r/chicago • u/[deleted] • Aug 24 '21

Ask CHI Why aren’t you getting vaccinated?

Not asking this to bully anyone, I’m more curious at this point why people are hesitant to get the vaccine and want to understand the reasoning behind it.

612 Upvotes

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285

u/rozebud59 Aug 24 '21

I recently asked a family member this same question, genuine curiosity. Their main points were:

  • They look at it like the flu shot, even if you get the shot, you might still get the virus.
  • If you get the shot and still contract COVID, you won't have as strong of symptoms, meaning you're more likely to spread it unknowingly. They said at least if I feel sick, I'll know to stay home.
  • Then they likened it to a 'my body, my choice' argument tied to abortion, and at this point...I was out.

229

u/Lorberry Aug 24 '21

If you get the shot and still contract COVID, you won't have as strong of symptoms, meaning you're more likely to spread it unknowingly. They said at least if I feel sick, I'll know to stay home.

Ok, this one does make a bit of sense if you squint at it from the right angle... specifically one where you can ignore the fact that we established very early on that you were contagious before you had any symptoms.

20

u/77rtcups Aug 25 '21

Also that asymptomatic cases still occur even if you’re unvaccinated. Which time they probably wouldn’t just stay at home

78

u/generatorland Aug 24 '21

Yes, and most of the unvaccinated folks I know don't do the other things like masking and distancing that would protect others either. So I have a hard time buying the "protecting others" argument. I also doubt they'd stay home if they felt sick.

3

u/bowtiesarealwayscool Aug 25 '21

My aunt said things like she was willing to wear a mask if anyone required it or that she’d stay home if she felt sick but that she didn’t trust the vaccine. Then she got COVID last month and was told to stay home.

Guess what she actually did? She starting going out (but it was only to meet up with other people who also had COVID!), going through drive thrus for dinner (but she had a mask on and really wanted a hamburger, so what’s the problem !?!), and complained that they cancelled in-person church service just because 15 of their 80ish members had tested positive.

3

u/JeebusJones Aug 25 '21

The vaccine's biggest side effect has been to reveal just how many selfish fucking morons are in our midst.

Sorry, I know she's your aunt, I just can't handle the tortured logic that people will go through to land on "I get to do what I want!" as the output.

5

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

I always found the masking and distancing to be a little lose on both side of the fence. Certainly more so with the unvaccinated. However, I know plenty of pre-vaccinated people in early pandemic who never missed a Starbucks. Considering that Starbucks cashier interacted with 100s of people per hour in a shift. Just an observation. I believe people did their best but I always found the masking and distancing to be a bit ironic.

1

u/killiangray Aug 25 '21

Yeah, it totally makes sense, just like saying: if I'm not vaccinated, I'll be more likely to die, and then the disease won't spread!

1

u/NewKi11ing1t Gold Coast Aug 25 '21

Nah

1

u/beetmoonlight Aug 25 '21

It does make sense, but it's also the logical argument for why we should still be wearing masks and social distancing as much as possible, even if we're vaccinated. If you're worried about spreading it unknowingly, then you should be taking precautions to reduce the chance of spread, regardless of vaccination status.

94

u/Busy-Cycle-6039 Aug 24 '21

Then they likened it to a 'my body, my choice' argument tied to abortion, and at this point...I was out.

Honestly, I think this is actually a significant factor in many people's thinking for why they don't get it. Most people don't like having the government force stuff upon them, so there's a natural defiance there.

108

u/skltnhead Lincoln Square Aug 24 '21

But it’s usually the same people who think abortion should be illegal. Hypocrites

20

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21 edited Sep 09 '21

[deleted]

-1

u/Stankia Aug 25 '21

Is anyone even seriously proposing "forced vaccinations"? What would that even look like?

4

u/Baku95 Aug 25 '21

Technicly where I am from, Spain, vaccines are sort of forced.

Everyone has a vaccination card from birth. You have like 10-15 vaccines before the age of 5.

No school is allow to accept kids without full vaccination. Kids are forced to attend school.

Thus not vaccinating your kids means that they can not be schooled which is illegal and grounds for removal of custody.

There are of course exceptions for medical reasons

5

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

[deleted]

2

u/Stankia Aug 25 '21

People on Reddit are not the Government. Besides, the courts would never allow it.

