That's crazy, I didn't have to get it. I'm currently a federal employee, but I was on the contractor side of my job during covid. We held out when they tried to force it, and they decided they couldn't do the job as well without us. Then they hired several of us as employees.
I lost a job over it, missed a deployment with the national guard, lost out on 6 or more interviews, and almost lost another job.
Proud to say I stuck through it, and I'd be happy to tell them to take their mandates and shove 'em again.
I had just turned 17, had almost failed out of high school, had no employable skills, and I was scared of what I was going to do after high school. Lots of family members served, and after talking with a lot of people I determined it would be a good idea to get some job training and as a plus get the opportunity to serve my country. This was also 2018.
There's also a massive difference between, "here, take these long-standing, well tested vaccines so you don't get a plethora of diseases in training or wherever we send you, and if you have any ill effects from them we will cover your health problems" and, "take this experimental vaccine that has no testing whatsoever or I'll hand you a dishonorable or general discharge and do everything I can to make your life suck while it processes- oh, and if you have any health problems from it, I won't cover a single dime." Yeah, nobody in their right mind would do that. That's stupid.
Edit: Oh yeah, and for your reading pleasure, this was also shortly after we made a crapfest out of the retreat from Afghanistan. Now I don't think we should have been there to begin with, but a friend from basic and 2 guys I knew from my unit had gotten killed over there very recently and that was now for nothing.
I got two shots. I wanted to visit my grandfather who was in a nursing home and I was afraid they would not let me in to see him without the vaccine. I had my card with me during that visit. I'm glad I saw him, he died two months later of renal failure. The penultimate time I saw him was 2019 and I lost a year due to the Dark Times.
Likewise. Oddly, they walked back that position this year, stating, “The flu vaccine is compulsory and the COVID boosters are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED”. Not sure why the policy changed. Probably has something to do with the boosters’ FDA status.
The feds aren't paying for the covid vaccine any longer. It's the same at both hospitals that I work at. They were mandatory up until this year and now "encouraged."
More likely amount of people,leaving the health care field because of staffing issues and pay thus needing a bigger workforce and lessening one of the requirements. It’s why some employers have changed their drug policy in the states that it’s legal.
>“The flu vaccine is compulsory and the COVID boosters are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED”. Not sure why the policy changed. Probably has something to do with the boosters’ FDA status.
Flu affects children a lot more than Covid though, so those shots are different in terms of loss of years of healthy life. So Covid shots are about whether you think that's worth it to protect yourselves and other adults, but with missing flu shots, we could be risking the life of a child, who has no say in the matter.
And at this point everyone's had a chance to have the Covid shots, so it's largely a personal responsibility thing. This is more what it's about that any FDA guidance. The main risk they wanted to avoid was overloading hospitals, because when that happens, people even without Covid start dying because they can't be treated. Literally: if people don't want to take medicine and then die, nobody gives a fuck. What they gave a fuck about is the possibility of everyone getting sick \*at the same time\* and the health system collapsing. That's not gonna happen now, so everyone stopped caring whether you're vaccinated or not. Your life, your decision.
Actually the childhood flu death tell an interesting story. In winter 2019, USA had 199 recorded childhood flu deaths. Winter 2020 - there was only 1 death.
So that really does suggest that whatever people were doing to avoid Covid, it totally helped prevent the spread of flu as well. This is important because otherwise it's almost impossible to ask "what if" questions about an event that only happened one time. Did everyone's actions help slow Covid? We don't directly know, but other respiratory diseases stopped spreading, so that's a clue.
Had to to keep my job.
Company has a couple of government contracts, and the gov required everyone in the company to get it whether you were working on them or not.
We had government contracts at my job, but that’s not why they mandated it. It was essentially the owner’s whim.
The government contracts allowed us to stay open, period. We were an “essential business” I guess. By the statists description.
You know the sad part? I, nor anyone I know has ever been anti vax. I just didn't want to get one that I felt had not been tested enough, and there were reported issues. My wife still hasn't gotten it and I'm thankful for that.
Same, 9 years in the Army so i waited until that mandatory order came down. Same for my wife. She's a aviation contractor they fell under the umbrella of get the vaccine or get the boot.
Both of us have said fuck no to our son getting the vaccine though.
I was in during Anthrax. They got the first dose into me and I got sick as hell. 2 days in infirmary.
I refused the next dose, and there was NO record of my reaction in my file.... I was getting out soon, so they said "you can't re-enlist if you dont keep to the schedule".
Ok, buh-bye.
They "waived" it for me since my EAOS was before the series would be completed. Was 6 or 8 doses, I think.
I didn't get the covid shot, held out long enough for my work to stop requiring it.
Do you know of anyone who left over the vax requirement, and has since come back? I'd heard the low recruitment numbers had lead to trying to claw back some of the vaccine-related attrition.
Coast Guard. A buddy of mine was kicked out for not getting the vaccine. He was out for a few months then got a Civilian job in the CG. I guess there were a group of them that were sueing. He was in the civilian job for about a month. I retired. Last i heard he went back on active duty which is good. He had like 15 or 16 years in. Before i left i told him he should get back in, do his 4 or so years and then retire.
I got it because I am a therapist at a agency, and my mom had pre-existing conditions thanks to breast cancer.
While I disliked that people were mandated to take the vaccine because I am a firm believer in "my body, my choice", I took the vaccine out of care for my.mother and clients who had some severe pre-existing conditions.
> my body, my choice
Funny how quickly that catch phrase dried up when the accusations of killing grandmas and swamping hospitals came out. But then again, most people who parrot sound bytes aren't exactly equipped for nuanced discussion, or their comprehension of double-standards.
It also sounds like a bad way to clog an exit and cause a fire hazard. But nothing about NYC's draconian response to COVID-19 had anything to do with safety in the first place.
I got the vax because I wanted to get the vax and felt it was safe.
That being said I am extremely unhappy with my company because they required that I scanned my personal medical records and provided it to them as proof that I was vaccinated. And when I expressed how inappropriate that was to my immediate manager, I was told that either I provide my personal medical information or I would be fired.
I worked in hospitals at the time doing electrical work, subcontractors had to get it or I couldn't work in the hospital and everyone not working in the hospital was laid off, had to feed my family.
I was fired from my job of three years for refusing to get it. Working fully remote as a developer in my own home, HAD to get it because the company had government contracts that stipulated all contractors employees must be vaxxed.
I had a couple of people sheepishly ping me in Slack to tell me they thought what the company was doing was wrong but I was the sole individual who didn't comply.and this was after I had just spent a couple of months completely reworking some core business tools and systems because I was invested and gave a damn about the quality of life and work there. Fuck me.
The part that really buttered my biscuits was that they made a "happy going away we'll miss you <\3" slideshow like I had just gotten accepted for a better job and was leaving on good terms.
How have things been since? Any silver linings?
I held the line, was willing to be fired, filed a religious exemption (never got a response from HR). I'm still working for the same company.
Wait so once you tried the religious exemption they dropped it? Or are you still waiting for the other shoe to drop?
Silver lining for me has been that I got away from a marketing agency that fundamentally didn't give a shit about their employees, especially the web dev team of which I was the most tenured. They had an attitude of "if you don't like it just leave and we'll replace you with the cheapest hire we can before your desk gets cold". I was planning on quitting anyways but wanted it to be when I had found a better job. It ended up pushing me to finally try freelancing and it's been an adventure so far. Overall glad but it really hurt me that they'd treat me like that since I was one of the few people who really went above and beyond to try and make things better.
Not a whole lot to tell as of yet. I'm good at my actual work and know how to deal with clients, but the admin/taxes/networking makes my brain freeze up. It's been hard for me to make new connections and find good clients and I goofed myself up on my income taxes, which I'm remedying for the next few months. I got the closest I've ever been to straight up making a grassroots campaign for people who are able (read: small biz owners and freelancers) to do a mass tax protest. God knows there's enough reason. But I'm not in a place quite yet where I've got the resources to hold out for an extended period without a large support network.
Biggest takeaways from starting to freelance has been gaining confidence in setting prices that actually work for me and are profitable, setting up and maintaining proper bookkeeping and tax filing, and finding clients. I'm mainly a developer but I dabble in design and other marketing skills so I found a local designer/creative professionals meetup group and managed to get a client from it.
What do you do? Are you considering going solo?
Thanks, that's good to know! Software engineer too. I've thought about going solo but I get paid incredibly well to be incredibly lazy so I'm disincentivized from taking the leap, but being able to control my own work hours (or months!) sounds like a dream. Fortunately horror stories about having to interact with other humans has kept that daydream in check. 😂
Lollll I know what you mean dude. I wasn't really planning on jumping into freelance full time yet because of the inadequacies I listed but I was worried I'd have to have a shot to get any other job at the time so the decision was made for me.
I'm hoping for one or two easy maintenance contracts that will allow me to have some of that extra gravy time too but I know where you're at.
“If you die your job will be posted before your obituary” is a saying I live by.
Good on ya for holding to your principles! Doing so for me was the most scorned and pressured I’ve ever felt in my life and I couldn’t be happier that I did!
Yeah dude, I was already very aware of the effects and efficacy and had no reason whatsoever to risk my health. If I had been planning on staying there for years to come or was in absolute dire straits it could have been difficult but even then I have no problem choosing my own long term benefit over short term threats or risk. If I had a kid and a mortgage and all that it would've been scarier but I was in a good place to make the call.
Good on you as well!
It still warms my heart to read stories of people who managed to withstand the pressure. I got a lot of grief for not getting a covid shot then and I still feel set back by government initiatives designed to, well, set us back.
I was in the Marines at the time. They said it was get the shot or get the boot. I opted to get the shot and then two months later I broke my pelvis and four months after that I was medically discharged so I should’ve just taken the boot.
Well you wouldn't have gotten the medical benefits to go along with your medical discharge and the possibility of disability. So it worked out in your favor.
As a disabled vet myself, this is a braindead take. I'd give back all of my disability pay for my full health back.
It did not work out in their favor. It's idiotic to think it did.
Hey brother you are misunderstanding what I am saying here, all I am saying is that a medical discharge in this situation beats getting kicked out with absolutely nothing. Obviously in certain cases that can be different.
I understand the science behind mRNA pretty decentishly, so I didn't have any fears of getting Pfizer, 3 times. Twas a prerequisite for travel, so i did HAVE to get it, but I also really, really, really wanted to get it.
