The tone of this blog changed dramatically over the course of 24 hours. I began wanting to hear both sides of the story to let readers make up their own mind. I asked myself the question, ‘is the vaccine safe’. As I dug deeper and learned more, my mind became made up.
I can find plenty of information suggesting that the vaccine has possible negative side effects, or is ineffective. No matter how hard I look, I cannot find information that confirms the vaccine has worse possible side affects than the antibiotics I take when sick. I haven’t yet found a piece that confirms the suggested alternative remedies will fight Covid at all, or giving the benefit of the doubt, faster or more efficiently than vaccinating our country.
What I have found over and over again, is articles from doctors making claims that they can’t back up with evidence. I’ve also spoken to friends who are putting their personal preferences before what the country that they live in needs. These same people hate lockdown and will reconsider the safety of the vaccine when they’re ready (meaning when they want to travel). I suspect it’ll be safe enough for their veins when they want to buy the plane ticket. Is the vaccine safe? Apparently when the time is right it is.
I’ve found a group of NZ doctors against the vaccine that made some good points. One is a Doctor at the clinic where I am registered which uses both traditional medicine and natural remedies.
note: I use natural remedies to prevent chronic illness, maintain good health and repair my body from conventional medicine. I use conventional medicine, combined with natural remedies when I get sick. I believe there is a place for both.
New Zealand is in a state of chronic ill health, not because we are dying from Covid but because we are imprisoned by Covid.
These doctors who pose the question, ‘is the vaccine safe’ stress that the Pfizer vaccine, among all vaccines, has health risks. I agree that all vaccines and medicines come with health risks. The doctors go on to say that the vaccine isn’t necessary for every individual to fight Covid. I also agree with this.
My argument is that we aren’t individuals fighting Covid. We are a nation fighting it.
If there are natural remedies for the individual to fight Covid then would you consider that you could use the same remedies to fight any negative effects of the vaccine? If all goes well, us health nuts could even do our research from the cafe that we currently can’t go into. Better yet the airplane seat that is unavailable to us. Get the jab, deal with the unlikely side effects, and if you really are destroyed by it but truly believe in natural remedies, they’ll still be readily available to you to maintain your excellent health.
You’ll also know that natural remedies cost money (lots of it). The natural route takes tenacity, an unwavering belief in something that won’t necessary work immediately or thoroughly. Natural remedies work slowly and subtly over time, and sometimes they aren’t strong enough to work at all.
What I am seeing is people doing nothing. Nothing at all. Hating lockdown while sitting on the fence as it happens over and over again. They want to travel, but they don’t want to be a part of the plan to make that happen.
Like I said, I began by trying to make this blog balanced. A forum for discussion on why to vaccinate and why not to vaccinate. Is the vaccine safe? I still invite you to come at me with your opinion. I’m no longer confident that upon digging deeper I’ll change my mind, but I’m ready for you. I promise to read with an open mind.
It’s just that upon looking at the ‘not vaccination’ side, I simply became tired and bored. For the life of me I couldn’t find anything to see how we will get on with our lives unvaccinated.
As I tried to find proof that we were being duped, the media was censoring information and facts being withheld from us I found over and over again the minority groups couldn’t put their money where their mouths are. They didn’t have anything tangible to back up what they were saying. There was nothing being hidden from me with these guys. They just lacked factual information.
I began to trust the mainstream stuff more and more. I couldn’t find large reputable bodies saying these companies were corrupt, I couldn’t find lawsuits against them, and the exposed ‘lies’ were from sites and groups that were emotionally charged and one sided.
I’ve had the jab so that I can travel again one day. I have been vaccinated so that my business can continue to offer services to our customers. I took the needle to help slow the spread of Covid-19. I lined up as my contribution to the end debilitating effects of lockdowns mentally, emotionally, physically and financially on our nation.
I’m not a ‘sheep’, I don’t mindlessly follow the masses. I posed the question ‘is the vaccine safe’ and came to a conclusion after researching the origin of the articles that I read. I’m all about ‘pro choice’, (the latest buzz words), but I’m not about digging my toes in and cutting off my nose to spite my face. I see nothing being achieved, health wise or otherwise about refusing the jab.
