What is fair? Covid - sudden change of policy!

I have a friend in her early thirties. She is a sister on a frontline Covid ward at our local hospital. She has not had a vaccine, nor have most people in our area, regardless of age. Today, she was confirmed as having Covid. Now she has to isolate , so cannot work, her brother, a teacher, has to isolate, so cannot work. Her Dad is in his 70's and has to isolate. Why were frontline workers not vaccinated first? I blame the Government for this chaos.

Very reassuring information Pammie1 That confirms what I have read.

I think that all frontline workers and key workers - NHS, teachers, supermarket staff etc should get theirs as a matter of priority to keep the country running. I’d be happy to wait longer if I knew they were getting them first.

As SueDonim says above, her 93 year old mum hasn't been called for her first jab, my mother-in-law who is 95 and has COPD has also not been called. She lives in her own home and can drive to a centre so no reason she shouldn't have had it when others younger are getting their second. I do understand the logic of everyone getting one jab and another up to three months later. But I am worried about the new announcement about a three month wait for the second injection. Will we get to a point where there isn't enough vaccine/manpower to get the second injection within that time. If it goes over the 3 month timeframe will the first injection need to be done again or how long is the first injection protective for. It's all very confusing and I would like clarification. Those people who had the first jab I believe should vet their second one as promised.

@Azelea99. I agree, but for slightly different reasons regarding age. I’ll probably have my ass handed to me for this, but what I’m taking from this so far is that in the main younger people flout social distancing laws because they consider themselves bullet proof and don’t think about the devastating effects of passing on the infection to others. Therefore if we vaccinate starting with younger people and work our way up, we would reduce the amount of infection in circulation and therefore slow things down faster.

Oh for a government which is good at organisation and communication. Surely preparations should have been started for distribution as soon as research on vaccine was started , not left to the last minute. There are , apparently ,thousands of retired doctors and nurses applying to help with the roll out of the programme who are feeling patronised and undervalued because of the bureaucracy involved in the application . One retired doctor said she had completed a quarter of the modules in 6 hours over two days. This seems excessive . There are also hotel chains who have offered their hotels as pop up centres still waiting to hear. I'm afraid this government couldn't organise the skin off a rice pudding. everything left to the last minute, no forward planning, I really would not trust them to write a shopping list.

I am also on the frontline in the NHS and have had my second jab moved forward from 3 weeks to 12 weeks. The policy is the same for all.

It is for both vaccines moving forward.

I am with PamelaJ1 on this,I also understood the 12 week gap was for the AstraZeneca, one
I am sure the Pfizer one will go ahead as planned.

Not sure about that. My MIL had the first last month. Second was booked for 7 th Jan. has been cancelled.

Caragran The vaccine cannot be paid for privately in the UK. A friend in Calefornia ia told me he had just had his vaccination but of course was paid for by him. I wondered if this could be done in UK and all avenues led to a big No not available to purchase privately.

How would you feel if you hadn't yet had the first vaccination? Would you resent having to wait longer to have the first one because some people were getting their second one? I think this is one of those arguments where there isn't a right or wrong answer and one's opinion will depend upon which side of the situation they find themselves. I personally think it makes more sense to give as many people as possible the first vaccination which will give them some protection at least. And I would start with all the people on whom we depend to be in work. NHS front line staff, teachers, emergency service and supermarket workers.

I’m even more worried about the fact that HMGovernment is suggesting it’s ok to have a 2nd jab that is not the same type as first one but Public Health England do NOT support this idea unless there is a pressing reason to do it. I suggest when you get your jabs ask which one it is. I’m a long way off getting mine yet being only 72 and not vulnerable and can only hope that they will get enough vials in place very soon. What a fiasco.