The first time covid hit me was super-early after a trip to Spain, and it fucked me up for like 6 months - after I got the jab, worst i got was a day or two of feel'n shitty. That shit protected my grandparents who were both born in late '20s , they got a tricksy cold instead of a crazy af virus.
I understand it's EXTREMELY controversial topic here, and that yall mofos will prob wanna argue and downvote me to shit, but tbh, just read on molecular biology for a couple of months, you'll get why the tech is epic af and reasonably safe.
Covid has now evolved to be a seasonal flu, so we don't need vaccines or masks at all, but at the time imo it was a rational choice, at least for me, considering my age and risk factors.
I remember mRNA "vaccines" being mentioned about a decade before covid. If I remember correctly, the FDA didn't approve them, not because they were dangerous, but because they weren't very effective. Surprise surprise.
I had the jab because my live-in girlfriend at the time is a teacher and everyone in the home had to have it or she would be fired. More of a liability and due diligence sort of thing.
My work claimed the mandate was imminent and required everyone to disclose our status. The third option was "prefer not to say (we will assume you are unvaccinated)". That was during the height of the craziness, months later we were no longer required to mask and no one ever talked about it again.
Same. We stayed open as an “essential business” throughout the lockdowns and worked maskless for a year until the mandatory masking requirements came down the pipeline.
We were never told we’d be “forced” to get vaccinated, but if you didn’t you were expected to get tested twice a week at your own expense. The mandate was halted a few days before the company was forced to try that policy out.
My fondest memory of that whole debacle was how we were all working on site throughout the pandemic at the Plant level, but the masking and vaccine policies were being pushed down from our corporate headquarters, all of whom were working from home and didn’t have to comply with them…
It's shocking how similar our experiences are.
Funny story: our plant safety coordinator was working from home. The person "responsible" for making sure our safety protocols were being followed was bragging about watching cameras, and calling individuals for not masking while nobody was within a quarter mile of them. Absolute clown world.
Similar here, except they went through with a vax mandate, thinking a govt mandate was forthcoming. The very week the govt lost their court battle over mandates, the entire subject vanished as if it never occured. All of the (poorly written) guidances were taken off the interweb. Several employees who had been dismissed were either given their jobs back, or settled with in court.
I didn't. I am lucky that I am part of a family small business but the pressure from my left leaning friends was irritating to say the least. Stick to your guns.
You have more courage than I did. Didn’t want it. Was required to have it to work in my field. Had a family relying on my income. Was an essential worker in a province that was in a state of emergency which means if you’re deemed an essential worker in a state of emergency, you aren’t allowed to not work. They can legally force you to work. Also wasn’t allowed to travel between provinces freely. My workplace provided a letter to be presented to the RCMP if/when I was stopped while travelling to work.
BuT tHeY dIdN’t FoRcE yOu To GeT iT.
I had to hitch hike from the nearest US airport or walk to the nearest land border crossing just to return to my own property in Canada. Had the cops show up a couple of times. Because my mere existence on my own property is such a threat to the safety and security of the country.
Interesting. Have we determined what 'forced' really is? Whats the limit? Threat of force. Force of what? Is threat of losing your job forced? Is threat of jail time force? Is threat of refusal of service force? Is threat of execution force? Or does it literally mean physically restraining you and injecting you? But that brings another argument. If you allowed yourself to be restrained by failing to defend yourself from it, is that still forced? Any of these could ultimately end your life, or at the very least ruin it. 🤔
This is a weird thread. No one had to get a vaccination. Sure, you might lose a job or be unable to go to a restaurant, or fly to another city, but you’re not entitled to any of those things. You chose to get the vaccination and have the privilege of keeping a job, or going out to eat, or enjoying a faster method of travel.
Now if you were taken and forcibly vaccinated against your will, that would be a real problem.
Ehhh I think this is a ridiculous standard. There is no reason that the vaccine should have been required ever for people who were working or taking classes in the comfort of their own home—one thing from a private company choosing this—but for say my state school to require it, is utterly bullshit
Exactly, I got my vaccination because I wanted to and then later it was required to keep a job.
My anti-vax uncle was a hospital janitor and quit instead of getting vaccinated. Nobody there held him down and put a needle in him. He ended up going to a different job for a few weeks until he cought COVID and died.
Nah, for some it was forced. Losing a job is one thing, you can get another. Being kicked out of medical school is not a lost job, it’s a career ender. It was a privilege to attend such a school yes, but it was an EARNED one, and something I’d sacrificed for my entire life to that point
Forced by all but gunpoint or incarceration
I don't know which earth you live on. The airlines did not want to institute a mask mandate or a vaccine mandate, but it was forced on them by government.
>This can cause autoimmune symptoms with lasting damage to the body.
I developed a small patch of vitiligo, though I also got Covid after getting the vaccine, so I don't know whether I can definitively blame the vaccine or whether I should blame Covid. It does seem to be perhaps evening out a bit.
I was forced to get the vaccine for my government job. Some people claimed religious exemption and after a fight and enough time passing they didn't have to get the vaccine, but I'm not religious so apparently I don't have a right to medical autonomy.
Not sure why the downvotes.
My younger sister had to get the COVID vaccine and boosters since she works in the medical field; she developed myocarditis, and since the first booster, she now gets seizures.
She had to be tested regularly and was never diagnosed with COVID; I don't know whether to contribute that to the vaccine or because she's very healthy and almost never gets sick anyway.
We have no family history of heart problems or seizures. She's the first.
Of course, I'm just a random internet stranger, so I don't expect anyone to believe any of this.
Could you please provide some sources about your comment, "They put something in these vaccines which triggers the immune system to go into over-drive... This is not anti-vaxxer conspiracy stuff, but actually very true?"
That's just basic vaccinology. It's called an adjuvant and it stimulates the body's immune system via inflammation pathways and so forth so that your immune system mounts a strong enough response to the vaccine target (in this case the covid spike protein that's encoded in mRNA and produced by your cells). The idea is to help your immune system "remember" the pathogen protein.
For the mRNA vaccines, the idea was let's encode the spike in messenger RNA and have the muscle cells in your arm produce the spike. The lipid nanoparticles actually act as an adjuvant on its own already. Your immune system sees the inflammation in your arm (a big side effect was feeling like you were punched in the arm, remember?) and moves in to kill the cells displaying the covid spike protein, in the process learning to recognize covid.
Great idea in theory. In practice, in some cases the vaccine was injected into a vein on accident which caused those lipid nanoparticles to spread around the body. They don't discern which cells they enter so you end up with cells in random parts of your body displaying these spike proteins. Your immune system kills cells displaying the protein, which doesn't matter so much for your muscle cells in your arm: they regenerate quickly. Your nerves or the muscle cells in your heart on the other hand...
Worth noting though that covid itself enters your cells using the ACE2 receptor, which while more common in certain places like your lungs is present in basically all your cells, which is why covid *can* be quite systemic and damaging to multiple organs systems for the same reason
What I couldn’t get over was the number of people standing for hours to get a shot. Of course media played this up so it built the illusion that everyone was getting it. Once they past the sweet point on the numbers getting it, the crowd took over and policed themselves. I couldn’t believe the brass balls of people asking me if I had the shot. You would not ask me other medical questions, but that seemed okay for people. I replied that that was personal and surely they did not expect me to share my personal medical data with them. I lost a lot of respect for people during that time. Not sure we can unring that bell the next time with such a ‘great’ precedent set.
When the vaccines came out I worked for a company providing vials and syringes for operation warp speed. They “required” us to get vaccinated, I put in quotes because there were a few folks that were too valuable to lose so they were given a different standard.
I willingly received the vaccine, would have regardless of my former employers mandate, but had I not worked for a company that was critical for the rollout effort I would not have been eligible to get one as early as I did.
I had no issue with the company putting this policy in place. It was a private business that they were free to run as they pleased.
Not a requirement at my job, but 100% did anyway, but interesting enough all but one said "fu" to the boosters.
My spouse was mandated or termination, but they paid $300 during the "incentive " stage.
Those that didn't comply were fired and the lawsuits are still ongoing. I suspect and hope that the ones that were fired will get their job back along with years of back pay.
Army would've ended my 15 year career with an "other than honorable" discharge. And now they are asking those Soldiers to come back because they can't get their recruiting numbers. Absolutely ridiculous.
I had to get the original two part jab to keep my job. Then I got let go anyway. Luckily landed on my feet pretty quick with an equivalent job in the field. Had to get the first booster to keep the new job. They still “recommend” we get the millionth booster or whatever they’re on, but I stopped as soon as it was no longer mandatory. Never had Covid before the vax. Had it twice afterwards and it was still miserable. I regret falling in line.
Military. Nuff said. Worst part for me wasn't getting vaxxed, it was having *that* conversation with my guys that were thinking about refusing. As a platoon Sergeant, I wasn't forcing anyone to do anything, but It was my job to be the first one to explain the consequences of that path.
Federal LEO. 85-90% of coworkers did because we were told we could face discipline "up to removal from service" Myself and 5 others at my location resisted. Many felt they'd lose their job unless they went along.
The number of those who swore they'd never get it but relented when mere threats of removal were made, gave me insight to how easily most people are manipulated.
I "had" to get vaxxed, but I didn't. I submitted a letter asking for an exemption.
They gave me a deadline to comply by. I still refused. When the deadline came, they extended it. Continued to refuse.
When the next deadline came, they said there was no more requirement.
Exactly
I got sick in Jan 2020, so did my whole crew, then the job shut down for the lockdowns
Jobless, locked in, couldn't get treatment for real maladies (head tumors, neurological problems, and others) ... fuck 'em, I packed my truck, drove thousands of miles and started over with nothing, it wasn't easy, but nothing worth it ever is
Easiest way to get me not to do something is to tell me I have to
Shame, threats and coercion? Please ... I will not comply
Good times. I'll never forget this shit, I'll never forget and I'll never forgive
So true. These people claim to be libertarian yet somehow are convinced that someone forced them to get a shot they willingly took. If they didn't kidnap you and force you down and jab a needle in your arm, they didn't force you to do anything. You willingly caved to their pressure.
I somehow managed to find THREE jobs where I wasn't even talked to by management to do anything. My dad held out when his job was pressuring him. It's not impossible like all these people make it seem. They just all caved. I have a little more sympathy for those not in the USA who couldn't leave their homes but anyone in the USA who claims that they were forced (as if someone took a gun to their head) to get a shot are full of shit.
