Not in any way. I think it's extremely sad that this has even to be considered, forced on society by the irresponsible who refuse to take part in a community effort to beat a deadly disease.

This idea that there is some kind of dark side or danger that in some way makes the vaccine more concerning than getting covid , is the Alex Jones style angle in my view.

There is no secret movement to silence people saying that the vaccine impacted them negatively, and I hope certainly think that if people have been impacted to the extent that countless thousands are ill months later we would and should get to hear about it. As I say, there is a reason that many certainly do have long covid, and that there isn't huge visible group of those in a similar situation due to the vaccine.

While with anything there will be side effects, all in all the vaccine is clearly as safe as we could have hoped for, and vastly safer than getting covid. You seem to have viewed that you made the right decision by not getting vaccinated on account that you caught covid and weren't terribly ill or hospitalised. By all measures it was still the wrong decision to make really. A political decision, not a health one. As such you unfortunately possibly more inclined to overly humour those who would happily slap the needle out of grannies arm . Though I accept that you are personally in favour of the elderly getting vaccinated!

Edited by BlueJay (02 Dec 2021 6.45pm)

They are not though forcing anyone to be vaccinated. Only restricting where the unvaccinated can go. This isn't actually anything new. Many countries demand that you are vaccinated against hepatitis b and yellow fever. You don't have to have them. You can choose not to go. Exactly the same choice faces the anti-vaxer now.

I don't suppose mandatory vaccination will actually be applied anywhere. Threatened, yes, but not applied as it would be unmanageable.

I don't have a problem with people believing whatever they like, even if it seems nuts to me. That's their business. What I care about is what they do. All of us have to do things we don't personally agree with. That's what living in a democratic community requires of us. We possess rights, but we also carry responsibilities. This is no different.

As my wife has just worked a 12-hour shift in A & E, I can tell you that's not strictly true.

That they won't allow the non-vaccinated to work on the front line doesn't mean it will be compulsory for NHS staff to be vaccinated. They will have to be re-deployed, if they either refuse or are medically exempted. In practice very few will be affected as the vast majority have been fully vaccinated as they understand, much better than some seem to, why it's so important.

My grand-daughter, who is pregnant and unvaccinated, is a specialist mental health nurse. She is now doing online consultations and assessments from home.

Why are you changing the subject to abortion?