I am NOT an anti-vaxer and I do encourage persons to get vaccinated. However, just for a minute, I would like to say something on behalf of Vaccine Hesitant persons (not anti-vaxers). 

Concerns raised with the current Covid 19 vaccines, ranges from the timing of its development, testing and ability to prevent infection or to transmit it. 
With respect to the development timing of the Covid 19 vaccines, I believe the logical argument is that sufficient testing, as determined by previous standards, compared with current vaccines, raises some flags. 

A question I ponder on is this; we were told that Covid 19, a member of the coronaviruses, belongs to the family of the common cold. For years, medical science has been unable to develop any potent medication/vaccine to provide sterilizing immunity against the common cold. To date, the common cold remains elusive to medical science and the most potent treatments, have been limited to suppressants, such as an array of flu medication, inclusive of tablets, fluids, effervescents, anti-biotics and annual flu vaccines. 

Typically, most people are unable to distinguish symptoms between the common cold and more serious viral influenzas.  Treatments for both are similar, except in rare cases, when symptoms become severe and hospitalization becomes necessary.  Nevertheless, this is how the general public treated with “having a bug or the flu”. 

Preliminary estimates for flu related deaths in the United States alone, for the 2017 –2018 flu season (Oct – May), indicates that sixty-one thousand (61,000) persons had died from influenza. Putting this into perspective, translates to an average of over 1.17K Americans dying from the flu, in every single state, annually. However, this never seemed urgent enough to drive any rigorous vaccination program to decrease mortality. 

Over the years, from within my circles, any public discussion regarding viral treatment, has been very quiet, except for analytical scenarios, frequently discussed by Microsoft’s Founder William “Bill” Gates.  However, upon the discovery of Covid 19, scientists were able to create vaccines within ten (10) months, something which they either could not or refused to do, regarding treatment for the common cold, although, the flu killed millions across the globe, annually. 

Issues now being of concern with the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines, were not either identified or publicly discussed, relative to preliminary lab trials. However, in “real world” application, these concerns were realized and early deaths or other complications were debunked by the authorities as unrelated, up till when, the negative occurrences, could no longer be ignored. 

These concerns will cause any critical thinker to reason, if within such short period of usage, we are already noticing these issues, could there also be long-term effects which we are now unaware of, considering the science relative to the cause of contagion and transmission, patterns of mutation and mRNA technology, applicability in humans is relatively new? 

Previous vaccines we have known, provided sterilizing immunity and thereby, fully protected an infected host from contracting the infection or even passing it on to others. There were negligible mutations, variants etc. 

Treating a flu virus provides a different challenge to science, because vaccination alone will not eradicate the virus as was done with polio, measles, yellow fever etc. 

It’s also being considered by some, since there are STILL uncertainties regarding effectiveness, side effects etc. of the current vaccines and answers are evolving daily, could the interaction between vaccinated host and the virus, be the cause of highly transmissible variants as never witnessed in our lifetime, propelling what we saw occurring in The Seychelles, Israel, UK, India, Brazil and now in the United States, again?  

Another troubling reality, was the apparent refusal by the major authorities, like the WHO, CDC, FDA and NIH, to include the anti-bacterial drug, Ivermectin, in clinical trials, with the aim of repurposing the drug to be used as a treatment for Covid 19.   

This barrier to ivermectin remained in place, although, many small clinical trials were reported to indicate positive results, in various countries around the world. These trials reports began surfacing around April/May 2020, when no vaccine was available and the time for market availability of any vaccine, was practically unknown. 

These small trials, lacked the necessary funding to conduct any properly accepted clinical trials on a larger scale, to comply with regulatory standards, which would be considered as acceptable.   

  During the months following May 2021, after Ivermectin was highlighted, thousands of Covid 19 related deaths were being reported daily, across the globe, triggering widespread panic, but still, no consideration for any official/sponsored trial use of ivermectin, would be forthcoming from the relevant authorities.  

After over an entire year and millions of deaths, economies and lives shattered, English based, Oxford University in June 2021, have decided to place Ivermectin to be investigated as a possible treatment for Covid 19, in Oxford’s PRINCIPAL trial. PRINCIPAL is one of the UK Government’s national priority platforms for covid 19 treatment. It is currently the world’s largest trial seeking to find home based treatment, for Covid 19. 
The question asked by many is simple; Why were millions allowed to die, while we waited on a vaccine with no definite delivery time, even though, highly specialized medical doctors from diverse countries, produced corresponding positive results regarding the efficacy of Ivermectin?  

Then there is the question of Herd Immunity. IS HERD IMMUNITY A REALISTIC CONCEPT? 

We all know what immunity means. Many of us knew about polio, yellow fever, small pox etc and vaccines which were administered to treat these viruses, fully prevented them from being transmitted one person to another. The term I learnt for that protection is called, sterilizing immunity.  

Fast forward to today, we have the annual flu vaccine which is generally administered to limit the impact of flu symptoms, morbidity & mortality. Flu vaccines in the past, were never touted as any immunizing agent. 

Up comes Covid 19 and many reputable persons, began touting Covid 19 vaccines as providing immunity against the Virus. The objective seemingly, is to promote the concept of Herd Immunity, creating the belief that if a person is vaccinated, he or she will somehow be unable to become infected with the virus or their ability to transmit the virus will be restricted. We have since learned; this is not a realistic expectation. 

The concept reasons; Upon “immunizing” a certain percentage of a community or population, any contagious infection will be unable to multiply, due to barriers presented by immunized persons, not being infected or being able to transmit the virus. Portion of the remaining unvaccinated percentage, would gain natural immunity, if become infected and the virus runs its course within the infected host. This would leave a very minimal remnant of unvaccinated persons who by reason of their community being immunized, would not have any transmitting agents to infect them, thereby creating Herd Immunity.  

This theory worked for former viruses, where the Vaccines used, fully immunized vaccinated persons against infection and thereby prevented them spreading any virus. Once vaccinated and immunized, you were no longer a carrier of the virus and was unable to infect anyone.. 

Never before, has this been the reasoning, associated with any flu vaccine. Flu vaccines has always been promoted for self-preservation, simply because, treatment has always been to relieve symptoms, which may include death. 

In February of this year, BBC journalist Zoria Gorvett wrote, “Herd immunity is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that populations acquire when enough people are immune”. In contrast to this statement, current Covid 19 vaccines does not provide immunity against the virus and as such, it’s reasonable to conclude, the possibility of Herd Immunity, does not exist and was never an option, associated with application of the current vaccines available. 

Everything stated within this article was formed from observation, opinions and general knowledge search, conducted by an average lay person, without any formal medical training or professional experience. 

Take all of the above into consideration, forms my reason for being vaccine hesitant?