Most Comical/Hysterical COVID News Stories of the past few years

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121049928#Comment_121049928

Anger is the defining characteristic of anti-vaxxers.

It has very little to do with vaccines, science or medicine.

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051365#Comment_121051365

I am angry that I allowed myself be coerced into taking this particular vaccine, which I was unsure of.

Does that make me anti-vax? Or is anyone who had any misgivings about efficacy or potential risks that may be associated with a new vaccine an "anti-vaxxer"?

But sure, call me what you want.

Your statement is a little silly though. Whatever you think about the science, the anger from "anti-vaxxers" is more than a little to do with vaccines.

(the clue is in the name)

astrofool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051427#Comment_121051427

Anger at getting a vaccine is not a normal response from a person, you may want to look a bit more introspectively if such things are actually making you angry (providing you're not putting on a show like a lot of anti-vaxxers are doing).

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121050558#Comment_121050558

Because I don't think that I needed it.

When the whole thing kicked off, I was as scared as anyone else. We were shown people dropping dead in the street in China etc. Then we were bombarded with figures and statistics that all looked horrific.

Since then I have heard that we were given figures that were people who died "with" covid and not "from" covid which changes the dynamic in my perception of the whole thing. While I am certainly not in the tinfoil hat brigade, I have a healthy skeptisism about accepting what we have been told as fact.

I'm not claiming to know more than anyone, but from the little I do know, I wasn't in a risk category and even with my vaccine, I contracted the virus 4 times, the same as another person who I know who was unvaccinated. Both of us were affected by almost the identical severity of illness.

If people are willing to be vaccinated and want to be vaccinated, I am all for that. I am just disappointed in myself that I went along with taking a vaccine that I was unsure of, just to be allowed go about my life with some semblance of normality.

This is just my opinion.

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051486#Comment_121051486

Anger may be too strong a word. Annoyed and disappointed perhaps.

ceadaoin.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121050558#Comment_121050558

Maybe because they didn't need it?If you're not elderly and don't have any underlying conditions, then you already have a 99%+ chance of not dying and a low chance of hospitalisation (not sure of the exact figures for that). Why are you so angry that some people decided not to take it, or were hesitant and coerced anyway? Are you normally in favour of forced medications or just this one vaccine?

You took it and loved it. Good for you. Other people might feel differently about something..is that such a shock to you?

Sconsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051427#Comment_121051427

Why were you 'unsure' of it? Were you unsure of the efficacy? the safety? both?

The regulators in Ireland, the EU and the WHO all approved the safety and efficay of the vaccines. Do you have some inside information that they were not aware of? Do you second-guess/check up on all medicines/vaccines you take? Or was it just this one because of the noise that was out there by the luddites.

I am speculating here, but I think the reason you were unsure was because of all the anti-vax hype that was out there, not based on any scientific foundation. The anti-vax brigade made enough noise to get into peoples heads about this particular disease and vaccination. They have been trying the same shite for years with the measles vaccine. Personally I let the science decide, and the qualified regulators, not the morons who shout loudest on social media.

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051519#Comment_121051519

I don't think I was persuaded by the "luddites" any more than I was persuaded by "Holohans".

Actually, the fact that I got the vaccine (against my perceived better judgment) shows that.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051494#Comment_121051494

Think of the vaccine as an insurance policy. I've paid out thousands on insurance policies over the years and never claimed e.g. on house insurance.

It was stressed from early days most cases would be mild. But you don't know how covid will hit you.

It was never just about the people who actually died from covid, it was the numbers game of how many people it would send to hospital and ICU. Vaccines were about minimizing the load and improving your odds that you wouldn't end up there. They didn't just improve your odds but the odds of you passing it on.

Chances are when you got vaccinated it was the Delta strain. Later the virus changed to less severe Omicron, but it could have gone otherwise.

Who showed you pictures of people dropping dead on the street in China and said it was from covid?

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051494#Comment_121051494

Since then I have heard that we were given figures that were people who died "with" covid and not "from" covid which changes the dynamic in my perception of the whole thing. 

This is a lie that has been repeated over and over again. People are only reported as dying "from" Covid if it's listed as a cause of death.

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051827#Comment_121051827

Are you saying that it is categorically false that people who happended to have covid but died due to other illness/injuries were not counted as covid deaths?

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051845#Comment_121051845

• The Central Statistics Office (CSO) adhere to the World Health Organisation (WHO) ICD-10 International Classification of diseases 10th revision classification and selection rules and therefore the Mortality Coders in the CSO assign an Underlying Cause of Death (UCOD) to each death record using these WHO selection rules. COVID-19 is classified by the WHO when:

1.      confirmed by laboratory testing irrespective of severity of clinical signs or symptoms.
2.      diagnosed clinically or epidemiologically but laboratory testing is inconclusive or not available.