Which vaccine? In most places in the US you "have" to get various childhood vaccines to get admitted to public schools. Is that what you are talking about?
I’m still confused about this issue. Schools have required a list of mandatory vaccinations for decades to attend. Why is this one specific one different?
I was also able to get a single sheet of paper filled out by my daughter’s pediatrician to exempt her from every one of those. No such luck with the covid vax for many.
And before anyone goes all reddit on me, my daughter is fully vaccinated. We chose a delayed vaccine schedule for her.
Not vaxxed, but commentary. My wife was a dialysis nurse when Covid started and during. She has a medical exemption due to being severely allergic to "inert" ingredients. Several of her nurse friends were terminated for not taking it due to religious/distrust reasons.
All of them were hired back through an agency that didn't require vaccination and went right back to work as traveling or PTA nurses in the exact same center or hospital.
It was just plain crazy.
Nobody HAD to get it. You chose to get it. Might’ve been a tough choice and one with severe consequences on both ends and one that you didn’t want to have to make but you still willingly chose. That’s the problem in this country is when the going gets tough 90% of people abandon their principles and bend the knee. I’d rather lose my job than have to live with the fact that I laid down and let the government have their way with me. Take a stand on something important for once eh?
I’m not religious either but if it gets me out of government pharma cult rituals I’m all in on religion so I claim a non denominational exemption and cited a bunch of passages in the Bible that say not to engage in sorcery which can be translated into potions or medicine. And another saying not to take medicine when you are not sick.
For me it was strongly encouraged because I was contracted to a university. The university came very close to requiring it for all staff and students, but then decided against it.
I refused it at work and was told I’d be let go at some point. So I started looking for a new job and after 2 months they just kept saying the same thing, and I found a new job paying way more so I quit. I’m not against vaccines, I’ve gotten lots of them but I am against an experimental vaccine in its trials being mandatory. It takes over 10 years for studies to show the long term effects and release a vaccine. Feel bad for everyone who didn’t want it but needed their job
I did, and I work in project management in AV. I had to sign a form that allowed my work to verify my health records and I have to provide proof of vaccination.
There was one guy who was staunchly against the mandate, and he wasn’t allowed in the office or to meet any clients until he was vaccinated. His job was eventually becoming untenable so he eventually relented.
He got pushed out the door 3 months later.
New York Presbyterian Hospital employee here. Gave us a deadline to get the 2nd round otherwise you would be terminated. I waited until the very last minute to get it.
Deadline came and went. 2 days after the deadline came, an email came out stating they weren't going to mandate the vaccine anymore.
TELL EM WHY YOU MAD!
My mom told me to do it. She's a retired nurse. I'm a graphic designer. I won't outshine her with my medical expertise, so I just did as I was told. I don't feel like a sleeper agent, nor have I noticed any Majin powers.
Yup, I had to. Would have lost my job if I didn’t, not cause of my bosses but because of the nature of the work. Couldn’t get into certain foreign countries in 2021 and most of 2022 without proof of vax, and when the work is in those countries I gotta make a business decision.
I got the J&J last minute against my will. Company mandated it.
Our chief medical officer retired about a year later after all the facts started coming out. I always wondered if it was more than coincidence. She spewed all the “you can’t get covid if you get the vax”
School told us they wouldn’t let us finish our clinical rotations or graduate from medical school without it. Residency doesn’t look kindly on people who take longer than they should to graduate a four year program, so they really had us by the short hairs
Forced by company. I mean you COULD not get it but then you were on leave with no pay. AND first year is probationary so, yeah, most likely would have been just fired.
From fall 2023: I know a student who was supposed to go to school in the fall. They were mandated to have certain vaccines. The parents go to get them and can't get an appointment before school starts. The school says, 'no exceptions, the student will just have to miss weeks of school'.
So, the parents opted for a 'religious exemption,' which the school gladly accepted.
It's a weird world.
My boss tried over and over again to get me vaccinated, I played the long game of telling him “soon™️” and he’s forgotten ever since I actually got Covid. I got the real vaccine 💪🏻.
My work told me to get it or be fired. I told them to fire me then. Then they told me I could apply for a religious exemption and that they had no authority to question my religious beliefs. So fortunately I got by without getting it
I was in the army. They gave us the ultimatum of the shot or get out. I chose to get out but I almost got the shot. Luckily, I kept my honorable discharge because I finished my contract right at the time of the mandate.
I had to get it to keep my job (defense contractor). 2 of my direct reports didn't get it and got fired. We are actually still undermanned from the vaccine firings.
I didn't need to get vaccinated to keep my job but I had to continue wearing a mask if I didn't get it. So I got it, nothing like pushing carts in 100 degree heat with a mask on to make the decision that much easier.
I was saved by the Supreme Court ruling. It came close. I feel pride for not getting vaccinated. I feel sympathy for the people who were forced to get vaccinated. I am not anti vaccination. I have a background in science. I had Covid in march 2021 before the vaccine became available for me. After they starting mandating the vaccine I decided not to get vaccinated.
Wife was fired from her job and kicked out of her master's program at University of Washington. My job threatened to fire me if I didn't get the vax so I resigned and we moved to Texas. I will never take something that is forced on me like that.
Didn’t get it, but it was tough. Work at a company with about 80 people - wife and I were the only 2 who didn’t get it.
It wasn’t “required” but there was a lot of pressure and bullshit. Bonus and extra PTO if you got it. The company held a party for vaccinated employees only. They also required only my wife and I to continue wearing a mask to work even after the mandate was lifted. Plus, all the off handed comments and whispers. Basically just tried to make us feel dirty and othered so we would submit.
We were both fully prepared to lose our careers over it if necessary, luckily it didn’t come to that…and we both still work there. But I did learn a valuable lesson - coworkers are not your friends.
Unpopular opinion below.
None of us HAD to. Every person who did so, made a decision. And before I get slammed, understand this is coming from someone who had to sacrifice mountains of income and some of my closest personal relationships over the lunacy and tyranny from the past few years.
I read this below somewhere in the comments from user **radiantxero - "**If you wont follow your convictions to unemployment you don't have them in the first place." I couldn't agree more.
For all that had the intestinal fortitude to stand fast, I commend you. For all that gave into the pressure, which was the vast majority, I really hope (even though I know that hope is more or less pointless) that you find the courage when faced with another similar decision in the future.
***"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."***
I chose to get vaccinated, because I preferred to get vaccinated to losing my job, etc...
We should be very careful about what we call state coercive action.
It's horrible what you and millions went through. Being forced to do something like that and then being emotionally blackmailed. Your story comes up time and time again. The lesson is not learned and the same people who had absolutely zero moral issues about letting an unvaccinated die, refusing service, went on living normally.
Hope you did a lot of thinking as something like this may happen again. Cheers
>THE ONLY way out of it was a religious exemption which I'm not gonna get because I'm not religious.
First, I'm sorry you went against your better judgement. As a college student, I'm assuming you're under the age of 25 and probably closer to the age of 20.
With that being said, a religious exemption in accordance with TITLE VII, has very little to do with actually being religious. You can have a "sincerely held belief" that is your "religion", that doesn't need to be disclosed. I submitted one to HR, they never responded to it, I didn't get any shots, and I still kept my job (which I was willing to lose).
Of course. This addresses employment, not college, but it may have been worth a try.
A quick summary.
Religious practices are not just those required by a church or other religious group, but include **moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong that are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views.**
Beliefs may be “religious” in nature even if no religious group holds such beliefs or religious groups to which others in the workplace belong do not accept such beliefs.
I was forced to get the J&J shot back in mid 2021 or I’d lose my job and health benefits. I’m a type 1 diabetic dependent on my insulin pump and CGM, which cost thousands of dollars a month with no insurance. I had two choices; die or comply.
Unfortunate I complied, and I haven’t felt the same since. For 3 months after the jab, I had moderate symptoms of myocarditis that my doctor said were due to my diabetes (which is bullshit, I’ve never had problems) and put me on some meds until I returned to normal. Safe to say he is no longer my doctor.
I still have random heart issues, can’t run more than 50 feet without feeling exhausted, I’m tired all of the time, and the gastrointestinal issues that I used to have a decade ago came back and haven’t left.
About a month after I was forced to get the jab, I was fired anyways. Why? Because my job wasn’t “essential” and I was frequently absent due to “mysterious” health issues. Funny how that works. I was able to collect some Covid funds during unemployment, but now I’m hearing that my state will demand it back. I can’t even pay for rent or medical supplies, and now the state who fucked me sideways is going to finish the job. I’m just waiting for that letter in the mail that will seal my fate. Honestly, I may go Killdozer at the capital given the chance.
Luckily I found a new job that is WFH so I can control my bowel issues and other assorted problems that miraculously started after my forced jab.
I’m just glad I didn’t get the Pfizer jab. I know 7 people who have died in the last few years due to strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, and one who had a massive seizure. He had no prior history of problems. None of them did. In fact, all except for 1 were under 50. All of them were forced to get the jab, a few did willingly. Now, they’re all dead, along with millions of other people across the planet.
This was a population control tactic, 100%. My life will never be the same, but at least I’m more fortunate than those who died.
Work for a healthcare system, so had to get it. Luckily only the initial vax, no requirement for the boosters. What really sucks is that I'm in IT and work from home, so never anywhere near patients or anything.
My grandmother was in a retirement home and could not leave through the pandemic. For the first time in over a year, I was allowed to see her in person without a window in between, but I had to wear a mask and face shield to be allowed in.
Was told starting the next week, if I wasn't vaxxed, I wouldn't be allowed to visit. I went and got the Vax solely so I could visit, even though I was against it.
2 weeks later, after I was told to wait after getting vaxed before visiting. The retirement home banned all visitations vexed or unvaxxed.
Both my grandparents passed away there during the pandemic, locked away like prisoners where we couldn't hug them, or even see them in their last hours.
shouldn't have happened in the first place
plus closing gyms and churches and 12 step meetings,
but leaving open liquor stores, dispensaries, big box stores and Tinder
fuck'n sham
My work required employees to get the jab, but never required proof. I simply told them I was vaccinated, neglecting to inform them of which vaccine exactly. They made assumptions that it was for Covid. I've never looked back or been questioned.
My father-in-law was forced to get it to keep his job at a turbine manufacturer. Originally they had said if employees wore a mask a vaccine was not required for employment and then a week later they said no you have to get the vaccine so he did and now years there are no guidelines as no one cares anymore.
