COVID 19 jab

COVID scare here in Victoria!
It's a worry!  Our friends daughter works at Highpoint but fortunately last Thursday, the day under scrutiny,  was her day off!  
Highlights how vulnerable we are!

Yesterday me and one other wore a mask during my half hour trip to local shopping centre.   Wonder if that ratio will change!

Me, I went to my first attendance meeting since COVID and in the group one had a head cold and one other was getting over it.  The heating was turned off when it was realised the colds in the room. Three days later I had a head cold, fortunately it was nasal only and stayed for 7 days.  Hence wearing a mask.  Don't want to walk into someone else's sneeze or whatever!  
Always washing hands!
Take care

I have chosen to be vaccinated having spoken with my family in UK and understanding the devastating effects it was having there.  I am fortunate that it was offered through my work due to being in a support role in healthcare.  I was expecting to receive the AZ vac as I am over 50 but ended up with the pfizer vac (i would have had either).

1st dose - sore arm at point of entry for about 24 hours, 2nd dose a bit more of a reaction, about 15 hours in,  woke up with headache and chills as well as painful arm and a bit of a fever.  This lasted about 24 hours but went as quickly as it came with the aid of panadol and rest.

I am now fully vaccinated as the wait was only 3 weeks between jabs, I feel that it has given me confidence should there be an outbreak here and benefits outweigh the small period of side effects I felt.

Understand as per many posts above everyone needs to make their own decision, I am happy with mine and just wanted to share my experience on this post.

I prefer to know the source of what I am putting into my body, so please don't judge me if I decline the AZ as that is not a product that I can in clear conscience put into my body as we have alternatives, but just not in Australia at this point in time.  Some countries have dropped the AZ and for good reason! There are alternatives and with better efficacy rates, but AZ is now produced in Australia, so I guess that is $$$ for big pharma here.

We all have our own reasons for declining the jab at this point in time, or to never have the vaccine.

We must be mindful to not judge people if they choose not to have the vaccine at any point in time.  

The only reason I commented again on this thread is because I was tagged. The lady that tagged me had genuinely good intentions. However, some other comments made imply that people who refuse vaccines are selfish and uncaring. This is not true, so I wanted to share why. 

I would prefer if we had a choice of vaccines, and not have the only available one that is being produced using an aborted human fetus! 

@Lisa1407 thankyou for your wise words 

@Sister, I hear ya, I’ve been through enough with BC too. Anything that might stop me getting sick gets a thumbs up from me  ;)

Everyone has to make their own decision.  While I'm grumpy about the AZ, a little because of the potential side effects but more because of it's efficacy compared to other vaccines, I will still get the shots.  I have heard too much from people I know overseas to want to risk our community.  I did sit on the fence for awhile but not because I thought that the stories of severe illness and death in the media were untrue - I know from friends and family that they are very true.  More because I was waiting for the okay from my oncologist and to see the early effects of the rollout.  It is becoming more and more likely that we will have a major outbreak here if the herd immunity is not there.  So many countries that have done well, have fallen.  I've gone through enough with BC and do not want to get ill, nor to be the weak link that passes something on to someone who cannot withstand it.

I'm originally from South Africa and still have many family members there. What I've heard from them, first hand, seen with their own eyes, not relying on the media, is that the devastation from this virus has been horrendous. Previously healthy breadwinners have either died, or been extremely ill. In rural areas the health system is just so broken and added to this, is the fact that in the rural areas live a lot of grandmothers who are rearing their grandchildren who have been orphaned by AIDS as well as other causes. When these grandmothers succumb to covid, these children are twice orphaned and end up (if they're lucky), in state run or church orphanages, or more often on the streets. I also have a niece in Atlanta, Georgia and she has told me of her first hand knowledge of the situation, on the ground in the US. I also have family in the UK, and they too have told of the situation that they have seen as well as deaths and illnesses amongst the families and friends of people that they work with as well as their own friends and neighbours. I attach more gravitas to what they have said as I know that they are not telling untrue stories. However, as I've said before, we must each decide, for ourselves, what path we follow in this matter, and that for each of us our own perception is our own truth.

I had the astra Zeneca shot because my GP recommended I get it and I trust her.
Same with my 86 year old mother and my husband.They took the advice of their GPs ( who are different to mine) .
all of our GPs have had the astra Zeneca shot.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and of course no one can be forced to be vaccinated in a democratic society such as hours but it is only because our state and federal governments have listened to the medical advice that we are in the Covid free position we are in.
As to the internet , someone once said “ the internet is like a library with no librarian”.

All drugs and vaccines are given with the knowledge that you may get side effects (and don't us cancer gals know this only too well) including some that may result in death in certain people.  The first time you get a flue vaccine you may get fevers and chills (with it being less likely in subsequent years). So, the COVID vaccine is no different. Everyone can make up their own mind as to whether they have it or not, but it is disappointing when non factual information is circulated. Just because you read something on a facebook page or see it in a video does not make it factual! The COVID vaccines have all been through rigorous trialing (in animals that didn't all drop dead and humans) and have passed the standards that the FDA and our own TGA insist on for all drugs and vaccines.