The founder of Goss.ie says she has been subject to 48 hours of online abuse after she posted about getting her COVID-19 vaccine.
Ali Ryan has spent the past year cocooning as she has Type 1 diabetes, and last week she got the call confirming her vaccine appointment.
People with chronic conditions such as diabetes are deemed at very high risk of COVID-19, and therefore currently qualify for a vaccine.
It was a happy day for Ali after a 'really, really rough year' - a moment of relief for herself, her family and her friends.
As someone with a large social media following, she felt it was important to document her own experience.
However, says there was a huge online backlash after she put a picture of herself getting the injection.
Speaking on Lunchtime Live, Ali said it was a 'crazy weekend'.
Woke up this morning to dozens of angry messages and comments. Firstly again questioning why I was allowed get the vaccine (despite being medically vulnerable) and secondly slamming me for promoting getting the vaccine because "we shouldn't take an experimental drug" honestly 😐
— Alexandra Ryan (@SweetLikeAli) April 12, 2021
She said: “I got the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was incredible news. I’m a Type 1 diabetic, so I’ve been deemed as being in a vulnerable category since the pandemic began. I’ve literally spent the entire year by myself - isolating, cocooning. It’s been a really, really rough ride.
“I [first] put it up that I was going to get the vaccine. I got a good few negative comments… to an outsider, I might look like a young healthy girl.
"This is a point I’ve tried to drive home a lot this year - it doesn’t matter if someone is healthy and looks young, they may have an underlying condition."
Ali said the backlash was 'much worse' when she put up a picture of herself getting the jab.
From some people, she received messages claiming she didn't deserve to get the vaccine before their relatives or friends - attempting to make her feel guilty for getting the vaccine.
Meanwhile, she also had a "huge amount of anti-vaxxers messaging me saying they hope I get blood clots… they hope I’m going to be infertile… that I’m lying about the vaccine and promoting something that isn’t safe".
She observed: “Having people say that I don’t deserve it because I look young… we’re falling into an absolute cesspit of anger and hate at the moment.”
“It should only be a positive thing"
Ali said only some of those with diabetes currently qualify for a vaccine (depending on the results of a regular HbA1c blood test), while she herself has complications from the condition.
She explained: “I’ve been hospitalised in the last six years just for having a tummy bug or getting a temperature.
"Insulin becomes desensitised in my system when I get sick, so nothing will work and I have to be hospitalised.”
She now fears online vitriol about vaccines could deter people - both those with underlying conditions and the general population - from getting the jab.
Ali said it's understandable that there's anger about some people ‘skipping the queue’, but the vast majority of people getting vaccines at the moment do fall within the high-risk cohorts.
She observed: “I am now going to be safe - I know I won’t be hospitalised, I won’t die if I get it. My family are relieved, my friends are relieved.
“It should only be a positive thing, and the fact it’s turning into such a dark, twisted topic… I’m worried this is going to turn people off from getting the vaccine or turning people off getting it.”
Amid reports of very rare side effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine, Ali said she weighed up the risks and is happy she got it.
She doesn't regret sharing her experience online - saying it will be worthwhile if it convinces even one person who might otherwise have been hesitant to get the vaccine.