• In accordance with these WHO rules, the selection of COVID-19 as the UCOD is dependent on where COVID-19 is placed in the hierarchy of a death certificate by the certifier. WHO selection rules are applied to the causal sequence and the UCOD is selected and tabulated by the CSO. Certifiers should report the underlying or originating cause on the lowest used line on the death certificate and a sequence of events leads from the underlying cause up to the immediate (direct) cause in the first line, 1(a). Not all conditions present at the time of death have to be reported—only those conditions that actually contributed to death.
• Persons with COVID-19 may die of other diseases or accidents, such cases are not deaths due to COVID-19 and the WHO has recommended they should not be certified as such. For example, when classifying COVID-19 there should be no period of complete recovery between the illness and death. Persons with COVID-19 may die due to other conditions such as myocardial infarction but COVID-19 would not be a significant condition contributing to death if reported in Part 2 of the death certificate. Again, such cases are coded using WHO selection rules and are not deaths due to COVID-19.
• Under the law in Ireland any COVID-19 related death must be reported by or on behalf of the treating doctor to the Coroner, usually on the date of death or as soon as practicable. As COVID-19 is classified as a natural cause of death an inquest is not required to be held. 
• A COVID-19 death is defined, for surveillance purposes, as a death resulting from a clinically compatible illness in a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID-19 (e.g. trauma).

I do see that but I am not confident that this is the case.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051866#Comment_121051866

Are you confident that there aren't signiciant numbers of deaths in India, China, Russia and elsewhere that weren't classed as covid because there was no positive test? That it was put down to something that it can secondarily trigger such as pneumonia or heart failure?

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051845#Comment_121051845

It is categorically and maliciously false. If you get hit by a car while Covid positive, you are not counted as a Covid death.

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051877#Comment_121051877

And if an older person who had covid, who was seriously ill but happened to contract covid which made them a little bit more ill, died, would that be a covid death?

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051875#Comment_121051875

Not confident at all.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051894#Comment_121051894

You quoted the exact rule above

Persons with COVID-19 may die due to other conditions such as myocardial infarction but COVID-19 would not be a significant condition contributing to death if reported in Part 2 of the death certificate. Again, such cases are coded using WHO selection rules and are not deaths due to COVID-19.

Dohnjoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051507#Comment_121051507

You took it and loved it.

Ridiculous thing to suggest. It's medical treatment, no one "loves" injections.

In terms of vaccine protection, it's to do with risk. Indeed, with Covid, younger people are at relatively much less risk than e.g. older or at risk people. There's an argument to be made that younger kids may not need to get the vaccines at all.

However, vaccines decrease the risk. Keyword: decrease. So if you have e.g. a 0.1% chance of dying from Covid at X age, the vaccine further reduces that risk.

You are very likely going to catch Covid. Do you want a decreased risk of hospitalization/death? It's a no brainer.

The response you may come back with is "but vaccines have risks". Indeed they do, but they are absolutely miniscule in comparison to the above risk.

Other people might feel differently about something..is that such a shock to you?

It's nothing to do with "feeling". If you don't want to receive the Covid jab? Okay. That's their risk. However during a pandemic, with ICU's filling to capacity with patients, they didn't need extra unvaccinated people taking critical beds and staff.

Post pandemic, maybe you have some medical condition regarding vaccines, and in that case it's fine to refuse. Maybe you are deathly terrified of needles and are okay with the risk. Okay.

The problem is the anti-vax quackery, and validating a refusal of vaccine due to that.

There are anti-vaxxers and those who support them that directly and indirectly encourage other people, including older people, your parents, your grandparents, not to take the vaccines. Look at the numbers of unvaccinated people who died from Covid. How many of them were persuaded by anti-vax quackery and nonsense on social media? of the variety we've seen in this thread? (of the type you've just thanked) And then died as a result.

That's horrendous, to convince people not to take medical treatment because of nonsense and for people to die.

That's why people are sick of this stuff, sick of anti-vaxxers and sick of those who orbit them perpetually.

Dohnjoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051494#Comment_121051494

Okay, but why are you "unsure" of the vaccine?

The vaccine reduces the risk of you being hospitalized/dying of Covid, at pretty much any age. Which is a no-brainer for most people.

There's a little bit "we were told" jist from the post, which can be somewhat of a red flag. Information about the pandemic and Covid came in and countless scientists/experts/professionals analysed it. We came up with facts, we came up with probabilities, we came up with potentials and so on. Unfortunately we didn't have a crystal ball. For example, early trials of the vaccine showed excellent results in terms of reducing deaths but also transmission. That in itself naturally bred widespread hope and optimism that the vaccines could pretty much "stop" Covid. Like the Smallpox vaccine stopped that virus (SP didn't mutate). As time passed, Covid mutated (like seasonal flu). As a result, the vaccines had varying effectiveness against mutations of Covid. That's just one example of how the pandemic was a learning and adapting process.

Unfortunately some people see a mistake or isolated misjudgement as a reason to systematically "distrust" the authorities on Covid, or distrust the vaccines or whatever.

If you don't want to take the vaccine, okay, but there's no reason to be "unsure" of them.

