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MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 09:49 AM Mar 2021

What to Do about Someone Who Refuses to be Vaccinated against COVID-19

That's simple: Avoid any close contact with that person completely and tell that person why you are doing that.

Such a person is not your friend. What kind of friend exposes others to danger?

If the person is a co-worker, you may have to alter your work habits to avoid close contact. If questioned about that, simply explain that you are not willing to risk being close to someone who refuses the COVID-19 vaccination, and that you will only communicate with that person using the telephone, email, or texts.

"For my safety, and the safety of others" is the only explanation you need.

Could this cause some discomfort? Yes, and that's the idea. By explaining why you are avoiding that person, you will make that person uncomfortable and the person will understand your reason. Will that get the person to get the vaccine? Probably not, but you will still be protecting yourself and others.

33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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What to Do about Someone Who Refuses to be Vaccinated against COVID-19 (Original Post) MineralMan Mar 2021 OP
My mother is pretty much a recluse, and stays quarantined all the time Baltimike Mar 2021 #1
Paint "covid" on a baseball and throw it at their face. Omnipresent Mar 2021 #2
My mother refuses to get one MissB Mar 2021 #3
I'm sorry to read that. MineralMan Mar 2021 #4
It can get complicated Rorey Mar 2021 #5
vaccine passport requirements. Voltaire2 Mar 2021 #6
There is no vaccine passport. Nt USALiberal Mar 2021 #9
no kidding. Voltaire2 Mar 2021 #11
You are forgetting about a population of people who had Covid womanofthehills Mar 2021 #12
I thought the science was still out on that one. maxsolomon Mar 2021 #13
That's true there have been people who have gotten it twice fescuerescue Mar 2021 #19
no, they are recommended to also get vaccinated. Voltaire2 Mar 2021 #14
There are NO studies saying which antibodies are better or last longer. womanofthehills Mar 2021 #15
I don't think that there's a "piece of the virus" in either the Pfizer or 2 Meow Momma Mar 2021 #16
Sorry, I meant a lab made replica of the protein spike womanofthehills Mar 2021 #21
and are at this point considered more effective than the traditional vaccines. Voltaire2 Mar 2021 #29
Not proven - not one study on this womanofthehills Mar 2021 #31
The mRNA vaccines (pfizer,moderna) do not use any parts of the virus. Voltaire2 Mar 2021 #17
You might have to kick all the old people off too womanofthehills Mar 2021 #25
All you have to do is get vaccinated. Voltaire2 Mar 2021 #28
"Naturally acquired immunity" is the same BS that Rand Paul tried to needle Dr. Fauci with NickB79 Mar 2021 #33
This. Mr.Bill Mar 2021 #30
Avoid them like the plague - which they are, quite literally. Ocelot II Mar 2021 #7
Sounds fair. The thing is there are so many people around us in daily life whose vax status we can Treefrog Mar 2021 #8
I'd bar them from the clinic until they get immunized. Aristus Mar 2021 #10
How do you know? fescuerescue Mar 2021 #18
A lot of COVID-19 refusers are quite proud of that. MineralMan Mar 2021 #20
Right. The loud ones fescuerescue Mar 2021 #22
We are only at 25% because of the age restrictions MineralMan Mar 2021 #24
More precisely. Capacity realities fescuerescue Mar 2021 #26
Yes. They gave it first to the elders because they had more risk MineralMan Mar 2021 #27
Just had my first Covid-19 vaccine today...first one in my family HipChick Mar 2021 #23
It's complicated for some of us, sad to say... Hekate Mar 2021 #32

Baltimike

(4,126 posts)
1. My mother is pretty much a recluse, and stays quarantined all the time
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 09:55 AM
Mar 2021

In fact, the last time she left her house was June 19, 2014. She lives with my special needs nephew who is 27, but will only ever be about 7.

She is waiting for variant conquering meds. I got my first "Fauci ouchie" yesterday, and she seemed pleased.

I told her she was going to have to get one and she agreed...but it isn't so cut and dry when someone is already isolated.

Getting a shot in my state is like playing whack a mole. So she's waiting...

MissB

(15,800 posts)
3. My mother refuses to get one
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 10:10 AM
Mar 2021

The consequence of that decision is that my sibling’s and I (who all live less than 15 minutes away from each other) will not see her. She won’t be able to see her great grandchildren either (my niece lives on the street behind me). Two out of three of us siblings will soon be fully vaccinated.