I drive heavy equipment and never got it.
Put up with weekly testing and bullshit write ups for missing tests on threat of being suspended and fired. Worked night shifts and swing shifts so it was actually very inconvenient to wait in the incredibly long testing lines weekly.
Searched for a job for the entire year and found one with better pay and benefits and no Covid requirements. Left and cited the Covid policy explicitly as did other coworkers of mine.
I got a fake vax card to keep my job that I left shortly thereafter. Just needed time to get out. Current job doesn’t and won’t ever care. Definitely not in Colorado anymore lol. I’m not anti vaccine either, I think they have their place, but that place probably isn’t the arm of a healthy person. The last time I got the flu was the last time I got a flu shot. About 18 years ago.
I HAD to for work. I just moved my Wife across the country for a new job and then COVID. Next thing I know the bust out that VAX requirement. I wouldn’t have done it if not for that.
I’m still angry about this.
I didn’t have to get it, but I did right away. I had elderly grandparents, and one was extremely high risk. I wanted to get it to protect them, because I’m a healthy person in my 20s so I wasn’t worried about covid for myself.
Once it came out that the vaccine doesn’t prevent transmission, there was no reason to get any boosters. So they say the vaccine prevents infection from being more severe? Okay, so what? I was never worried about it for myself. Irrelevant.
My employer required it and you would lose your job if you didn’t, unless you had a medical or religious exemption (and those were not easily obtained).
I theoretically did not *have* to get the covid vaccine. My first workplace mandated it but as a private business I respected their choice. I could have taken my resume elsewhere, and considered it, but concluded the cons would outweigh the pros.
My second job was a local grocery and they didn’t mandate anything. In fact, I’m pretty sure none of them got vaccinated at all.
Was in high school back then, wanted to go on a trip to New York for a film competition. Had to get the shot in order to go. I guess I didn't *have* to go, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
I "had" to, but refused and put in for a religious exemption (fun fact, any strongly held personal belief is considered "religion"...you do not need to be a member of any organized religion). If it wasn't granted, they would have to fire me.
I am a scientist, working for the Pharmaceutical industry, and refused to get the shot. I put an exemption request in with HR, they pushed back, so I pushed back even harder. They tried to pigeonhole me into misspeaking and getting me to contradict myself, but I saw straight through it and doubled down on my arguments. It was "provisionally granted" pending some additional information and decisions (like periodic testing, who would pay for testing, what work accommodations were needed, etc.). I asked a ton of questions (mainly legal ones) that HR refused to answer, or just answered with "we don't know." I did everything I could to put them into a corner. In the meantime, the courts ruled that employers couldn't require the vaccines, my company backpedaled and quietly removed all mention of the vaccines being required and changed over to "highly recommended".
I was excited as hell to get the jab. I was able to avoid COVID until it became available, and the benefits of the vaccine far outweighed the risks to me. Still have never had COVID to my knowledge even though everyone else in my family has had it. Not sure if that's because I'm vaxxed or I'm just really good at fighting off COVID.
I begrudgingly gave it to my kids though. They were young enough that they had to wait several years after it was first released. By that time, they'd had tested positive for COVID, but had little to no symptoms. So the risks seemed to outweigh the benefits. But skipping the vaccine was going to make their and my life SOOO much harder with school and activities. I do think the risk of the vaccine is very low, but I hate how it was pushed on us.
Civil servant here. Had to get it but put it off and actively avoided it until HR started threatening the unvaxxed with dismissal I am not an ideological antivaxxer but I was concerned by the fact that our vaccines were donated by a totalitarian communist superpower which has blithely sold poisoned baby milk in the past leading to several infant deaths.
I work in a hospital as a general practitioner and used my religious exemption to get out of it. Realized after that I never need to take another shot now. I used to have to get flu shots every year.
My employer did not require it and didn't personally pressure me, but I had just started my job and this job is absolutely crucial to my career. Since it was an instant 10-days at home, I couldn't risk setbacks. I know it was ten days, but at the time, it would've devoured my sick days and then my PTO and my job is not one you can really do at home for more than a day or two.
And I'm not anti-vaxxer, but there needs to be extensive research before I take something experimental that the government pushes as hard as they did.
To this day, I've never gotten COVID...
My job was pretty agressive about getting it and seeing as I had years in and was capped out, I was making good money (in comparison to my peers). My wife has COPD so that was a big concern so yeah, I had to get it. Funny enough we both got Covid and due to her COPD she received additional treatment and was fine 3 days after she tested and went to her doctor. I was in sick as hell for 9 days. Not the worst I’ve ever felt, by far but yeah.
Both my wife and I got the jab and 1st booster. She works remote for a healthcare company, and they mandated it for anyone on the company’s insurance plan. She has a thyroid disorder that requires twice yearly ultrasounds and quarterly blood checks, plus seeing the Endo multiple times a year. We couldn’t afford to have her lose her job over it, and I worked retail management so I’m always bringing home something or another…
They’ve since rolled back the requirement for additional boosters, but the flu shot is still mandatory for all employees (remote or not)
I attended a California State University which is run by fascists who coerced us to get double vaxxed. If we didn’t, we weren’t allowed to sign up for classes. Basically, if you wanted to graduate and not sacrifice your career trajectory, we had to get vaccinated as guinea pigs despite being young and healthy. I seriously didn’t not want it at all.
I know you say comment if you did and I didn’t, but I want to say I felt sorry for all of the people who were coerced into taking the vaccine for school, work, etc. My family all had it, most by choice, and tried to pressure me to get it until they realized I wasn’t changing my mind. We were excluded from family gatherings or told we’d have to wear a mask (while the unvaccinated children who attend public school were not required to mask) so we skipped it.
I’m sorry you were coerced. For anyone who was injured by the vax and required to take it by an employer or school should look into suing them. It’s probably a long shot but its not like you have any recourse with the pharma companies since the government took away liability for vaccine manufacturers.
Funny how pharmaceutical companies have no problem being held liable for their other products but the 50+ vaccines they mandate children take to attend public schools - no liability. Interesting how that works!
I took the vax under duress. Submit to weekly testing that I had to pay for including any time away from work OR get vaxed to keep my job.
After my 1st and 2nd shot both times I had horrible gum pain in a back molar. Ended up losing that tooth. I didn't even connect the dots until I was at the dentist for my 2nd unwell visit in a row so I don't think it was "placebo effect" type situation.
Could have be unrelated. I'll never know.
Wasn’t mandated to get the vaccine or the booster but got them both
I’m very pro vax but I’m very anti mandate
If someone wants to go unvaccinated, that’s fine as long as the taxpayer isn’t on the hook paying for their hospitalization
Of course, privatizing healthcare would be a lot more feasible if we could get rid of the welfare state so that people would have incentives to work hard as doctors, nurses, orderlies, hospital construction workers, and medical supplies manufacturing workers…
Ok, so like you shouldn’t be forced to get a vaccine. Bodily autonomy and all that- but social etiquette and ethics should kind of dictate that you do. I mean, it’s a pandemic. Viable, medically accountable, deadly pandemic. It is our responsibility, as members of our society and our communities, to protect each other. This means getting vaccinated. Can private companies enforce this? Yes. Should they? Yes. Should government employees get this? Yes. Should it be enforced? Yes. If you don’t get the vaccine should you be ostracized as a social pariah for choosing your personal feeling over the good of the community? Yes.
The science was there, backing the vaccine. It was freely offered. It helped more than it hurt (unless you take into account your emotional sensitivity).
You didn’t HAVE to get vaxxed. I did in fact leave a top 50 university in Boston because I wasn’t going to compromise my first principles for anything. I was a national merit finalist and worked my ass off to get in there and was on track to be a highly paid finance bro after graduation. I became homeless temporarily and had to rebuild my life from scratch basically. Now I will probably never make more than a median salary. But some things are more important than money, no?
You probably could have transferred to a different school, but you didn’t. You just did what was easiest and most convenient. Honestly a lot of really weak excuses in this sub, like I understand if you have kids to feed but damn, did any of you even try to find a different job?
I did. Couldn't afford to lose my job.
What kinda job if you don't mind my asking?
Government contractor. I had to get the shot to work on base.
This is exactly what happened to me.
Same here
There are dozens of us.
Same-ish. I got the second shot and a month later the government walked it back.
Same
same!
Contractors had the opportunity to submit a medical or religious exemption. It was very simple to avoid.
Same
same. bitter
That's crazy, I didn't have to get it. I'm currently a federal employee, but I was on the contractor side of my job during covid. We held out when they tried to force it, and they decided they couldn't do the job as well without us. Then they hired several of us as employees.
[удалено]
I lost a job over it, missed a deployment with the national guard, lost out on 6 or more interviews, and almost lost another job. Proud to say I stuck through it, and I'd be happy to tell them to take their mandates and shove 'em again.
> missed a deployment with the national guard And yet you accepted all the other shots in boot camp, or did you tell them to shove those as well?
I had just turned 17, had almost failed out of high school, had no employable skills, and I was scared of what I was going to do after high school. Lots of family members served, and after talking with a lot of people I determined it would be a good idea to get some job training and as a plus get the opportunity to serve my country. This was also 2018. There's also a massive difference between, "here, take these long-standing, well tested vaccines so you don't get a plethora of diseases in training or wherever we send you, and if you have any ill effects from them we will cover your health problems" and, "take this experimental vaccine that has no testing whatsoever or I'll hand you a dishonorable or general discharge and do everything I can to make your life suck while it processes- oh, and if you have any health problems from it, I won't cover a single dime." Yeah, nobody in their right mind would do that. That's stupid. Edit: Oh yeah, and for your reading pleasure, this was also shortly after we made a crapfest out of the retreat from Afghanistan. Now I don't think we should have been there to begin with, but a friend from basic and 2 guys I knew from my unit had gotten killed over there very recently and that was now for nothing.
I got two shots. I wanted to visit my grandfather who was in a nursing home and I was afraid they would not let me in to see him without the vaccine. I had my card with me during that visit. I'm glad I saw him, he died two months later of renal failure. The penultimate time I saw him was 2019 and I lost a year due to the Dark Times.
I work in healthcare. I had to get every vaccine and booster or I couldn’t do my job.
Likewise. Oddly, they walked back that position this year, stating, “The flu vaccine is compulsory and the COVID boosters are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED”. Not sure why the policy changed. Probably has something to do with the boosters’ FDA status.