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052073#Comment_121052073

I think there is a very real reason to distrust the authorities on Covid and that is because they didn't follow the rules that they implemented. That is somewhat of a red flag to me.

Dohnjoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052102#Comment_121052102

Okay but I don't understand the connection between a few politicians having parties and you being "unsure" about the vaccine?

Loads of people broke lockdown rules, including (hypocritically) politicians and officials. I don't see any link between that and the vaccine development.

ceadaoin.

And there are people who were convinced to take a COVID vaccine who had a severe reaction or even died. A decision to take a medication that may cause side effects should be on the person taking it, and not coerced or pressured from the government or anyone else. Same goes for the other side, if someone wants to take it then they shouldn't be shamed either. Most people who were unsure or didn't take it weren't crazed right wing anti vaxxers and trying to label them as such is ridiculous

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051987#Comment_121051987

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052126#Comment_121052126

Because I didn't believe the authorities about the severity of covid. I also didn't feel that I needed the vaccine. Those two reasons alone are enough to make me unsure as to whether I should take it.

I know I always had MS in mild-moderate relapsing form since my 20s, but only in past 6 months was it diagnosed as it made its pretty inevitable progression, untreated as it was. However, Siri g the diagnostic work-up I was asked about timing of Covid vaccines, which had nothing to do with MS, but neurologist was trying to eliminate the possibility of

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11481-023-10058-x

which she told me, although still rare, had increased in incidence since Covid vaccines. Not sure though could it also be provoked in some cases by the virus itself.

Dohnjoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052147#Comment_121052147

Which authorities?

You don't believe the Danish authorities? the Canadian authorities? the Japanese authorities? The vaccine regulators? On what exactly? There were a million issues related to Covid, involving governments all over the world, involving their opposition parties, groups of scientists, bodies of experts.

They aren't some big homogenous blob.

Unless of course you just mean the Irish authorities, okay, but again, that was a diverse group, including opposition - we didn't do things dramatically different from other governments around the world.

Which is why that statement doesn't make sense.

I also didn't feel that I needed the vaccine

I don't feel like wearing a seatbelt, but it reduces the risk I die in a car crash. I didn't feel like getting the vaccine, but it reduces the chance I die from Covid.

Feeling doesn't have much to do with it, but okay.

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052166#Comment_121052166

Thats ok.

I only contributed because there was someone who said that some people they knew were angry that they were coerced into taking the vaccine and I wanted to add that I was one of those people.

I did so not for medical reasons, but for work/social life. I feel annoyed at myself for doing so.

I am not a rabid anti-vaxxer by any stretch.

Dohnjoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052135#Comment_121052135

Vaccines are not 1000% safe. Unfortunately some people have experienced serious adverse reactions, there are even a few cases of death. However, these are very rare. There are tiny numbers compared to the number of unvaccinated people who've died from Covid

Seatbelts are not 1000% safe, unfortunately some people have died as a result of having the seatbelt, there are rare compared to the number of people who have died without the seatbelt.

Seatbelts are law. Vaccines aren't. It was just encouraged during the pandemic for obvious reasons aka to stop people dying.

Most people who were unsure or didn't take it weren't crazed right wing anti vaxxers and trying to label them as such is ridiculous

I see you. Thanking posts by anti-vaxxers. If you can't tell the difference between quackery and medical science, that's on you.

ceadaoin.

I didn't take the opioids I was prescribed after my wisdom tooth removal, nor did I have an epidural when I was in labor. I'm clearly also an anti pain killer quack who doesn't listen to medical science! Or maybe I'm just a person who is cautious re medications and prefers to make my own decisions about taking things that I don't feel are necessary for me.

God knows pharma companies have a lot to answer for when it comes to intentionally harming people and pushing dangerous products. This did t used to be a controversial opinion. Luckily I wasn't ostracized from society for not taking painkillers

Incidentally, my child has received all her standard vaccinations, and even more due to living in 3 different countries with varying vaccine schedules. Not an anti vaxxer

Dohnjoe

People don't take a few meds or painkillers? Not an issue.

People don't take vaccines during a global pandemic? a) they put an already stressed to the max national health system under more pressure by jamming up ICUs and taking beds and b) they increase the spread of Covid (vaccines, depending on variant, decrease spread of Covid by reducing the period/intensity of infectiousness)

Kind of a problem.

Claiming to be a victim ostracized from society for not "feeling like" getting vaccinated or "not feeling" wearing a mask pandemic during the global pandemic is a bit weak to the say least.

Spudman_20000

Ye might want to come up with some other slur other than "anti-vaxxer" considering, ya know, booster uptake has absolutely cratered (even among heathcare workers) in the last 9 months to the extent millions of Euro of unwanted vaccines are being flushed down the sink.

Was always a ridiculous label. You either took the jabs or you were an anti-whatever, no in-between in some people's minds. Nevermind many took it only so they could go on their jollies or go pubs and restaurants and then pretended like they were saving humanity.

Anyway, how could there be any anti-vaxxers posting on this thread? Thought they were all supposed to be dead by now, no?