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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => COVID-19 => Topic started by: nudephil on 26/01/2021 17:58:27

Title: My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?
Post by: nudephil on 26/01/2021 17:58:27

Viv asks:

I have a 48 year old daughter with two children. She is absolute adamant that when her turn comes, she will not have the vaccine. She will not “inject her body with poison”. We have both had ours with no reaction at all and feel very grateful and look forward to our second one.

What do you suggest I say to my daughter to persuade her to have it? It really worries me from both her own point of view and the children’s.

Title: Re: My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?
Post by: nudephil on 26/01/2021 18:07:50

My personal opinion: I would be as non-confrontational as possible. Ask her more about how the vaccines are poison, and perhaps establish some common ground (maybe a healthy distrust of politicians?)

If you're to make a case about why the vaccine isn't poison - and is worth taking - make it about you rather than about her.

"I wanted it, because..." rather than "you should take it, because..."

Title: Re: My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?
Post by: Bored chemist on 26/01/2021 18:08:31

If she doesn't realise that you not having serious effects proves that it isn't poison, then it's hard to see what will convince her.

Title: Re: My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?
Post by: alancalverd on 26/01/2021 18:23:25

It is difficult to imagine anyone in a civilised country reaching the age of 48, or even 5, without having survived at least one vaccination. AFAIK it is a statutory requirement to vaccinate dogs before they are allowed to work or even leave your home.

So it seems that this mum has read something somewhere about COVID vaccines that has put her off. A few encouraging words about polio (which her children are now unlikely to contract, thanks to almost universal vaccination in the 1980s) and smallpox (now completely eliminated by vaccination) might show her the rational argument, and it would be interesting to find out where she got the antivax idea from.

Title: Re: My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?
Post by: Kryptid on 26/01/2021 20:07:30

Show her a list of its ingredients (it's not hard to find). Ask her which ingredient(s) are poison and you can probably work from there.

Title: Re: My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?
Post by: Bored chemist on 26/01/2021 20:09:18

Quote from: Kryptid on 26/01/2021 20:07:30

Show her a list of its ingredients (it's not hard to find). Ask her which ingredient(s) are poison and you can probably work from there.

That might not go well...
The dominant ingredient is water, and enough of that will kill you.

Title: Re: My daughter thinks the vaccine is poison. How can I convince her otherwise?
Post by: alancalverd on 26/01/2021 23:28:23

Fish pee in it. Never touch the stuff until a brewer has made it fit to drink.