The feds aren't paying for the covid vaccine any longer. It's the same at both hospitals that I work at. They were mandatory up until this year and now "encouraged."
More likely amount of people,leaving the health care field because of staffing issues and pay thus needing a bigger workforce and lessening one of the requirements. It’s why some employers have changed their drug policy in the states that it’s legal.
>“The flu vaccine is compulsory and the COVID boosters are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED”. Not sure why the policy changed. Probably has something to do with the boosters’ FDA status. Flu affects children a lot more than Covid though, so those shots are different in terms of loss of years of healthy life. So Covid shots are about whether you think that's worth it to protect yourselves and other adults, but with missing flu shots, we could be risking the life of a child, who has no say in the matter. And at this point everyone's had a chance to have the Covid shots, so it's largely a personal responsibility thing. This is more what it's about that any FDA guidance. The main risk they wanted to avoid was overloading hospitals, because when that happens, people even without Covid start dying because they can't be treated. Literally: if people don't want to take medicine and then die, nobody gives a fuck. What they gave a fuck about is the possibility of everyone getting sick \*at the same time\* and the health system collapsing. That's not gonna happen now, so everyone stopped caring whether you're vaccinated or not. Your life, your decision. Actually the childhood flu death tell an interesting story. In winter 2019, USA had 199 recorded childhood flu deaths. Winter 2020 - there was only 1 death. So that really does suggest that whatever people were doing to avoid Covid, it totally helped prevent the spread of flu as well. This is important because otherwise it's almost impossible to ask "what if" questions about an event that only happened one time. Did everyone's actions help slow Covid? We don't directly know, but other respiratory diseases stopped spreading, so that's a clue.
Had to to keep my job. Company has a couple of government contracts, and the gov required everyone in the company to get it whether you were working on them or not.
We had government contracts at my job, but that’s not why they mandated it. It was essentially the owner’s whim. The government contracts allowed us to stay open, period. We were an “essential business” I guess. By the statists description.
This is what happened to my husband. He's fully remote too. Just obsurd
I did. Military. Then they dropped the requirement after.
I feel this. I laughed and cried when I heard that news too.
You know the sad part? I, nor anyone I know has ever been anti vax. I just didn't want to get one that I felt had not been tested enough, and there were reported issues. My wife still hasn't gotten it and I'm thankful for that.
Same, 9 years in the Army so i waited until that mandatory order came down. Same for my wife. She's a aviation contractor they fell under the umbrella of get the vaccine or get the boot. Both of us have said fuck no to our son getting the vaccine though.
Same here. Our children aren't touching it. Period.
I was in during Anthrax. They got the first dose into me and I got sick as hell. 2 days in infirmary. I refused the next dose, and there was NO record of my reaction in my file.... I was getting out soon, so they said "you can't re-enlist if you dont keep to the schedule". Ok, buh-bye. They "waived" it for me since my EAOS was before the series would be completed. Was 6 or 8 doses, I think. I didn't get the covid shot, held out long enough for my work to stop requiring it.
I just had to get anthrax for a deployment. Not fun. They still require it for certain deployments to certain places.
Do you know of anyone who left over the vax requirement, and has since come back? I'd heard the low recruitment numbers had lead to trying to claw back some of the vaccine-related attrition.
I know of people kicked out. I do not know anyone who came back. I've seen the letters. It's kinda sad how it all went down.
Coast Guard. A buddy of mine was kicked out for not getting the vaccine. He was out for a few months then got a Civilian job in the CG. I guess there were a group of them that were sueing. He was in the civilian job for about a month. I retired. Last i heard he went back on active duty which is good. He had like 15 or 16 years in. Before i left i told him he should get back in, do his 4 or so years and then retire.
I got it because I am a therapist at a agency, and my mom had pre-existing conditions thanks to breast cancer. While I disliked that people were mandated to take the vaccine because I am a firm believer in "my body, my choice", I took the vaccine out of care for my.mother and clients who had some severe pre-existing conditions.
> my body, my choice Funny how quickly that catch phrase dried up when the accusations of killing grandmas and swamping hospitals came out. But then again, most people who parrot sound bytes aren't exactly equipped for nuanced discussion, or their comprehension of double-standards.
In Europe I had to show my "vaxx certificate" in order to get on a plane or enter a restaurant.
That is very sad.
New York was the same way. It was terrifyingly dystopian.
Yup. That’s why we left. NY is dead to me. Even though I was raised there.
I visited NYC for NYE 2020-2021. We only had to show our vaxx cards as we were leaving wherever we were. That seemed odd to me
It also sounds like a bad way to clog an exit and cause a fire hazard. But nothing about NYC's draconian response to COVID-19 had anything to do with safety in the first place.
Bingo.
I visited NYC and saw a lady taking a piss in the street. Odd is what they do.
The street makes sense, who would want to piss in their car?
I got the vax because I wanted to get the vax and felt it was safe. That being said I am extremely unhappy with my company because they required that I scanned my personal medical records and provided it to them as proof that I was vaccinated. And when I expressed how inappropriate that was to my immediate manager, I was told that either I provide my personal medical information or I would be fired.
I worked in hospitals at the time doing electrical work, subcontractors had to get it or I couldn't work in the hospital and everyone not working in the hospital was laid off, had to feed my family.
I was fired from my job of three years for refusing to get it. Working fully remote as a developer in my own home, HAD to get it because the company had government contracts that stipulated all contractors employees must be vaxxed. I had a couple of people sheepishly ping me in Slack to tell me they thought what the company was doing was wrong but I was the sole individual who didn't comply.and this was after I had just spent a couple of months completely reworking some core business tools and systems because I was invested and gave a damn about the quality of life and work there. Fuck me. The part that really buttered my biscuits was that they made a "happy going away we'll miss you <\3" slideshow like I had just gotten accepted for a better job and was leaving on good terms.
How have things been since? Any silver linings? I held the line, was willing to be fired, filed a religious exemption (never got a response from HR). I'm still working for the same company.
Wait so once you tried the religious exemption they dropped it? Or are you still waiting for the other shoe to drop? Silver lining for me has been that I got away from a marketing agency that fundamentally didn't give a shit about their employees, especially the web dev team of which I was the most tenured. They had an attitude of "if you don't like it just leave and we'll replace you with the cheapest hire we can before your desk gets cold". I was planning on quitting anyways but wanted it to be when I had found a better job. It ended up pushing me to finally try freelancing and it's been an adventure so far. Overall glad but it really hurt me that they'd treat me like that since I was one of the few people who really went above and beyond to try and make things better.
Would love to hear about your freelancing journey. Biggest surprises type stuff if you're willing.
Not a whole lot to tell as of yet. I'm good at my actual work and know how to deal with clients, but the admin/taxes/networking makes my brain freeze up. It's been hard for me to make new connections and find good clients and I goofed myself up on my income taxes, which I'm remedying for the next few months. I got the closest I've ever been to straight up making a grassroots campaign for people who are able (read: small biz owners and freelancers) to do a mass tax protest. God knows there's enough reason. But I'm not in a place quite yet where I've got the resources to hold out for an extended period without a large support network. Biggest takeaways from starting to freelance has been gaining confidence in setting prices that actually work for me and are profitable, setting up and maintaining proper bookkeeping and tax filing, and finding clients. I'm mainly a developer but I dabble in design and other marketing skills so I found a local designer/creative professionals meetup group and managed to get a client from it. What do you do? Are you considering going solo?
Thanks, that's good to know! Software engineer too. I've thought about going solo but I get paid incredibly well to be incredibly lazy so I'm disincentivized from taking the leap, but being able to control my own work hours (or months!) sounds like a dream. Fortunately horror stories about having to interact with other humans has kept that daydream in check. 😂
Lollll I know what you mean dude. I wasn't really planning on jumping into freelance full time yet because of the inadequacies I listed but I was worried I'd have to have a shot to get any other job at the time so the decision was made for me. I'm hoping for one or two easy maintenance contracts that will allow me to have some of that extra gravy time too but I know where you're at.
“If you die your job will be posted before your obituary” is a saying I live by. Good on ya for holding to your principles! Doing so for me was the most scorned and pressured I’ve ever felt in my life and I couldn’t be happier that I did!
Yeah dude, I was already very aware of the effects and efficacy and had no reason whatsoever to risk my health. If I had been planning on staying there for years to come or was in absolute dire straits it could have been difficult but even then I have no problem choosing my own long term benefit over short term threats or risk. If I had a kid and a mortgage and all that it would've been scarier but I was in a good place to make the call. Good on you as well!
It still warms my heart to read stories of people who managed to withstand the pressure. I got a lot of grief for not getting a covid shot then and I still feel set back by government initiatives designed to, well, set us back.
This is disgusting
Yep. Marketing agencies run by self righteous leftists are not a good place for people who won't tow the company/political party line.
I was in the Marines at the time. They said it was get the shot or get the boot. I opted to get the shot and then two months later I broke my pelvis and four months after that I was medically discharged so I should’ve just taken the boot.
Well you wouldn't have gotten the medical benefits to go along with your medical discharge and the possibility of disability. So it worked out in your favor.
As a disabled vet myself, this is a braindead take. I'd give back all of my disability pay for my full health back. It did not work out in their favor. It's idiotic to think it did.
Hey brother you are misunderstanding what I am saying here, all I am saying is that a medical discharge in this situation beats getting kicked out with absolutely nothing. Obviously in certain cases that can be different.
Hope you heal up warrior!
My buddy in the marines got it and had a heart attack 3 days later. At 19 years old. Take that for what it is.
They tried. My wife and I were able to hold out until Daily Wire's lawsuit won in the Supreme Court.
I refused and lost a week's pay because of it
I understand the science behind mRNA pretty decentishly, so I didn't have any fears of getting Pfizer, 3 times. Twas a prerequisite for travel, so i did HAVE to get it, but I also really, really, really wanted to get it. The first time covid hit me was super-early after a trip to Spain, and it fucked me up for like 6 months - after I got the jab, worst i got was a day or two of feel'n shitty. That shit protected my grandparents who were both born in late '20s , they got a tricksy cold instead of a crazy af virus. I understand it's EXTREMELY controversial topic here, and that yall mofos will prob wanna argue and downvote me to shit, but tbh, just read on molecular biology for a couple of months, you'll get why the tech is epic af and reasonably safe. Covid has now evolved to be a seasonal flu, so we don't need vaccines or masks at all, but at the time imo it was a rational choice, at least for me, considering my age and risk factors.