Sorry, that should have read ‘within the first couple of weeks after the firstshot, 70% immunity is achieved’. Just as an addendum, have just seen the sky breaking news report that they are now recommending that the vaccines should not be mixed unless in exceptional circumstances where the patient’s first vaccine type is unknown or the same vaccine is not available. The use of a different type of vaccine is deemed better than no vaccine at all but should only be rare occurrences. Given the shambolic handling of the whole Covid crisis, am I the only one who fears this will not be as ‘rare’ as it should be. Makes the case for everyone making sure they know which vaccine they are being given, at the first point of contact.

Although it doesn’t suit my personal wishes I firmly believe that the order of vaccination should be: all key workers followed by everyone from the ages of 18 upwards in young-to-old order. The youth of this country are its life blood, not us older folk and we need to get them back to work, be that learning or earning. Like so many of you I desperately want to hold my little ones again, to be able to go on outings, day trips and even holiday, but that is the heart speaking and not the head. I have masses to be grateful for, and if I have to go through another year of the same restrictions for the greater good then so be it.

Long before the schedule of one then another vaccine 3 weeks later was announced a WH expert was on tv urging the vaccine to be applied as per the new system to give protection to more quicker. Takes about 3 weeks for any protection to kick in anyway from the 1st lot. There are many vaccinations that are applied with booster doses. Don't think Pfizer would as a company be too keen on their product being used in a way they knew wouldn't work. Their profits would plummeted and they could be held accountable for keeping quiet and allowing governments to misuse the vaccine. Keep calm get your first as you along with more people who will also manage to be covered in the new system will be protecting one another even more so.

How is it that younger people without any underlying conditions have been able to have the jab so soon? My husband is 89 and on the Extremely Clinically Vulnerable list yet has not had his. Does money talk?

Do go and watch John Campbell on YouTube. You will be reassured and he cites proper peer reviewed data.

I have a friend who works in this field who says that in practice the longer interim period between the two parts of the vaccination isn’t a problem as it’s the first part of the vaccine that gives the greater part of immunity - the second shot is more important for the long term duration of that immunity. He says that evidence gathered from vaccine research shows that a longer duration between the first and second shots can improve the efficacy of the vaccine - no reason at present to think that the Covid vaccine will be any different, although Pfizer has only tested at maximum 21 day interval. Within the first couple of weeks after the second shot, 70% is achieved, meaning that you are unlikely to pass on the infection and in the event of contraction, any symptoms are likely to only be mild. Given the enormous task of vaccinating everyone, like it or not, this seems to be the way forward.

Your not being selfish . The government were in such a rush to give people hope with a vaccine . The scientist have said that you need the next vaccine 3 weeks after so it will work . Or has the government used those who have had the vaccine as lab rats . I'm afraid this country couldn't organise a piss up in brewery .

I suppose what was meant that the 90% is the percentage of the effectiveness of the two jabs, as overall I think the two together are lower than the nineties compared with the Pfizer one.

I know that’s not phrased very well!

My son in law, an A and E Doctor has had his first vaccine. The second one was due on Tuesday and it’s been cancelled. He’s working on the frontline! His second should be administered to protect him to allow him to help all the people that are presently getting Covid.

I read the same thing about the Oxford vaccine being 90% effective after the first jab Gramps47

That’s very encouraging for those of us who have that one.

Interesting about the hospital queue. There was a news item before Christmas where a chap in his 90s was interviewed. He apparently just phoned a London hospital near his home asking if he could be vaccinated and the answer was yes come along now!

If you look on UTube at the excellent video by Dr John Campbell who is part of the research team for the Covid symptom study powered byZoe, which has been running since March, he answers all your questions. Also recommend you can read “ The Green Book” which is the Holy text on which all immunisations in this country are given. It has apparently been updated to include the latest Government advice based on the latest research.
My personal opinion is that the latest decision will protect far more of the country’s vulnerable people (like me!!) and help to stop needless deaths and ease pressure on the NHS which desperately needs it.

Yes Elliane but I was wondering how he knew about it but we didn't. Maybe others know.

Sorry for above, no idea what i did