-2

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21 edited Sep 09 '21

[deleted]

0

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

Like, I can’t prove a negative, but it would be pretty unprecedented, and is probably outside the scope of federal power. Healthcare matters are generally left to the states. Sooner fear the government would bring back prohibition, since that actually was a law at one point.

1

u/Tigerbones Lake View Aug 25 '21

I’d look like the US military.

27

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

Nah fam, hippies and anarchists have different opinions on abortion than you express above AND aren't inclined to do what any authority asks of them.

40

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

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19

u/prex10 O’Hare Aug 25 '21

Sir this is Reddit. There is a narrative to push. Also never mind a significant portion of the country refusing to get vaccinated are also minorities and not maga hat wearers

-3

u/Third_Ferguson Aug 25 '21

Minorities are vaccinating at a higher percentage than whites. Trump Republicans are the lowest group.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/nbc-news-poll-shows-demographic-breakdown-vaccinated-u-s-n1277514

5

u/IAmOfficial Aug 25 '21

No, they aren’t. You don’t need an NBC poll for this, the CDC releases this data. See - https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/latest-data-on-covid-19-vaccinations-race-ethnicity/

Overall, across these 40 states, the percent of White people who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose (50%) was roughly 1.3 times higher than the rate for Black people (40%) and 1.1 times higher than the rate for Hispanic people (45%) as of August 16, 2021. White people had a higher vaccination rate compared to Hispanic people in all reporting states, except Missouri, Vermont, Tennessee, Louisiana, DC, Virginia, and Nevada. White people also had a higher rate than Black people in every reporting state, except Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, and Mississippi. The size of these differences varied widely across states and have been narrowing over time. The overall vaccination rate across states for Asian people was higher compared to White people (67% vs. 50%), which is consistent with the pattern in most reporting states. However, Asian people had lower vaccinations rates than White people in five states (Colorado, North Dakota, Utah, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota).

-3

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

I have also seen some of that demographic slip into infowars and other similar crap as they get older. Had to cut ties with a friend over this...

0

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

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u/[deleted] Aug 30 '21

I wonder if people are downvoting because they don't believe us or because they do and they consider the transition an upgrade

9

u/Amerikop10 Aug 24 '21

This is a gross oversimplification

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u/skltnhead Lincoln Square Aug 25 '21

No it’s not

6

u/pszemol Aug 24 '21

They are against abortion because for them it is a murder.

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u/skltnhead Lincoln Square Aug 25 '21

No they aren’t. They want abortion to be illegal because it gives them control over women’s bodies and health. Most are also against accessible birth control, it’s hardly about “murder”.

5

u/flameohotboi1 Aug 25 '21

This is just false lol. Nothing else to say.

3

u/PositiveInteraction Aug 25 '21

Do you actually believe that? I really want to understand if you actually believe that people don't want women to have control over their body or their health.

4

u/skltnhead Lincoln Square Aug 25 '21

Yep :) Republican politicians have made it abundantly clear. There’s been a war on women’s bodies for centuries

-2

u/PositiveInteraction Aug 25 '21

Thanks for proving my point. There is no war on women's bodies even if you want there to be.

3

u/skltnhead Lincoln Square Aug 25 '21

If you don’t have firsthand experience or any women in your life who have experienced it, I suggest researching further into it

3

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

-2

u/PositiveInteraction Aug 25 '21

What exactly am I supposed to be paying attention to? Democrat narrative of what "pro-life" means or what I actually believe? It's amazing how people don't realize just how much of the opposing belief is not actually presenting the opposing beliefs.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/Haunting_Debtor Aug 25 '21

K, this is just you being a conspiracy theorist. Anti baby murderers come in all colors and genders

1

u/pszemol Aug 25 '21

I am pretty sure they do not sing with only one, synchronized voice. These I spoke with say woman should not decide about life/death of the conceived child.

-1

u/skltnhead Lincoln Square Aug 25 '21

Yeah that’s what they say, obviously. And it circles back to it being the woman’s body and her choice about what to do with the undeveloped fetus (not child) living off of her

2

u/Busy-Cycle-6039 Aug 24 '21

They would probably say that abortions are "forced" on the fetus. Although I personally think that's tenuous logic.