This is basically my story/take.
I remember mRNA "vaccines" being mentioned about a decade before covid. If I remember correctly, the FDA didn't approve them, not because they were dangerous, but because they weren't very effective. Surprise surprise. I had the jab because my live-in girlfriend at the time is a teacher and everyone in the home had to have it or she would be fired. More of a liability and due diligence sort of thing.
My work claimed the mandate was imminent and required everyone to disclose our status. The third option was "prefer not to say (we will assume you are unvaccinated)". That was during the height of the craziness, months later we were no longer required to mask and no one ever talked about it again.
Same. We stayed open as an “essential business” throughout the lockdowns and worked maskless for a year until the mandatory masking requirements came down the pipeline. We were never told we’d be “forced” to get vaccinated, but if you didn’t you were expected to get tested twice a week at your own expense. The mandate was halted a few days before the company was forced to try that policy out. My fondest memory of that whole debacle was how we were all working on site throughout the pandemic at the Plant level, but the masking and vaccine policies were being pushed down from our corporate headquarters, all of whom were working from home and didn’t have to comply with them…
It's shocking how similar our experiences are. Funny story: our plant safety coordinator was working from home. The person "responsible" for making sure our safety protocols were being followed was bragging about watching cameras, and calling individuals for not masking while nobody was within a quarter mile of them. Absolute clown world.
Similar here, except they went through with a vax mandate, thinking a govt mandate was forthcoming. The very week the govt lost their court battle over mandates, the entire subject vanished as if it never occured. All of the (poorly written) guidances were taken off the interweb. Several employees who had been dismissed were either given their jobs back, or settled with in court.
I didn't. I am lucky that I am part of a family small business but the pressure from my left leaning friends was irritating to say the least. Stick to your guns.
My wife and I were both fired within 5 days of each other for not accepting the jab into our lives. Found other jobs.
Fucking good on you two!
Thanks. It was a blessing in disguise.
You have more courage than I did. Didn’t want it. Was required to have it to work in my field. Had a family relying on my income. Was an essential worker in a province that was in a state of emergency which means if you’re deemed an essential worker in a state of emergency, you aren’t allowed to not work. They can legally force you to work. Also wasn’t allowed to travel between provinces freely. My workplace provided a letter to be presented to the RCMP if/when I was stopped while travelling to work. BuT tHeY dIdN’t FoRcE yOu To GeT iT.
That sounds like a terrible employment contract.
That’s Canada for you.
I had to hitch hike from the nearest US airport or walk to the nearest land border crossing just to return to my own property in Canada. Had the cops show up a couple of times. Because my mere existence on my own property is such a threat to the safety and security of the country.
Holy shit you are my fucking hero, my spirit animal. Seriously. No sarcasm intended. If only more people had your kind of balls.
Interesting. Have we determined what 'forced' really is? Whats the limit? Threat of force. Force of what? Is threat of losing your job forced? Is threat of jail time force? Is threat of refusal of service force? Is threat of execution force? Or does it literally mean physically restraining you and injecting you? But that brings another argument. If you allowed yourself to be restrained by failing to defend yourself from it, is that still forced? Any of these could ultimately end your life, or at the very least ruin it. 🤔
This is a weird thread. No one had to get a vaccination. Sure, you might lose a job or be unable to go to a restaurant, or fly to another city, but you’re not entitled to any of those things. You chose to get the vaccination and have the privilege of keeping a job, or going out to eat, or enjoying a faster method of travel. Now if you were taken and forcibly vaccinated against your will, that would be a real problem.
Ehhh I think this is a ridiculous standard. There is no reason that the vaccine should have been required ever for people who were working or taking classes in the comfort of their own home—one thing from a private company choosing this—but for say my state school to require it, is utterly bullshit
Exactly, I got my vaccination because I wanted to and then later it was required to keep a job. My anti-vax uncle was a hospital janitor and quit instead of getting vaccinated. Nobody there held him down and put a needle in him. He ended up going to a different job for a few weeks until he cought COVID and died.
Nah, for some it was forced. Losing a job is one thing, you can get another. Being kicked out of medical school is not a lost job, it’s a career ender. It was a privilege to attend such a school yes, but it was an EARNED one, and something I’d sacrificed for my entire life to that point Forced by all but gunpoint or incarceration
I don't know which earth you live on. The airlines did not want to institute a mask mandate or a vaccine mandate, but it was forced on them by government.
I did so I could see my newborn niece.
New-Age-Caesar in this thread would probably ask if you tried breaking in to not compromise lol. Congrats on the niece!
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>This can cause autoimmune symptoms with lasting damage to the body. I developed a small patch of vitiligo, though I also got Covid after getting the vaccine, so I don't know whether I can definitively blame the vaccine or whether I should blame Covid. It does seem to be perhaps evening out a bit. I was forced to get the vaccine for my government job. Some people claimed religious exemption and after a fight and enough time passing they didn't have to get the vaccine, but I'm not religious so apparently I don't have a right to medical autonomy.
Not sure why the downvotes. My younger sister had to get the COVID vaccine and boosters since she works in the medical field; she developed myocarditis, and since the first booster, she now gets seizures. She had to be tested regularly and was never diagnosed with COVID; I don't know whether to contribute that to the vaccine or because she's very healthy and almost never gets sick anyway. We have no family history of heart problems or seizures. She's the first. Of course, I'm just a random internet stranger, so I don't expect anyone to believe any of this.
Could you please provide some sources about your comment, "They put something in these vaccines which triggers the immune system to go into over-drive... This is not anti-vaxxer conspiracy stuff, but actually very true?"
That's just basic vaccinology. It's called an adjuvant and it stimulates the body's immune system via inflammation pathways and so forth so that your immune system mounts a strong enough response to the vaccine target (in this case the covid spike protein that's encoded in mRNA and produced by your cells). The idea is to help your immune system "remember" the pathogen protein. For the mRNA vaccines, the idea was let's encode the spike in messenger RNA and have the muscle cells in your arm produce the spike. The lipid nanoparticles actually act as an adjuvant on its own already. Your immune system sees the inflammation in your arm (a big side effect was feeling like you were punched in the arm, remember?) and moves in to kill the cells displaying the covid spike protein, in the process learning to recognize covid. Great idea in theory. In practice, in some cases the vaccine was injected into a vein on accident which caused those lipid nanoparticles to spread around the body. They don't discern which cells they enter so you end up with cells in random parts of your body displaying these spike proteins. Your immune system kills cells displaying the protein, which doesn't matter so much for your muscle cells in your arm: they regenerate quickly. Your nerves or the muscle cells in your heart on the other hand... Worth noting though that covid itself enters your cells using the ACE2 receptor, which while more common in certain places like your lungs is present in basically all your cells, which is why covid *can* be quite systemic and damaging to multiple organs systems for the same reason
What I couldn’t get over was the number of people standing for hours to get a shot. Of course media played this up so it built the illusion that everyone was getting it. Once they past the sweet point on the numbers getting it, the crowd took over and policed themselves. I couldn’t believe the brass balls of people asking me if I had the shot. You would not ask me other medical questions, but that seemed okay for people. I replied that that was personal and surely they did not expect me to share my personal medical data with them. I lost a lot of respect for people during that time. Not sure we can unring that bell the next time with such a ‘great’ precedent set.
When the vaccines came out I worked for a company providing vials and syringes for operation warp speed. They “required” us to get vaccinated, I put in quotes because there were a few folks that were too valuable to lose so they were given a different standard. I willingly received the vaccine, would have regardless of my former employers mandate, but had I not worked for a company that was critical for the rollout effort I would not have been eligible to get one as early as I did. I had no issue with the company putting this policy in place. It was a private business that they were free to run as they pleased.
Not a requirement at my job, but 100% did anyway, but interesting enough all but one said "fu" to the boosters. My spouse was mandated or termination, but they paid $300 during the "incentive " stage. Those that didn't comply were fired and the lawsuits are still ongoing. I suspect and hope that the ones that were fired will get their job back along with years of back pay.
Army would've ended my 15 year career with an "other than honorable" discharge. And now they are asking those Soldiers to come back because they can't get their recruiting numbers. Absolutely ridiculous.
I had to get the original two part jab to keep my job. Then I got let go anyway. Luckily landed on my feet pretty quick with an equivalent job in the field. Had to get the first booster to keep the new job. They still “recommend” we get the millionth booster or whatever they’re on, but I stopped as soon as it was no longer mandatory. Never had Covid before the vax. Had it twice afterwards and it was still miserable. I regret falling in line.
Military. Nuff said. Worst part for me wasn't getting vaxxed, it was having *that* conversation with my guys that were thinking about refusing. As a platoon Sergeant, I wasn't forcing anyone to do anything, but It was my job to be the first one to explain the consequences of that path.
Federal LEO. 85-90% of coworkers did because we were told we could face discipline "up to removal from service" Myself and 5 others at my location resisted. Many felt they'd lose their job unless they went along. The number of those who swore they'd never get it but relented when mere threats of removal were made, gave me insight to how easily most people are manipulated.
I "had" to get vaxxed, but I didn't. I submitted a letter asking for an exemption. They gave me a deadline to comply by. I still refused. When the deadline came, they extended it. Continued to refuse. When the next deadline came, they said there was no more requirement.
Wife and I were both willing to get fired and sue our employers luckily they bitched out like all corporations tend to do
You didn’t have to do anything. You chose to stay at that school.
You didnt have to, you chose. I left school because no amount of coercion was gonna get me to take the jab. Im back at school now vax free
Exactly I got sick in Jan 2020, so did my whole crew, then the job shut down for the lockdowns Jobless, locked in, couldn't get treatment for real maladies (head tumors, neurological problems, and others) ... fuck 'em, I packed my truck, drove thousands of miles and started over with nothing, it wasn't easy, but nothing worth it ever is Easiest way to get me not to do something is to tell me I have to Shame, threats and coercion? Please ... I will not comply Good times. I'll never forget this shit, I'll never forget and I'll never forgive
So true. These people claim to be libertarian yet somehow are convinced that someone forced them to get a shot they willingly took. If they didn't kidnap you and force you down and jab a needle in your arm, they didn't force you to do anything. You willingly caved to their pressure. I somehow managed to find THREE jobs where I wasn't even talked to by management to do anything. My dad held out when his job was pressuring him. It's not impossible like all these people make it seem. They just all caved. I have a little more sympathy for those not in the USA who couldn't leave their homes but anyone in the USA who claims that they were forced (as if someone took a gun to their head) to get a shot are full of shit.
