A Melbourne woman suffering from long Covid has offered a scathing response to Sam Frost announcing she won’t get the coronavirus vaccine.
Maddy Bourke, 24, shared a video to TikTok on Sunday of herself breathing through a nebuliser as she watched Frost, 32, tearfully explain how society has made her feel ‘less of a human’ because of her decision to remain unvaccinated.
Ms Bourke, who has suffered from prolonged Covid symptoms for the past 10 months after contracting the virus in London, had some choice words for the Home and Away actress.
‘I’ll tell you what also makes you feel less of a human – needing help to breathe’: Maddy Bourke (pictured), a Melbourne woman suffering from long Covid after contracting the virus in London 10 months ago, has reacted to Sam Frost defending her choice to remain unvaccinated
‘I’ll tell you what also makes you feel less of a human – needing help to breathe every single day because of the damage to your lungs because of the virus,’ she said.
‘And then also coming on here, and having about 10 people every day tell you that you’re making it up, and that you’re lying and that it’s not real,’ she added.
Ms Bourke also responded to Frost’s claim that being ‘judged’ for her decision to remain unvaccinated had affected her mental health.
‘I now have two of my best friends working as nurses on Covid wards’: Ms Bourke (left) also responded to Frost’s (right) claim that being ‘judged’ for her decision to remain unvaccinated had affected her mental health. Right: Frost as Jasmine Delaney on Home and Away
Reality check: Ms Bourke (pictured in London) said: ‘In response to your “mental health” comment, I now have two of my best friends working as nurses on Covid wards, who are treating Covid patients who are all unvaccinated, every single day. Watching them die, watching them suffer… how do you think their mental health is?’
She said: ‘In response to your “mental health” comment, I now have two of my best friends working as nurses on Covid wards, who are treating Covid patients who are all unvaccinated, every single day.
‘Watching them die, watching them suffer, watching them struggle to breathe every single day. How do you think their mental health is?’
The majority of patients being treated for Covid in ICU wards are unvaccinated. Getting the Covid-19 vaccine significantly reduces your chances of hospitalisation.
Ms Bourke has previously spoken about her battle with long Covid, admitting in August that she still ‘struggles to breathe every day’ and couldn’t even walk on a treadmill without losing her breath after contracting the virus in January.
Battle: The 24-year-old Melburnian (pictured before contracting Covid) has previously spoken about her battle with long Covid. Long Covid is classified as the long-term effects of the virus when symptoms continue for more than 12 weeks after an infection
Nightmare: Ms Bourke said in August that she still ‘struggles to breathe every day’ and couldn’t even walk on a treadmill without losing her breath after contracting the virus in January
Long Covid is classified as the long-term effects of the virus when symptoms continue for more than 12 weeks after an infection.
Ms Bourke’s post comes after Frost’s employer Channel Seven clarified the network’s stance on Covid-19 vaccines and said she was still an employee.
A spokesperson said: ‘Seven strongly encourages vaccination for all our people and all Seven productions strictly adhere to the public health Covid-19 safe protocols.
Statement: Ms Bourke’s comments come after Frost’s employer Channel Seven clarified the network’s stance on Covid-19 vaccines and said she was still an employee
‘All Home and Away cast and crew also undertake Covid-19 testing three times a week in addition to other preventative measures.
‘Sam Frost continues to work on Home and Away and follows the safety protocols in place.’
Frost deactivated her Instagram account on Saturday afternoon, shortly after revealing in an emotional video that she was unvaccinated and her mental health had suffered as a result of other people ‘judging’ her.
Protocols: A spokesperson said, ‘Seven strongly encourages vaccination for all our people and all Seven productions strictly adhere to the public health Covid-19 safe protocols… Sam Frost continues to work on Home and Away and follows the safety protocols in place’
The actress, who has played nurse Jasmine Delaney on Home and Away since 2017, called for less judgement towards unvaccinated Australians.
‘I was really hesitant about doing a video or even speaking up about this sort of thing, but I feel like it’s getting to a point now in the world where there’s a lot of segregation,’ she said.
‘There’s a lot of harsh judgement and opinions being thrown around a lot and it’s taking its toll on my mental health for sure, and I know people around me are struggling – particularly if they’re on the side of they don’t want to get vaccinated, for whatever reason.
‘There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons.’
Frost then said she hadn’t been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision.
However, it’s understood she does not have a valid medical exemption.
She added tearfully: ‘It’s a really hard time to be in society right now and you feel like you are less of a human and you feel like people judge you.
Confession: Frost deactivated her Instagram account on Saturday afternoon, after revealing in an emotional video that she was unvaccinated and her mental health had suffered as a result
‘And you’re too scared to talk about your opinion or your feelings and part of you wants to go, “Well, it’s none of your damn business why I’m not! And there’s good reasons why I’m not and I don’t want you to judge me.”‘
She explained it was important for the unvaccinated to look after their mental health, especially as freedoms return for fully vaccinated Australians.
‘I’m struggling a lot with my mental health and I like to think that I’m pretty on to it. I see a psychologist regularly. So I can’t imagine what it’s like for people who don’t have a support network around them,’ she said.
Medical advice: Frost (pictured with Ada Nicodemou) said she hadn’t been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision. However, it’s understood she does not have a valid medical exemption
She also said she could ‘get in trouble’ for coming out publicly as unvaccinated, before urging people to treat each other with more kindness and compassion.
Her video caused a great deal of controversy, mainly because of her use of the word ‘segregation’ when referring to the way society ‘judges’ unvaccinated people.
‘Segregation’ is usually used to describe societies that are divided due to race, religion or sexual orientation.
‘Sam Frost, if you want fewer people to judge you and more people to empathise with you – maybe, just maybe don’t use the word “segregation” 30 seconds into your video. This isn’t 1950s Alabama. You ain’t Rosa Parks,’ tweeted journalist Antoinette Lattouf.
Words: She admitted that she could ‘get in trouble’ for coming out publicly as unvaccinated, before urging people to treat each other with more kindness and compassion
‘Watching Sam Frost tearfully speak about “segregation” because she chooses not to get vaccinated and being called “brave” by her followers is taking me to a level of “what the f**k” I didn’t know was possible,’ added comedian Em Rusciano.
‘It’s not segregation so I would suggest you change your terminology because that is so disrespectful to people who have been segregated because their race, religion, sexual orientation,’ wrote another person on Twitter.
Vaccinations are vital to reducing the spread of preventable diseases, and any suggestion otherwise flies in the face of science and the advice of medical experts around the globe.
The coronavirus vaccine is a safe and vital measure being taken to protect the community from the spread of the virus.
Backlash: Her video caused a great deal of controversy, mainly because of her use of the word ‘segregation’ when referring to the way society ‘judges’ unvaccinated people