No I don’t want a pat on the back, but I do want to understand if you are not getting the jab, why you chose not to. I invite you to comment for an open, frank and respectful discussion.
The only argument I have for you not getting the vaccine, is if you are genuinely fearful of irreversible effects and have seen proof that you are susceptible. You love lockdown, you have not been negatively affected financially and you never want to travel again. Also, you never take antibiotics, drink alcohol, take recreational drugs or eat junk food. Your body is a temple.
If not. Get the jab.
A great read Denise! So well written xx
Bring on being able to travel again (and even being able to come to Mana again for a retreat!)
Thanks Sophie! Yes have had three retreats postponed now. Sigh. Am hoping the blog can unite rather than divide people but we will see. Thanks for the continued support x
Love you Denise! You made me smile! Greetings from sunny Nelson! Julia &Henrik
This is avery uneducated account of how natural remedies work. Perhaps do a naturopathic degree and study the efficacy of natural medicine before making such statements. Irrelevant too. Natural Medicine doesn’t go hand in hand with being a non-vaxer. Plenty of natural medicine practitioners have decided to get the jab to support NZ’s fight against Covid.
Hi there,
Really appreciate you taking the time to comment. I agree with you, I too am a fan of and use natural remedies. I often think Doctors are too quick to prescribe medicines, or they prescribe them without also considering natural remedies to support healing and recovery.
My point is that I don’t think natural remedies are the best solution in times of crisis. When I had whooping cough I was incredibly ill. I would stop breathing several times a day to the point of collapse, and I even once had to call 111 because I had stopped breathing and couldn’t get oxygen. It was strong steroids that finally got me breathing again, not natural remedies.
If New Zealand wasn’t in crisis, I’d probably not bother with getting the vaccine as it’s not my preference. Right now I see a need for action and I don’t see inaction as helpful. If someone has a real concern of the vaccine, and you’ve done your homework and stand by your decision, then absolutely do not get it!
Also, I agree with you, and don’t believe that natural medicine goes hand in hand with being a non-vaxer. It has simply been one of the arguments for not needing to get vaccinated that I wanted to address.
I appreciate the open discussion Denise!
I have a few reasons I’m not getting the jab now.
1 – my refined intuition after many, many good and bad medical experiences. I’ve learned that when I don’t listen to my body, things don’t go well. So I’m listening. And right now my body says, wait.
2 – I have read stories, seen photos and videos of distributing side effects from this particular vaccine towards the start of the vaccine rollout in the USA, some were stories shared from practitioners I’ve followed for years. Many of those videos were deleted, or accounts recorded from social media. I found the censorship as disturbing as those who has side effects. Of course all meds have potential side effects and I think most people won’t experience them. However, I believe that any new drug needs to be fairly evaluated in order to be improved. I don’t think you, me, any doctor or scientist will know that this vaccine is safe long-term until it’s been used long-term. Only time will tell.
3 – I know my body very well and I honour my health. I’ve experienced 3 major abdominal surgeries and had my entire colon removed over 20 years ago. I’ve learned a lot. We both know that whether someone gets the vaccine or doesn’t, either way it’s the immunity system responding (to covid or to the vaccine) so creating a robust immune system should be the conversation — not “should I get the vaccine?”
4 – one of my top values in life is body autonomy (largely due to my past experiences). Health is nuanced. We all have different needs. I hope that my right to choose remains my right. This is so important to me, that I might in fact sacrifice travel home to the US for a period of time. Which is heart wrenching… but so is doing something against my will. I don’t know if I’ll change my mind in the future to see my family, but for now I’m trusting my gut. I support anyone who feels the vaccine is best for them. Especially those who are in poor health. I would love to receive the same support.
5 – it’s not cool to pressure people to do something they don’t feel comfortable with when it comes to health. I don’t live like most people in our nation so why should I conform to behaving like the majority of the nation.