Mom lives about an hour and a half north of me. She keeps telling me that strangers keep yelling at her to stay at least 6’ away. She finds that rude. She’s in her early 80s and seems unwilling to accept science. She’s the type that thinks you only go to the dr when you’re really sick- she doesn’t understand the preventative care model at all.

Rorey

(8,445 posts)
5. It can get complicated
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 10:18 AM
Mar 2021

One of my daughters-in-law has always been wary of vaccines. After my granddaughter was born, there were words exchanged between her and my son about getting her the normal vaccines. My son simply insisted it was going to happen, and it did.

When the COVID-19 vaccines started coming out my DIL expressed that she wasn't going to get it. I'm hoping that at some point she'll change her mind. My son recently told me that they're planning an vacation to Hawaii, and that he told her that if she tested positive and ruined their trip it would definitely be a problem. I think she'll probably now get it.

I'm a week and a half past my second shot of Pfizer, and may go visit them this weekend. They do wear masks and do the social distancing things, and I desperately miss my granddaughter. Of course I also follow all of the rules.

Side note: I don't agree with their decision to take this vacation at this time. It's actually a few months away. My son asked me if I wanted to go too, and I told him I'm not at all ready to do those kinds of things.

Voltaire2

(12,626 posts)
6. vaccine passport requirements.
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 10:25 AM
Mar 2021

no interstate public transportation (planes trains and busses) without one.

requirements ought to include all major viral diseases that have effective vaccines.

I'm done with the bullshit brigade.

Exceptions of course for people with verified medical exclusions.

womanofthehills

(8,584 posts)
12. You are forgetting about a population of people who had Covid
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 12:33 PM
Mar 2021

And now have natural antibodies. Do you want these people to carry around their proof of antibodies card?

maxsolomon

(32,992 posts)
13. I thought the science was still out on that one.
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 12:40 PM
Mar 2021

that some people may have gotten Covid twice and the antibodies wear off?

Sorry, but I want those people to get a jab too.

fescuerescue

(4,448 posts)
19. That's true there have been people who have gotten it twice
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:40 PM
Mar 2021

When it happens it makes the news.

I've heard of dozen or so. Hardly the millions that have gotten Covid.

While the science is undetermined, it seems pretty good considering that we have a year of experience on this now.

Voltaire2

(12,626 posts)
14. no, they are recommended to also get vaccinated.
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 01:34 PM
Mar 2021

And quite frankly I no longer give fuck about the vaccine averse.

womanofthehills

(8,584 posts)
15. There are NO studies saying which antibodies are better or last longer.
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 01:41 PM
Mar 2021

Some scientists claim natural antibodies may be superior because you were exposed to the entire virus not just a piece of virus.

2 Meow Momma

(6,682 posts)
16. I don't think that there's a "piece of the virus" in either the Pfizer or
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 01:53 PM
Mar 2021

Moderna vaccines. I don’t know about the other vaccines, though.

womanofthehills

(8,584 posts)
21. Sorry, I meant a lab made replica of the protein spike
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:43 PM
Mar 2021

A spike protein which would be on the surface of the virus. When you see pictures of the coronavirus it looks like a ball with spikes. The virus uses these spikes to enter your cells. The Moderna & Pfizer both use the same technology.

Voltaire2

(12,626 posts)
29. and are at this point considered more effective than the traditional vaccines.
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 03:12 PM
Mar 2021

and are also easier to adapt to new variants.

Voltaire2

(12,626 posts)
17. The mRNA vaccines (pfizer,moderna) do not use any parts of the virus.
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:25 PM
Mar 2021

And again I just don't care about the 10,000 bullshit excuses for why people don't want to bother getting vaccinated. If you have a real medical reason, that is fine. If you are an anti-vaxxer, that's fine too, just don't use public transportation, be prepared to not be allowed back to work, and most likely as soon as children are qualified for the vaccine, be prepared to home school your kids.

womanofthehills

(8,584 posts)
25. You might have to kick all the old people off too
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:53 PM
Mar 2021

Vaccine or natural immunity - people over 65 lose their antibodies much quicker than younger people. In just 3 months some scientists believe older peoples antibodies can drop significantly.