Thank god I didn’t have to I work for myself.
Which vaccine? In most places in the US you "have" to get various childhood vaccines to get admitted to public schools. Is that what you are talking about?
No he’s talking about “the jab” because for some reason that’s different -_-
Also, fuck public schools
I’m still confused about this issue. Schools have required a list of mandatory vaccinations for decades to attend. Why is this one specific one different?
I was also able to get a single sheet of paper filled out by my daughter’s pediatrician to exempt her from every one of those. No such luck with the covid vax for many. And before anyone goes all reddit on me, my daughter is fully vaccinated. We chose a delayed vaccine schedule for her.
Not vaxxed, but commentary. My wife was a dialysis nurse when Covid started and during. She has a medical exemption due to being severely allergic to "inert" ingredients. Several of her nurse friends were terminated for not taking it due to religious/distrust reasons. All of them were hired back through an agency that didn't require vaccination and went right back to work as traveling or PTA nurses in the exact same center or hospital. It was just plain crazy.
Nobody HAD to get it. You chose to get it. Might’ve been a tough choice and one with severe consequences on both ends and one that you didn’t want to have to make but you still willingly chose. That’s the problem in this country is when the going gets tough 90% of people abandon their principles and bend the knee. I’d rather lose my job than have to live with the fact that I laid down and let the government have their way with me. Take a stand on something important for once eh?
I chose consequences over compliance and have zero regrets
At the time, I was working IT for a healthcare company. It was required.
I did. FF/medic. Was told i would no longer be put on the schedule if i didnt.
Military. “Had” to get it for deployment. I decided to get it though because I wanted the deployment money. So not technically forced.
I’m not religious either but if it gets me out of government pharma cult rituals I’m all in on religion so I claim a non denominational exemption and cited a bunch of passages in the Bible that say not to engage in sorcery which can be translated into potions or medicine. And another saying not to take medicine when you are not sick.
For me it was strongly encouraged because I was contracted to a university. The university came very close to requiring it for all staff and students, but then decided against it.
I refused it at work and was told I’d be let go at some point. So I started looking for a new job and after 2 months they just kept saying the same thing, and I found a new job paying way more so I quit. I’m not against vaccines, I’ve gotten lots of them but I am against an experimental vaccine in its trials being mandatory. It takes over 10 years for studies to show the long term effects and release a vaccine. Feel bad for everyone who didn’t want it but needed their job
I had a grandfather who was immunocompromised; I didn’t want to get him sick. He died in the wake of a stroke
I did, and I work in project management in AV. I had to sign a form that allowed my work to verify my health records and I have to provide proof of vaccination. There was one guy who was staunchly against the mandate, and he wasn’t allowed in the office or to meet any clients until he was vaccinated. His job was eventually becoming untenable so he eventually relented. He got pushed out the door 3 months later.
New York Presbyterian Hospital employee here. Gave us a deadline to get the 2nd round otherwise you would be terminated. I waited until the very last minute to get it. Deadline came and went. 2 days after the deadline came, an email came out stating they weren't going to mandate the vaccine anymore. TELL EM WHY YOU MAD!
My mom told me to do it. She's a retired nurse. I'm a graphic designer. I won't outshine her with my medical expertise, so I just did as I was told. I don't feel like a sleeper agent, nor have I noticed any Majin powers.
Yup, I had to. Would have lost my job if I didn’t, not cause of my bosses but because of the nature of the work. Couldn’t get into certain foreign countries in 2021 and most of 2022 without proof of vax, and when the work is in those countries I gotta make a business decision.
I got the J&J last minute against my will. Company mandated it. Our chief medical officer retired about a year later after all the facts started coming out. I always wondered if it was more than coincidence. She spewed all the “you can’t get covid if you get the vax”
School told us they wouldn’t let us finish our clinical rotations or graduate from medical school without it. Residency doesn’t look kindly on people who take longer than they should to graduate a four year program, so they really had us by the short hairs
My unit held a gun to all of our heads and said we will do it, or lose your livelyhood.
I was a contractor for DHS Ice and The US marshal service. They mandated the Jab
Forced by company. I mean you COULD not get it but then you were on leave with no pay. AND first year is probationary so, yeah, most likely would have been just fired.
From fall 2023: I know a student who was supposed to go to school in the fall. They were mandated to have certain vaccines. The parents go to get them and can't get an appointment before school starts. The school says, 'no exceptions, the student will just have to miss weeks of school'. So, the parents opted for a 'religious exemption,' which the school gladly accepted. It's a weird world.
My boss tried over and over again to get me vaccinated, I played the long game of telling him “soon™️” and he’s forgotten ever since I actually got Covid. I got the real vaccine 💪🏻.
My work told me to get it or be fired. I told them to fire me then. Then they told me I could apply for a religious exemption and that they had no authority to question my religious beliefs. So fortunately I got by without getting it
I was in the army. They gave us the ultimatum of the shot or get out. I chose to get out but I almost got the shot. Luckily, I kept my honorable discharge because I finished my contract right at the time of the mandate.
I had to get it to keep my job (defense contractor). 2 of my direct reports didn't get it and got fired. We are actually still undermanned from the vaccine firings.
I didn't need to get vaccinated to keep my job but I had to continue wearing a mask if I didn't get it. So I got it, nothing like pushing carts in 100 degree heat with a mask on to make the decision that much easier.
I was saved by the Supreme Court ruling. It came close. I feel pride for not getting vaccinated. I feel sympathy for the people who were forced to get vaccinated. I am not anti vaccination. I have a background in science. I had Covid in march 2021 before the vaccine became available for me. After they starting mandating the vaccine I decided not to get vaccinated.
Wife was fired from her job and kicked out of her master's program at University of Washington. My job threatened to fire me if I didn't get the vax so I resigned and we moved to Texas. I will never take something that is forced on me like that.
Didn’t get it, but it was tough. Work at a company with about 80 people - wife and I were the only 2 who didn’t get it. It wasn’t “required” but there was a lot of pressure and bullshit. Bonus and extra PTO if you got it. The company held a party for vaccinated employees only. They also required only my wife and I to continue wearing a mask to work even after the mandate was lifted. Plus, all the off handed comments and whispers. Basically just tried to make us feel dirty and othered so we would submit. We were both fully prepared to lose our careers over it if necessary, luckily it didn’t come to that…and we both still work there. But I did learn a valuable lesson - coworkers are not your friends.
nope, not going to do it
Unpopular opinion below. None of us HAD to. Every person who did so, made a decision. And before I get slammed, understand this is coming from someone who had to sacrifice mountains of income and some of my closest personal relationships over the lunacy and tyranny from the past few years. I read this below somewhere in the comments from user **radiantxero - "**If you wont follow your convictions to unemployment you don't have them in the first place." I couldn't agree more. For all that had the intestinal fortitude to stand fast, I commend you. For all that gave into the pressure, which was the vast majority, I really hope (even though I know that hope is more or less pointless) that you find the courage when faced with another similar decision in the future. ***"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."***
I chose to get vaccinated, because I preferred to get vaccinated to losing my job, etc... We should be very careful about what we call state coercive action.
It's horrible what you and millions went through. Being forced to do something like that and then being emotionally blackmailed. Your story comes up time and time again. The lesson is not learned and the same people who had absolutely zero moral issues about letting an unvaccinated die, refusing service, went on living normally. Hope you did a lot of thinking as something like this may happen again. Cheers
>THE ONLY way out of it was a religious exemption which I'm not gonna get because I'm not religious. First, I'm sorry you went against your better judgement. As a college student, I'm assuming you're under the age of 25 and probably closer to the age of 20. With that being said, a religious exemption in accordance with TITLE VII, has very little to do with actually being religious. You can have a "sincerely held belief" that is your "religion", that doesn't need to be disclosed. I submitted one to HR, they never responded to it, I didn't get any shots, and I still kept my job (which I was willing to lose). Of course. This addresses employment, not college, but it may have been worth a try. A quick summary. Religious practices are not just those required by a church or other religious group, but include **moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong that are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views.** Beliefs may be “religious” in nature even if no religious group holds such beliefs or religious groups to which others in the workplace belong do not accept such beliefs.
I was forced to get the J&J shot back in mid 2021 or I’d lose my job and health benefits. I’m a type 1 diabetic dependent on my insulin pump and CGM, which cost thousands of dollars a month with no insurance. I had two choices; die or comply. Unfortunate I complied, and I haven’t felt the same since. For 3 months after the jab, I had moderate symptoms of myocarditis that my doctor said were due to my diabetes (which is bullshit, I’ve never had problems) and put me on some meds until I returned to normal. Safe to say he is no longer my doctor. I still have random heart issues, can’t run more than 50 feet without feeling exhausted, I’m tired all of the time, and the gastrointestinal issues that I used to have a decade ago came back and haven’t left. About a month after I was forced to get the jab, I was fired anyways. Why? Because my job wasn’t “essential” and I was frequently absent due to “mysterious” health issues. Funny how that works. I was able to collect some Covid funds during unemployment, but now I’m hearing that my state will demand it back. I can’t even pay for rent or medical supplies, and now the state who fucked me sideways is going to finish the job. I’m just waiting for that letter in the mail that will seal my fate. Honestly, I may go Killdozer at the capital given the chance. Luckily I found a new job that is WFH so I can control my bowel issues and other assorted problems that miraculously started after my forced jab. I’m just glad I didn’t get the Pfizer jab. I know 7 people who have died in the last few years due to strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, and one who had a massive seizure. He had no prior history of problems. None of them did. In fact, all except for 1 were under 50. All of them were forced to get the jab, a few did willingly. Now, they’re all dead, along with millions of other people across the planet. This was a population control tactic, 100%. My life will never be the same, but at least I’m more fortunate than those who died.
They put a gun to your head? That’s not having a choice
ACTUALLY still a choice bro. you could chose death over vaccine bruh, so a choice still if they PUT GUN ON HEAD
Yep, work in healthcare, had to get it or lose my job. No boosts, just the initial vaccine.
Army required it up until a few months ago. I didn’t mind.