6 – I have 5 personal USA friends who treated covid with a drug – ivermectin – very successfully (among all the other immunity boosting strategies). But word has gotten out so last month the pores about ivermectin suddenly becomes negative. When before July, I couldn’t find anything negative about ivermectin. Money is in the new drugs, not old ones like ivermectin.
7 – I’m not convinced yet that the vaccine is working since the most vaccinated countries are currently having the highest covid infections (in the middle of summer). Israel being one example. But I sincerely hope that it does.
I’ve never had strong opinions on vaccines. I read that Nz purchased the nova vaccine to
Uses a booster which I like better than phiezer because it’s older technology. It’s an actual vaccine — a small dose of covid.
I share my perspective not to convince you or anyone to think like me, but to share some reasons why some of us are hesitant in the hopes that compassion and understanding override needing anyone to be “right.”
Love this Kim. Honestly, even though I was a little sarcastic at the end of the blog, I respect our differences and the choice that you’ve made.
It’s been a minefield of information and I say power to you for doing what’s right for you.
You obviously didn’t dig deep enough! There are heaps of doctors and scientists who have evidence the vaccine can and will cause harm. It’s as the saying goes: we find evidence that supports our own view. I think if you were honest you will find you had already made up your mind.
Hi there, thanks for commenting. You’re right, when I wrote this blog I had come to a conclusion (already made up my mind).
I wrote an original blog however where I was leaning strongly towards pro vaccination, but open to be disproved. I knew I’d be asked the hard questions if I published a strong view so wanting to be prepared, I set out to do some research with a really open and unbiased mind.
As I tried to pull apart my opinion, I was brought to a conclusion where I felt more confident about why I have made the decisions that I’ve made regarding vaccination. At that time, a blog where I sat on the fence didn’t feel authentic to me. It was safer, but it was no longer my honest opinion. So I deleted the old blog and wrote this one.
Like my husband always says, be part of the solution not the problem… we as a family have had all the vaccines available to us since childhood. With no lasting side-effects, why would this one be any different?
We got our covid jabs to be part of the solution
Hey Denise long time no see!
You don’t need to go too far from home to find people’s stories around their jab experiences. Miraculously 2 pages I follow have escaped the Facebook police thus far. Go to FB and join nz testimonials or health forum nz. You might change your mind. Sending love XX
I remember feeling like I was coming
Home each time I walked into your studio. A place of love, acceptance, inclusion. A place with no judgement. Whilst I am happy for you that you have made your decision – ultimately we all want to be healthy – by including such strong views that state you are unlikely to change your mind, you are projecting an energy that feels like a lack respect and understanding for those who feel differently to you. If I was still living in Auckland, it certainly would make me feel differently about returning to your studio. Your post feels, to me, divisive. And reading the comments below it shows how your views may be ‘feeding’ others – creating a negative ‘wall’ and armor that others may now feel too vulnerable to try to walk through – or even towards.
The world feels somewhat overwhelming right now. In this period of transition there is a vulnerability that both reveals and connects us as humans. We need to stay connected in love and kindness.
It is not the responsibility of the unvaccinated to protect the vaccinated. That’s the vaccines job. How i about “I do me, you do you” mindset and we go about this in the same way we would any other health decision, without feeling a need to suffocate social media with strong viewpoints, ultimately dividing hearts.
Let’s change up the slogan … “today I am kind, for the team of 5 million”.
Let’s get back to yoga. And welcome all with open arms, regardless of their decision, not needing proof or discussion around our vaccination decisions. I would be looking for that studio – the one that says “we are here for you, in kindness, with no judgment, as one. There is no judgement here. Only love, compassion and kindness.”
Laura I love your attitude and your words. If ever you visit Waiheke my yoga room will be welcoming anyone and everyone. We are indeed all in this together and only love and compassion will see us thrive ❤️
Hi Laura,
I wasn’t trying to be unkind in my blog. I am firmly expressing my opinion and I think that’s a good thing! My best friend, who I love more than anything, is exercising his right not to get vaccinated immediately. I go to him for advice, I cannot wait to see him when I’m able to again and I accept his decision. Although it does’t change the way I feel about him, I simply don’t agree with him this time. We’ve had healthy debate about it.