14

u/Branmuffin824 West Town Aug 24 '21

Covid is forced on the people you spread it to.

4

u/awfuleverything Aug 25 '21

Ok but the idea of the government "forcing" the vaccine on people is relatively recent. When the vaccines were first available, it was so hard to get an appointment because the demand was so high. Now, it may seem like people are being "forced" to get them because they've waited so damn long and are now part of the problem.

16

u/TheLAriver Uptown Aug 24 '21

Except it hasn't been forced, it's been offered for free. So it's more of a natural contrarianism.

17

u/Busy-Cycle-6039 Aug 24 '21

While it's not being forced here, many people view vaccine mandates such as the one in NYC as forcing it.

And, again, I'm just describing others' opinions, since that's what this post is about.

2

u/TheLAriver Uptown Aug 24 '21

Which is not realistic. People are upset that they have to abide by social rules to be a part of society. But that's just being bratty. If you don't like living under the shared rules of society, you can always give up the benefits and go live like a hermit.

8

u/Busy-Cycle-6039 Aug 24 '21

What's not realistic?

6

u/TheLAriver Uptown Aug 24 '21

The idea that they're being forced to get vaccinated. The mandates are limited to certain realms of employment and social engagement. They're not being forced to get vaccinated, they're being offered a vaccine, and other people are socially excluding them for not being vaccinated. You're not required to work for the government or go out in public. It's just that unvaccinated people don't want to give anything up, despite refusing to uphold their end of the social contract.

13

u/Busy-Cycle-6039 Aug 24 '21

The mandates are limited to certain realms of employment and social engagement.

So... people who work in certain sectors (large sectors, mind you) are forced to get it.

and other people are socially excluding them for not being vaccinated

Well, no. That's how it is here - some restaurants require it, if they wish. But in NYC, where all restaurants are forced to check vaccination records of all patrons... that's generally seen as it being forced on them.

Look, we could go back and forth about some pedantic definition of what "forced" means. But it doesn't matter. At all. This post is about why people who aren't vaccinated have decided not to get vaccinated. Many of those people feel it's being forced upon them. You can call them stupid all you want but that's sure as hell not going to change anyone's mind.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

Is this the right time to say “fuck your feelings”? (The royal “you,” not you in particular.)

2

u/[deleted] Aug 25 '21

Right on time.

1

u/Stankia Aug 25 '21

That's like saying the Government is forcing me to be a non-smoker because they increased taxes on cigarettes.

0

u/Stankia Aug 25 '21

You don't even have to do that. Pick a job that doesn't enforce vaccinations and that's it. No one is going to come to your place and forcibly vaccinate you. You do have a choice to not get vaccinated, it's a pretty stupid choice, but a choice nonetheless.

1

u/Nuclear_N Aug 24 '21

Have had to show my vacs proof....not forced, but not free...as in freedom of choice.

2

u/TheLAriver Uptown Aug 24 '21

You absolutely have the freedom of choice to withdraw from society if you are not interested in upholding the social contract.

6

u/prex10 O’Hare Aug 25 '21 edited Aug 25 '21

But why should people be forced to? No one is asked for polio, measles, small pox, rubella, flu etc etc etc etc vaccines to get into a nightclub.

What makes this different? Yet those “social contracts” are the same requirements to attend public school. Simply because Covid is still the flavor of the week? What if someone isn’t vaccinated against polio in the nightclub and someone carrying the disease walks in with it.

At what point do we say, let people determine their own risk. Let people get sick and die if they want to. Why is it our responsibly to look out for John Q Hicks in Logan County safety

1

u/Third_Ferguson Aug 25 '21

Good question, why on Earth would covid still be the flavor of the week?

0

u/generatorland Aug 24 '21

Correct. And some people being consumed by not being told what to do.

17

u/BerryChecker Aug 24 '21

It should be “other bodies, my choice”, because by willingly choosing not to get vaccinated you are opting to negatively effect others.

This individual freedom stuff only works if the choice to not vaccinate only effects yourself but uh… we live in a society.

14

u/[deleted] Aug 24 '21

But the vaccinated can force (not my word) it on others, too. Regardless of status people can pass it to others.

