What is fair? Covid - sudden change of policy!

For those who may be concerned at having to wait longer than the 'specified' period for the second dose of vaccine, please look at what research scientists are saying. Whilst the additional delay may be caused by our government's incompetence, it's not necessarily a bad thing.
A good, fairly quick (and understandable for non medics) summary is here -
peterenglish.blogspot.com/2021/01/delaying-second-dose-of-covid-19.html
I have also found what Trish Greenhalgh (a professor of Primary Care) writes seems very sensible.
Given the hold the virus has on our country, the vaccines are our way out of this.

I have heard this morning that this pfizer vaccineIS going to be delayed and not given at the 3 week interval,
What if that vaccine is not available at that time
Our Government think its ok to mix vaccines,
Scientist at the Cornell university of America say they shouldn't be mixed
It is the same when a cat or dog is vaccinated,vets wont mix vaccines,so there is a good reason for using the same ones

"The editor of the British Medical Journal has asked the New York Times to correct an article that claims UK guidelines allow two Covid-19 vaccines to be mixed.

The US publication reported that UK health officials were allowing patients to be given a second dose that is different to their first.

Fiona Godlee said there was no such recommendation to mix and match. "

Sadly Part of the reason for only giving the first dose to many more people is that you have more people to go back for a second dose at a later date, and the drug company have a guaranteed larger amount of vaccines to give at a later date, so excluding the chance of those people getting the drug produced by another company. I'm not saying that its the drug companies grabbing more sales, could be the deals set up by NHS, and they get more favourable terms from one company than another.

Did no one listen to Jonathan Van Tam on 30th December briefing.
He said they will get the vaccines out as soon as they become available. Each batch has to pass mandatory standards before being released.
It's nothing to do with the Tory government.
Stop panicking, abide by the rules of the tier you are in and wait your turn.
Sorry to be so blunt but all the blaming and panicking won't improve a thing.

Classic Not a believable motive for the change of plan.
A small saving on a future batch would be a drop in the ocean compared to the vast amounts the Govt has been throwing away for the last few years, even before they ordered stuff that never appeared from companies with no experience of supplying it. More likely that they are doing their (puny) best to get at least SOME of it into as many people as possible.

Is this true?

I don't like the idea of not getting the 2nd jab as was advised. The 1st may lose its potency if the 2nd is delayed. We always followed these guidelines with our children jabs. No, don't like it

Our doctors surgery is another that is sticking to the original plan. Their website says that patients should attend their second appointment as arranged.

Good on them. I just hope that they are not forced to go back on that.

Yes, the government's change of plan would mean that I get my own immunization much quicker, which would be great, but I think it is much more important that those who have already had their first jab (who are those deemed most at risk) get the second one as promised, in order to have the highest possible level of protection.

I have just heard from our GP surgery that I will receive my second vaccination this week as planned, so I am very grateful to be one of the lucky ones. My husband will soon receive his first vaccination, but will have to wait for the second one. So it looks as if our GPs are honouring existing appointments but after that, people will wait for much longer for their second vaccination.

As per usual everything is at the last minute. The 1st lockdown was too late, the algorithm for the 2020 summer exam results was not fully tested until a day or so before the first results were out and then, was not fit for purpose leaving hundreds of students in limbo, people having to travel miles for a Covid test because they can't get into the one just down the road and now this. These vaccines have been in the news for months. Why didn't the Government start recruiting medical staff to administer these jabs when the time came? That's why suddenly they are mentioning a bigger gap than the vaccine scientists recommend. Not enough staff. Personally I would rather listen to the ones who made it and tested it. If they stipulate a timeframe and not making a cocktail with other vaccines, then that's good enough for me.

It's even been muted by the Government that once more people have had the Pfizer jab, the boost can come from the Astra Zeneca jab. A kind of 'mix and match' solution. Sounds a bit dodgy to me. Were any mixed trials done to determined the safety of mixing vaccines? It's bad enough that they roll out the pfizer one for the over 80's when the trials didn't even including anyone over the age of 70. The more flip-flopping that goes on, the less likely I am to have any of them.I'm not anti-vax but I am anti-fudge jobs.

