Dangers of Volunteering for COVID vaccine trial!

Zink1, I am afraid you misunderstand what *Cindersdad is talking about. he is talking about the vaccine, not the challenge trials.

There is no live virus in the vaccine, so you cannot get COVID from the vaccine. This is the trial he wanted to volunteer for. The next stage is when someone is given the vaccine and then given the virus, and, as I described above, and he would not be being considered for that stage anyway.

Thank you M0nica you explained it clearly and please thank your DH. It’s only with the help of people like him that a successful vaccine will be found.

Is your wife one of those people who mistakenly believe that it’s possible to catch flu from the flu vaccine?

Surprisingly this belief still persists so maybe that’s why your wife has reacted in the way she did.

If you are taking part in the challenge trials (due to start in January I believe) then her fears could be justified, but otherwise she should be very proud and supportive of you.

Is like to ask Nottooold and Zink1 Why they think there is more risk of catching the virus if you are on a trial? That's not how it works. "M0nica* explained in her post.

I'm grateful to anyone like the OP for volunteering for these trials.

Good on you to volunteer, but your wife is certainly not paranoid. No matter how small the risk is, it is still risk. You could catch the virus and become very ill turning her world and yours upside down. You could be fine but pass the virus to your who gets very ill. Your wife, understandably, wants to avoid these scenarios.

The question to put it crudely, is who do you love more your wife or Joe Public?

You sound like a lovely person, Cindersdad, but I don't think your wife is paranoid. If you were infected (however unlikely that is) her health would be at risk, so who's to blame her for reacting in the way she did?

DH is part of the Oxford trial, 77, obese, high blood pressure and diabetes in remission. i volunteered but was not selected. We obviously do not know whether he got the COVID vaccination or the control one, he remains as fit and healthy as ever - and he has had two jabs in the last 3 months vaccine trials .

I do not think your wife is paranoid, but there are so many unsubstaniated to deliberately untrue rumours being circulated about the safety or otherwise of these of vaccines in general and COVID in particular. Perhaps your DW has heard a some of the misleading conspiracy theories and is concerned that you may become ill. I can understand that.

She may also think that being part of these trials means that you will be exposed to the virus itself. You will not. The challenge aspect of the trials, where people are vaccinated then exposed to the virus islimited to healthy people under 35 and they are taken into hospital for the whole experiment.

Why not ask her why she thinks as she does. Let her talk without interruption and then do not scoff at her concerns but address each one with facts and a cup of tea or coffee, even some nice biscuits.

I know someone of 80 who is part of the Oxford trial, he is doing fine and is glad he volunteered. Well done Cindersdad.

Thank goodness for people like you Cindersdad

Why selfish? She should have been very proud of you! Thank you Cindersdad.

I think you're brilliant.

Paranoid and rather selfish. Good thing not everyone shares her view or we would never get a vaccine. Thank you for at least trying.