reported getting their certificate before the needle was out of their arm! 😀

EDIT: Medicare COVID certificate arrived as I posted!
 
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A comment on the effects of the vaccine. I’ve now had both jabs of AZ, and effects were minor, bordering on non existent. My 91 year old mother had a couple of days of not feeling well after the second shot, but not much from the first. 34 year old son said that he slept for about 20 hours after his first shot, but again, that might be normal.
 
So, this is more a personal account of an anti-vaxxer. I have a 60 year old friend who is a registered nurse, although she is not currently working as a nurse. She has always seemed to be an intelligent, caring person. However, she is outright anti-vax, not hesitant, but instead totally refusing to have the shot, citing "bodily sovereignty". She's not a COVID denier, though. She believes that COVID exists and that it is bad for some people, and maybe even for her.

When we were discussing the vax situation a few days back, and I was trying to change her mind a la @Flying mermaid, she said "well if you are vaxxed and can't catch it or don't get very sick, what do you care if I catch it." I started with "because you're my friend and I don't want you to get sick". Not effective. So then I moved to "because I don't want the hospitals to be over run with a pandemic of the unvaccinated - for health reasons". Not effective. Next argument was the same, but for economic reasons. Not effective. Also tried lockdowns do damage to mental health and businesses. Not effective. So finally I tried "because the governments are insisting on protecting people like you from the consequences of your choices, and that impacts on me because they won't open up for me to see Seat Son (who she knows well) because of the risks to unvaxxed people." Her response - "I did not ask them to protect me from the consequences of my choice, so don't blame me that you can't see your son."
That's a sad story that I can in some way relate too. Have a good mate who's very anti jab, goes on about it's all a hoax & gov can F-off etc etc.

I'm hesitant to have decent conversation about it as can see a friendship being strained that's lasted a lifetime.

It's crazy, but I agree you just can't change some people's mind.
I say just get the jab 1st of the month, get your 2nd end of the month & your done, don't have to think about it anymore (boosters yes).

On a better note, Mrs Moo's Grandmother of 85yo finally succumbed to getting 1st AZ jab. Was family politics that delayed it that I dared not get involved in, but was very happy to see her get it. Very happy I must say, whole family well on the way now.
 

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