NickB79

(19,114 posts)
33. "Naturally acquired immunity" is the same BS that Rand Paul tried to needle Dr. Fauci with
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 04:50 PM
Mar 2021

And Dr. Fauci wiped the floor with that libertarian douchebag in response.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anthony-fauci-rand-paul-masks-covid-vaccine/

In summary: if you had COVID in much of 2020, the rise of new variants in the last 6 months renders your natural antibodies anywhere from substantially less effective to entirely worthless. Modern vaccines have been tested and found effective against the new variants.

Don't be like Rand Paul. Get your damn shot.

 

Treefrog

(4,170 posts)
8. Sounds fair. The thing is there are so many people around us in daily life whose vax status we can
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 11:30 AM
Mar 2021

never know.

Aristus

(66,096 posts)
10. I'd bar them from the clinic until they get immunized.
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 11:34 AM
Mar 2021

Right now, the opposite seems to be happening here. We always have a full house here for vaccine clinic.

They start before medical clinic every day, and are sometimes still going by the time I see my last patient. So at the end of the day, I pitch in to help get everybody vaccinated.

fescuerescue

(4,448 posts)
18. How do you know?
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:38 PM
Mar 2021

I'm guessing that while a handful will proudly announce their private business to everyone, most will just quietly let others assume they got the shot.

Even if you ask, they can lie.

And I don't think I'm going to demand that people carry papers.

MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
20. A lot of COVID-19 refusers are quite proud of that.
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:42 PM
Mar 2021

They will make a point of telling you, "I'm not getting that shot. It's fake." Or they'll come up with some other reason. But, they love to tell people about it.

fescuerescue

(4,448 posts)
22. Right. The loud ones
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:46 PM
Mar 2021

They always seems to over-represent. I guess because they are loud.

But right now wee are at around 25% vacinnated.

But I can't agree that 3/4's of the people I know are being loud about it. Much less.

MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
24. We are only at 25% because of the age restrictions
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:51 PM
Mar 2021

early on. That's about to change. In Minnesota, at the end of the week, the Governor is going to announce a general opening of vaccinations to everyone. You will see those numbers jump quickly after that.

I get my second Moderna shot on Friday. I'm 75 years old. My wife got her first one just before her 65th birthday at the end of the day at a local Walgreens.

Once the age restrictions are removed, you're going to see people flocking to get their vaccine. Most people are eager to get it and get back to something close to normal.

In the end, it will be more likely that about 20-25% will refuse the vaccine. Mostly Trump supporters, I'd guess.

In Minnesota about 80% of over-65ers have received at least one shot.

fescuerescue

(4,448 posts)
26. More precisely. Capacity realities
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:54 PM
Mar 2021

We just choose age as way to rate limit capacity. We could have used other criteria.

Honestly I don't think it's going to be a problem. Enough people want it and will get it, that the small % that don't won't be a factor.

No more of a factor than any other vaccine that they have been refusing to get for decades that is.

And honestly, if THAT person doesn't have it, and I do. It's not really a problem for me either since I'm protected.


MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
27. Yes. They gave it first to the elders because they had more risk
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:58 PM
Mar 2021

of dying. Good decision. But, now, the vaccine is flowing into most places, so the limitation now is having enough people and places to administer the injections. That's changing fast, too. Now that pharmacies have started giving the vaccine in large numbers, primary care clinics will join them and it won't be so hard to find a shot.

The worry is that the pool of unvaccinated people will allow new variants to evolve, perhaps evading the vaccines' effectiveness.

HipChick

(25,485 posts)
23. Just had my first Covid-19 vaccine today...first one in my family
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 02:50 PM
Mar 2021

To encourage them all to get it
To let them I didn't turn into Bill Gates zombie on the way home

Hekate

(90,202 posts)
32. It's complicated for some of us, sad to say...
Wed Mar 24, 2021, 04:31 PM
Mar 2021

Hubby and I got our Moderna #2 day before yesterday. By April 5 all our immunities should have kicked in (or however they put it). Hooray.

At that point we heave a huge sigh of relief and let our (unvaccinated) daughter and her 3 (unvaccinated) boys know we are open for visits. Yeah, we’ll cross our fingers. But these are our only grandkids — that’s all there is, there ain’t no more, as the old slang goes.

That said, we’ll continue the basics while shopping & such— masking & handwashing.

Also, can hardly wait to see my dentist and ophthalmologist, too. Woot!

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