Thank you for living out your conscience and ethics. It must have been an extremely grueling experience for you. But, you gave individuals an actual chance to make an informed choice at the most critical crossroads within this Covid nightmare. Your bravery on this ugly battlefield surely made a significant impact.
So many simply comply, numbing themselves to the horrors occuring around and even through their actions and consent. Most would rather not face their fears, having to admit to this cold, harsh reality and what they can or could do to try and put a stop to it. I hate that you had to be involved, but am glad you were for the sake of those precious lives at your table.
These have been two years of complete reversal of fundamental medical principles. I started to write about my experience and shared it to try and make sense of these disturbing times. Your comments help.
You saw a conflict between individual rights and authoritarian power exertion. It is perplexing how others, intelligent and fickle people alike, could not see this, beleiving what they were told. Many now regret actions, .. fearful about what appears to be lurking inside their cells... millions of tiny particles remaining. What if they had known of this likelhood at the time?
It was surreal that, in the heat of the vaccination campaign, I was studying for my independent prescribing qualification (which I got!). What I was learning in the (virtual) class, from textbooks, and from the reading material, was 100% opposed to the then and current COVID-19 vaccination policies: from how to handle repeat prescription after adverse events, to give thorough consideration before prescribing a "black-triangle" drug (which all COVID-19 vaccines are).
And you know why my essay for the final prescribing exam did not pass at first - the second time I had ever failed an essay in two BSc and two MSc :-( : I had not criticised enough government guidance!
You could not get more dissonant principles than government COVID-19 pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical policies as opposed to best clinical practice.
Thank you MN, yours is a good point, which I did ponder at the time.
As a healthcare professional, my vaccination status should not matter to vaccinees. My harm/benefit profile is different from, say, that of a 25-year-old fit athlete. As a result, my vaccination status might misguide someone's choice one way or the other.
I made the point of not disclosing my vaccination status, not even to my employer, as I felt I had the right to keep it confidential. I did and do not approve of discrimination based on vaccination. Of course, an employer would then have to assume that the person deciding not to disclose vaccination status is not vaccinated.
Interestingly, at the beginning of this year, the UK government allowed NHS employers to look in to private medical records of their employees, bypassing everyone's right to the pre-tyrannical option of "Prefer not to say".
I do not intend to go back to vaccinate. At the time, I felt that people should have a choice of being vaccinated or not. But, with the level of evidence that I have now collected and analysed, I would just refuse to inject the person beside me. A manager would dismiss me pretty quickly.
Kudos - I suspect you were 100 times more successful at making people see that they should not be getting the shot sitting there "holding the syringe" and telling them the truth than the same words and facts from you or anyone else would have been in other circumstances. I have no doubt there are people you have saved from severe reactions or death. And yet, to have to inject those who would not listen How difficult and disturbing.
When they asked me to leave, I did not resist it. So, perhaps, it was getting difficult. They were, and I am sure still are, trialling emotional times for healthcare professionals with scruples and with the time to do their own research.
Thank you for your honesty. A great article. No doubt there are many vaccinators who must question themselves in their quietest moments.
I personally would find it impossible to come to terms with seeing the devastation it has since caused and the continuing harms that will likely occur as times goes by. You did your best, you tried hard. You learned so much from it.
You're a good man. Never forget that...
I echo Ice Queen, "Thank you."
Thank you for living out your conscience and ethics. It must have been an extremely grueling experience for you. But, you gave individuals an actual chance to make an informed choice at the most critical crossroads within this Covid nightmare. Your bravery on this ugly battlefield surely made a significant impact.
So many simply comply, numbing themselves to the horrors occuring around and even through their actions and consent. Most would rather not face their fears, having to admit to this cold, harsh reality and what they can or could do to try and put a stop to it. I hate that you had to be involved, but am glad you were for the sake of those precious lives at your table.
Thank you for your comments, Ed.
These have been two years of complete reversal of fundamental medical principles. I started to write about my experience and shared it to try and make sense of these disturbing times. Your comments help.
Thank you
Thank you, Ice Queen.
You saw a conflict between individual rights and authoritarian power exertion. It is perplexing how others, intelligent and fickle people alike, could not see this, beleiving what they were told. Many now regret actions, .. fearful about what appears to be lurking inside their cells... millions of tiny particles remaining. What if they had known of this likelhood at the time?
Thank you Hobson.
It was surreal that, in the heat of the vaccination campaign, I was studying for my independent prescribing qualification (which I got!). What I was learning in the (virtual) class, from textbooks, and from the reading material, was 100% opposed to the then and current COVID-19 vaccination policies: from how to handle repeat prescription after adverse events, to give thorough consideration before prescribing a "black-triangle" drug (which all COVID-19 vaccines are).
And you know why my essay for the final prescribing exam did not pass at first - the second time I had ever failed an essay in two BSc and two MSc :-( : I had not criticised enough government guidance!
You could not get more dissonant principles than government COVID-19 pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical policies as opposed to best clinical practice.
Thank you for trying...
I wonder if you could have persuaded more folks to hold off, if they knew that you were unvaccinated.
Thank you MN, yours is a good point, which I did ponder at the time.
As a healthcare professional, my vaccination status should not matter to vaccinees. My harm/benefit profile is different from, say, that of a 25-year-old fit athlete. As a result, my vaccination status might misguide someone's choice one way or the other.
I made the point of not disclosing my vaccination status, not even to my employer, as I felt I had the right to keep it confidential. I did and do not approve of discrimination based on vaccination. Of course, an employer would then have to assume that the person deciding not to disclose vaccination status is not vaccinated.
Interestingly, at the beginning of this year, the UK government allowed NHS employers to look in to private medical records of their employees, bypassing everyone's right to the pre-tyrannical option of "Prefer not to say".
I do not intend to go back to vaccinate. At the time, I felt that people should have a choice of being vaccinated or not. But, with the level of evidence that I have now collected and analysed, I would just refuse to inject the person beside me. A manager would dismiss me pretty quickly.
Kudos - I suspect you were 100 times more successful at making people see that they should not be getting the shot sitting there "holding the syringe" and telling them the truth than the same words and facts from you or anyone else would have been in other circumstances. I have no doubt there are people you have saved from severe reactions or death. And yet, to have to inject those who would not listen How difficult and disturbing.
Thank you Iain.
When they asked me to leave, I did not resist it. So, perhaps, it was getting difficult. They were, and I am sure still are, trialling emotional times for healthcare professionals with scruples and with the time to do their own research.
An interesting and (obviously) heartfelt piece.
I am somewhat surprised that you've not been disappeared yet. Take care when answering the door.
For the records: I am 100% NOT suicidal.
Thank you for your honesty. A great article. No doubt there are many vaccinators who must question themselves in their quietest moments.
I personally would find it impossible to come to terms with seeing the devastation it has since caused and the continuing harms that will likely occur as times goes by. You did your best, you tried hard. You learned so much from it.
Thank you You_havetolaugh (and who doesn't!)
You are right; I have learned so much from it. And still am.
Thank you so much for sharing your insiders perspective - very valuable for making "sense" of what happened.
Thank you Gary,
I am glad that you think it helped you.