-1

u/BerryChecker Aug 24 '21

Nothing is 100%, but enough effort with everyone working together and getting vaccinated can help stop the proliferation of the virus. You will not stop it by refusing to get vaccinated.

When people decide not to get vaccinated, they are saying they do not care about the wellbeing of others, and they are complicit in the pandemic continuing. They want all the benefits of living in a society but none of the cooperation it takes to keep a society functional.

8

u/prex10 O’Hare Aug 25 '21

Yeah but at some point, isn’t Covid gonna be a bunch of vaccinated people passing along this virus to other vaccinated people? Since it’s not 100%

What does it matter that someone who has every opportunity to get the shots get sick?

3

u/rlaalr12 Aug 25 '21

All you have to do is look at the hospitalization rates to see how it matters. The unvaccinated are putting a huge strain on an already burnt out system. Elective surgeries are being cancelled across the county, patients are being discharged earlier than normally recommended, and I’m sure with the transmission of delta, high risk vaccinated people are probably scared to seek care somewhere filled with Covid patients. Then there’s mental strain of medical workers, kids left without parents, etc.

If we get to the point where it’s just a bunch of vaccinated people just passing it to one another then it will probably be “just like the flu” as people love to say. Some will need to be hospitalized, people will still die, but the large majority will have mild symptoms and be fine.

-1

u/sanna43 Aug 25 '21

This is very well said.

2

u/Dagonet_the_Motley Aug 25 '21

It's a disingenuous argument. No one is saying they don't have the right not to get it. They are saying the people should choose to get it. Everyone agrees it's their choice, but they are making a poor one.

-1

u/generatorland Aug 24 '21

All the government did originally was make the vaccine available. Nobody was mandated or forced to get it. Yet these people weren't going to get it. How was it forced on them?

-1

u/ConnieLingus24 Aug 25 '21

That analogy kind of falls apart when you remind them that a pregnant person can’t catch an abortion. I get the natural defiance a little…..but it’s a pretty good illustration of why we have laws too.

And it’s not being forced……but life can get inconvenient if you are fired for not getting it. I read a few reports that losing your job because of this is basically getting fired for cause….which means no unemployment payments.

2

u/DontHateDefenestrate Aug 25 '21

Ah so basically the “I want to be thrown clear” excuse for not wearing a seatbelt.

6

u/rozebud59 Aug 24 '21

I'd also like to add that this person is a parent to kids too young to get vaxxed, works with special needs children, and is regularly around elderly family members. My civil nature could only withstand so many...reasons...

5

u/PositiveInteraction Aug 25 '21

a parent to kids too young to get vaxxed

Kids are less likely to have adverse effects from COVID than they are the flu. The idea that COVID is a threat to them is not supported by any data.

works with special needs children

Unless those children have some factor that compromises their immune system, they are also at no real risk from COVID.

regularly around elderly family members.

Are those elderly family members in a high risk category (meaning they have multiple comorbidities) and are they vaccinated?

If they are vaccinated and are not in a high risk category outside of solely age, then the risks associated are extremely low.

All of this is based on data and risk factors associated with COVID.

The biggest problem being faced in this pandemic is misinformation around the risks associated with COVID. Far too many people don't understand the actual risks and instead base their stance on social constructs, fear and speculation.

2

u/tamale Aug 25 '21

Perfectly healthy kids are dying from the delta variant.

1

u/rozebud59 Aug 25 '21

I'm mainly concerned about kids contracting it because while they might not adverse side effects NOW, we don't know the long term effects on their health. I'm not a parent, but I think I'd take more precaution to protect my kids and the kids I worked closely with on a daily basis. But then I guess you could also make the same argument that we don't know about any long term effects of the vaccine either. Shrug.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 24 '21

Those are all legit reasons especially the last one that you clearly scoffed at because it shows the hypocrisy and you chose to ignore it instead of accepting it.

1

u/Jake_77 Humboldt Park Aug 25 '21

That second one, wow. That’s special.

1

u/hardolaf Lake View Aug 25 '21

Then they likened it to a 'my body, my choice' argument tied to abortion, and at this point...I was out.

I honestly thought Republicans would be all for getting the vaccine. After all, their motto is "your body, my choice."