Work for a healthcare system, so had to get it. Luckily only the initial vax, no requirement for the boosters. What really sucks is that I'm in IT and work from home, so never anywhere near patients or anything.
My grandmother was in a retirement home and could not leave through the pandemic. For the first time in over a year, I was allowed to see her in person without a window in between, but I had to wear a mask and face shield to be allowed in. Was told starting the next week, if I wasn't vaxxed, I wouldn't be allowed to visit. I went and got the Vax solely so I could visit, even though I was against it. 2 weeks later, after I was told to wait after getting vaxed before visiting. The retirement home banned all visitations vexed or unvaxxed. Both my grandparents passed away there during the pandemic, locked away like prisoners where we couldn't hug them, or even see them in their last hours.
Not allowing people to see loved ones in hospitals/retirement homes should never happen again.
shouldn't have happened in the first place plus closing gyms and churches and 12 step meetings, but leaving open liquor stores, dispensaries, big box stores and Tinder fuck'n sham
My work required employees to get the jab, but never required proof. I simply told them I was vaccinated, neglecting to inform them of which vaccine exactly. They made assumptions that it was for Covid. I've never looked back or been questioned.
My father-in-law was forced to get it to keep his job at a turbine manufacturer. Originally they had said if employees wore a mask a vaccine was not required for employment and then a week later they said no you have to get the vaccine so he did and now years there are no guidelines as no one cares anymore. I drive heavy equipment and never got it.
Put up with weekly testing and bullshit write ups for missing tests on threat of being suspended and fired. Worked night shifts and swing shifts so it was actually very inconvenient to wait in the incredibly long testing lines weekly. Searched for a job for the entire year and found one with better pay and benefits and no Covid requirements. Left and cited the Covid policy explicitly as did other coworkers of mine.
I got a fake vax card to keep my job that I left shortly thereafter. Just needed time to get out. Current job doesn’t and won’t ever care. Definitely not in Colorado anymore lol. I’m not anti vaccine either, I think they have their place, but that place probably isn’t the arm of a healthy person. The last time I got the flu was the last time I got a flu shot. About 18 years ago.
The only thing I had to do was flu. I got the COVID ones voluntarily.
I HAD to for work. I just moved my Wife across the country for a new job and then COVID. Next thing I know the bust out that VAX requirement. I wouldn’t have done it if not for that. I’m still angry about this.
Didn’t we all have to get vaccines before COVID to go to school as well? Why was it not an issue before COVID but now it is ?
I didn’t have to get it, but I did right away. I had elderly grandparents, and one was extremely high risk. I wanted to get it to protect them, because I’m a healthy person in my 20s so I wasn’t worried about covid for myself. Once it came out that the vaccine doesn’t prevent transmission, there was no reason to get any boosters. So they say the vaccine prevents infection from being more severe? Okay, so what? I was never worried about it for myself. Irrelevant.
I didn’t get the shot. Lost friends and work. Kept my integrity. Now if only the bill collectors accepted integrity as payment for debts…
My employer required it and you would lose your job if you didn’t, unless you had a medical or religious exemption (and those were not easily obtained).
I theoretically did not *have* to get the covid vaccine. My first workplace mandated it but as a private business I respected their choice. I could have taken my resume elsewhere, and considered it, but concluded the cons would outweigh the pros. My second job was a local grocery and they didn’t mandate anything. In fact, I’m pretty sure none of them got vaccinated at all.
Was in high school back then, wanted to go on a trip to New York for a film competition. Had to get the shot in order to go. I guess I didn't *have* to go, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
I "had" to, but refused and put in for a religious exemption (fun fact, any strongly held personal belief is considered "religion"...you do not need to be a member of any organized religion). If it wasn't granted, they would have to fire me. I am a scientist, working for the Pharmaceutical industry, and refused to get the shot. I put an exemption request in with HR, they pushed back, so I pushed back even harder. They tried to pigeonhole me into misspeaking and getting me to contradict myself, but I saw straight through it and doubled down on my arguments. It was "provisionally granted" pending some additional information and decisions (like periodic testing, who would pay for testing, what work accommodations were needed, etc.). I asked a ton of questions (mainly legal ones) that HR refused to answer, or just answered with "we don't know." I did everything I could to put them into a corner. In the meantime, the courts ruled that employers couldn't require the vaccines, my company backpedaled and quietly removed all mention of the vaccines being required and changed over to "highly recommended".
I did to keep my job, however I did not submit to the vaxx passport and didn't go to any place or use services that required them for over a year.
I got vaccinated because it’s just a vaccine. I still don’t get this whole conspiracy crap.
I was excited as hell to get the jab. I was able to avoid COVID until it became available, and the benefits of the vaccine far outweighed the risks to me. Still have never had COVID to my knowledge even though everyone else in my family has had it. Not sure if that's because I'm vaxxed or I'm just really good at fighting off COVID. I begrudgingly gave it to my kids though. They were young enough that they had to wait several years after it was first released. By that time, they'd had tested positive for COVID, but had little to no symptoms. So the risks seemed to outweigh the benefits. But skipping the vaccine was going to make their and my life SOOO much harder with school and activities. I do think the risk of the vaccine is very low, but I hate how it was pushed on us.
I did
Civil servant here. Had to get it but put it off and actively avoided it until HR started threatening the unvaxxed with dismissal I am not an ideological antivaxxer but I was concerned by the fact that our vaccines were donated by a totalitarian communist superpower which has blithely sold poisoned baby milk in the past leading to several infant deaths.
Me!
I did. Same reason.
I had to my job at the hospital, but I would have gotten it anyways. I was about first in line.
Front line healthcare worker and federal employee. I did not get the shot. Only person in my department that did not. Very happy I didn't.
I work in a hospital as a general practitioner and used my religious exemption to get out of it. Realized after that I never need to take another shot now. I used to have to get flu shots every year.
My employer did not require it and didn't personally pressure me, but I had just started my job and this job is absolutely crucial to my career. Since it was an instant 10-days at home, I couldn't risk setbacks. I know it was ten days, but at the time, it would've devoured my sick days and then my PTO and my job is not one you can really do at home for more than a day or two. And I'm not anti-vaxxer, but there needs to be extensive research before I take something experimental that the government pushes as hard as they did. To this day, I've never gotten COVID...
I had to get one to be able to schedule classes for the next semester.
My job was pretty agressive about getting it and seeing as I had years in and was capped out, I was making good money (in comparison to my peers). My wife has COPD so that was a big concern so yeah, I had to get it. Funny enough we both got Covid and due to her COPD she received additional treatment and was fine 3 days after she tested and went to her doctor. I was in sick as hell for 9 days. Not the worst I’ve ever felt, by far but yeah.
Both my wife and I got the jab and 1st booster. She works remote for a healthcare company, and they mandated it for anyone on the company’s insurance plan. She has a thyroid disorder that requires twice yearly ultrasounds and quarterly blood checks, plus seeing the Endo multiple times a year. We couldn’t afford to have her lose her job over it, and I worked retail management so I’m always bringing home something or another… They’ve since rolled back the requirement for additional boosters, but the flu shot is still mandatory for all employees (remote or not)
I attended a California State University which is run by fascists who coerced us to get double vaxxed. If we didn’t, we weren’t allowed to sign up for classes. Basically, if you wanted to graduate and not sacrifice your career trajectory, we had to get vaccinated as guinea pigs despite being young and healthy. I seriously didn’t not want it at all.
I know you say comment if you did and I didn’t, but I want to say I felt sorry for all of the people who were coerced into taking the vaccine for school, work, etc. My family all had it, most by choice, and tried to pressure me to get it until they realized I wasn’t changing my mind. We were excluded from family gatherings or told we’d have to wear a mask (while the unvaccinated children who attend public school were not required to mask) so we skipped it. I’m sorry you were coerced. For anyone who was injured by the vax and required to take it by an employer or school should look into suing them. It’s probably a long shot but its not like you have any recourse with the pharma companies since the government took away liability for vaccine manufacturers. Funny how pharmaceutical companies have no problem being held liable for their other products but the 50+ vaccines they mandate children take to attend public schools - no liability. Interesting how that works!
I took the vax under duress. Submit to weekly testing that I had to pay for including any time away from work OR get vaxed to keep my job. After my 1st and 2nd shot both times I had horrible gum pain in a back molar. Ended up losing that tooth. I didn't even connect the dots until I was at the dentist for my 2nd unwell visit in a row so I don't think it was "placebo effect" type situation. Could have be unrelated. I'll never know.
Nobody had to get vaccinated - there were just harsh consequences for not doing it
Wasn’t mandated to get the vaccine or the booster but got them both I’m very pro vax but I’m very anti mandate If someone wants to go unvaccinated, that’s fine as long as the taxpayer isn’t on the hook paying for their hospitalization Of course, privatizing healthcare would be a lot more feasible if we could get rid of the welfare state so that people would have incentives to work hard as doctors, nurses, orderlies, hospital construction workers, and medical supplies manufacturing workers…
Ok, so like you shouldn’t be forced to get a vaccine. Bodily autonomy and all that- but social etiquette and ethics should kind of dictate that you do. I mean, it’s a pandemic. Viable, medically accountable, deadly pandemic. It is our responsibility, as members of our society and our communities, to protect each other. This means getting vaccinated. Can private companies enforce this? Yes. Should they? Yes. Should government employees get this? Yes. Should it be enforced? Yes. If you don’t get the vaccine should you be ostracized as a social pariah for choosing your personal feeling over the good of the community? Yes. The science was there, backing the vaccine. It was freely offered. It helped more than it hurt (unless you take into account your emotional sensitivity).
Yeah, it's really not very libertarian but if the small pox vaccine has been optional we would still have the disease with us today.
Vaccines did not prevent transmission. Science is always debated. I’m glad you felt good about your choice. Let me feel good about mine.
I had to get vaxxed because COVID 19 was a threat to my safety and I’m not a fool.
You didn’t HAVE to get vaxxed. I did in fact leave a top 50 university in Boston because I wasn’t going to compromise my first principles for anything. I was a national merit finalist and worked my ass off to get in there and was on track to be a highly paid finance bro after graduation. I became homeless temporarily and had to rebuild my life from scratch basically. Now I will probably never make more than a median salary. But some things are more important than money, no? You probably could have transferred to a different school, but you didn’t. You just did what was easiest and most convenient. Honestly a lot of really weak excuses in this sub, like I understand if you have kids to feed but damn, did any of you even try to find a different job?