Ro60

But all the scientists agree this virus is not as bad as the black death. To talk about 50% death rate is irresponsible scaremongering.

The black death killed half of England's population. This virus is killing at most 1% of those that get it. The two are just not comparable.

effalump

It's even been muted by the Government that once more people have had the Pfizer jab, the boost can come from the Astra Zeneca jab. A kind of 'mix and match' solution. Sounds a bit dodgy to me. Were any mixed trials done to determined the safety of mixing vaccines? It's bad enough that they roll out the pfizer one for the over 80's when the trials didn't even including anyone over the age of 70. The more flip-flopping that goes on, the less likely I am to have any of them.I'm not anti-vax but I am anti-fudge jobs.

I think you are right to be cautious. It's funny how we only follow the science when it suits us. I too am anti-fudge jobs.

GrannyRose At the time of the Black Death no-one knew what was causing it, how it spread, or how to treat it. People were scattering from the stricken towns to the till-then unaffected villages, taking their belongings with them, including the fleas from the carrier rats. They believed it was caused by stinking air or was sent from God as a punishment, and they tried to avoid it by praying to God to forgive their sins and save them, or by holding sweet-smelling pomaders under their noses.

If they had known as much as we do, and had acted on the knowledge, perhaps it would not have killed so many? If everyone these days took the precautions that are now advised, perhaps it would not now be at a worse point than it was back in March, when we thought it would be over in a couple of weeks?

Exactly Grannyrose so why we're you arguing with me!

The fact is that this virus could have been much much worse. On the other hand the main problem with it is that, although the death rate is relatively low it is more infectious than other viruses because people are infectious before they show symptoms or are asymptomatic. Having said that no one knows what the long term effects of having the virus are. Quite often the people with long covid didn’t appear to suffer greatly from the virus itself. People that think that a 1% death rate is acceptable obviously haven’t lost someone from covid or have friends and relatives working in the NHS. I saw an interview with someone who works as a nurse in America who sounded absolutely broken, although thankfully she’d just had the vaccine. In an interview with her in early summer she was quite upbeat and coping well, but the difference in her demeanour was very upsetting.

Gaga Jo, Your post re Pfizer is absolutely true. some of the people saying 12 weeks is OK may be Dr's but they are not immunologists. 12 weeks might work but equally it might not and the protection from the forst jab will soon disapear.

How about those who survive and are left with long covid, which seems to cause immense damage?

The worry, and Chris Whitty cannot rule it out, is that you give the first vaccine, and in the long delay before the second, the virus mutates into a vaccine resistant strain, it needs the second one to knock it on the head. I pray this remains only a remote possibility, but I would not want to be the one held responsible for the decision if it does all go pear shaped.

fancy comparing the Black Death!!

The Point of lockdown is because if covid is allowed to run rife The hospitals will be overwhelmed and over run with patients dying around them and funerals being backed up indefinitely....

Which is just what has been discussed just now on tv.
Police cars are being used to take people to hospital, because there are ambulances waiting in a queue to take people in.

A close relative ( a nurse in a busy hospital) says that many older people and also vulnerable ones are not coming in for their inoculations as they have rejected having one.

Well, people were uneasy about how fast the vaccine was rolled out, and I think to find out that they may only get half of it...

Ro60

Exactly Grannyrose so why we're you arguing with me!

I will argue with anyone that makes this thing out to be worse than it is. Yes it is bad and devastating for those affected and their families. But to equate it to previous plagues is incorrect and damaging. The overreaction from the government and many people on this site is causing untold damage to our society our economy and our democracy. We are paying a very high price for our fear. And it will be our children and grandchildren that suffer in the end. I hope they don't turn round and blame us because they will have every right to.