A place of indecision is not a great place to be in, and I am largely addressing the people who don’t know what to believe. Whether I agree with you or not, if you’ve made up your mind like I have and will stand by that even if it becomes inconvenient to you, bravo. Well done.
Agree with you completely (especially the travel part). Feel embarrassed to be associated with the yoga world atm (22 years a teacher). Too many inglorious responses here to reply to . NZers are shielded from the realities of what’s actually happening globally. I was in the US last August – December. The reality you can’t actually imagine. We’re just not exposed to it here, so people don’t have an accurate understanding of what it’s like in real life. Hospitals there full to the gunnels with the unvaccinated now (Lived there 5 years so still updated daily regularly by my frontline nurse friends). Wish we could just honour the wishes of the unvaccinated and leave them untreated. Alas, even in the States they don’t do that. They treat them.
People are recalcitrant to change because it doesn’t affect them. Why get vaccinated when you have the income to just ride out the lockdowns? When you have the means to live in a huge house where everyone can spread out and have their own devices and sufficient work space. When you likely have private health insurance (just in case your immune system doesn’t manage to fight it)
I applaud you putting yourself out there and being open to finding out more. I did the same and I ran into the same brick walls with, surprise, the yoga community. Makes me laugh how very far away the practice has got from its core tenets. By all means you unvaccinated keep doing you
though. As long as it’s about you.
Hope you get that overseas trip Denise. That’s what I’d like too. And to help local businesses struggling.
Love your leadership by example on this topic Denise. Lockdowns are having a crippling effect on many people’s livelihood and wellbeing and community. It seems there is no alternative than vaccine to overwhelming our medical system. As you said it takes a lot of time and money and is also a risk to try alternatives to the vaccine. Most people don’t have the luxury of those resources and as a nation we don’t. Hope to see the Yoga Sanctuary open soon!
Jo, thank your for these words – really nice to read. You totally get where I’m coming from.
Very much looking forward to opening our doors again. Love to you and your family.
I have been researching this topic for a year in scientific journals, listening to top medical experts and above all looking at the government databases of adverse effects and deaths statistics from the vaccine. Do look at the US one openvaers.com. it is generally agreed this represents 1 to 10% of cases as doctors are forbidden to enter cases and patients often don’t know about it.
Very well written blog Denise, and thank you for taking a firm stance. I agree with every word. I’m surprised and disappointed that so many yogis forgot the 8th leg of yoga, Ahimsa [Causing no harm]. Vaccination is the only way forward and this choice affects all of us. To vaccinate is to exercise a love for others and the community. If humanity does not protect the elderly, the sick and the vulnerable then we have regressed into a selfish society where only the self matters. I would feel dreadful were I to cause the death of a person through transmission and poor choices – it may be the stranger behind me in a queue. How lucky are we to live in an age of advanced medicine and Virology.
Hi Laurinda, Thanks for your kind words. I agree that vaccination is the only way forward. Yes there are alternatives, but in extreme vases like pandemics, I don’t think it’s the right time to trust the subtleties of natural medicine.
I would even boldly say that I think it’s naive to believe we could overcome millions of deaths through alternative therapies. Later down the track when things aren’t as bad? Sure! In the midst of the chaos. No.
We need the big guns and I’m proud that I’ve been a part of the solution. Happy to hear you have been as well.
Beautifully written and I totally agree. It is a chance for us all to be of service to all humans like never before rather than focus on self …me and my body … my way . I look forward to coming to your studio and attending class with Abbey -Lee in the morning.
Thank you for writing this. I’m immunocompromised and whilst I’ve head my 3 primary jabs, I wont be able to get my booster until feb, so I’m a little nervous of joining a new group before then (my first visit is tomorrow for a Restorative session). Seeing your balanced and positive blog on the vaccine is very reassuring to those of us who unfortunately do have to rely on the consideration of others to help keep us safe – thank you 🙂
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for this feedback and welcome to our studio! It must be challenging to rely on the larger community for your health, hopefully we’ve done all that we can to remove any hesitation once you arrive. Enjoy class this afternoon – Nadia’s restorative class is total bliss.