The best vaccine news we could hope for

MissAdventure

Exactly the reasons for my reticence, Alegrias.

Mine as well

What would win me over? Time. Time for more trials. Time to know what reactions could be.

I’ve been told before though that this makes me quite selfish. The fact of the matter is though, without time we honestly have no idea what reactions might pop up in the future

Well I hope it’s well organised as I just bumped into two friends both still teaching and aged 60 and 62. They can’t get a flu jab anywhere.

From watching the BBC programme about pandemics I got the impression that scientists have been working on a vaccine for corona viruses for a long time so it isn’t as if they were starting from scratch. And we only have to see how many things were developed very quickly during the two world wars to realise that people can achieve amazing things when they really focus on something and unlimited funds are available. I read yesterday that when Kennedy decided to send a man to the moon there was another plan to provide clean drinking water for everyone on the planet. Unfortunately the latter never took off. It was in a Caitlin Moran article bemoaning the fact that we’re trying to find other planets to inhabit because we’re destroying the one we live on.

MissAdventure

Exactly the reasons for my reticence, Alegrias.

What would win you over MissA? Serious question, because as WWM said, as many people as possible need to be on board to make the vaccine a viable solution for society.

Exactly the reasons for my reticence, Alegrias.

GP practices have until 17th November to sign up for the DES (Direct Enhanced Service) which means they will get paid for delivering it. Because of the problem with storage, there will be GP practice vaccine 'hubs', one or two in each area, who will do the vaccinations. Still to be sorted out how those unable to leave their houses will get it, will need mobile special refrigeration units. Mass training of staff to take place, you don't have to be registered to give it. Pharmacists will also give it, as with the flu, if needed.

What I haven't established is whether the Oxford vaccine will need these special refrigeration storage arrangements. It is a different vaccine, made along traditional lines, so perhaps easier to distribute and give? Also that one is proven to be particularly beneficial to inducing immunity in the elderly, the Pfizer one may well do, but I haven't seen any research on that yet?

I do think that people are extra-worried about a COVID vaccine because of the speed with which it will have been developed. A vaccine has never been developed so quickly before, so people are suspicious. I think we need a good information campaign before a vaccine becomes available, but there is so little trust in the government just now that could be problematic.

Maybe the Queen and David Attenborough could front the campaign Everyone trusts them!

Just as destructive, too

I'm beginning to think that there are actually two viruses active at the moment. One is called Covid and the other is called Conspiracy. I think the second one could actually be more widespread.

Yes in order for a vaccine to work, it has to be safe and effective but also it needs people to trust it.

That could be a real issue with people reading and believing the anti-vaccination conspiracy sites.

Something needs to be done urgently with the anti-vaccination nonsense.

Without vaccination people would still be dying of
Measles
Polio
Tuberculosis
Diphtheria
Etc, etc.

Vaccination refusal makes zero sense, unless there is a medical reason.

Summerlove can you point out where I said that people should take the vaccine if they don't want to? No, I didn't think so. In fact, some direct quotes from my posts:

then don't take the vaccine, if that's what makes you happy.

If you don't want the vaccine, fair enough, stay in your own little world. (referring to the poster who wanted to continue shielding)

Many people can't take it for medical reasons, and maybe because of their belief systems, I guess. I can accept that people not in that situation don't want to take it, but I'll continue pointing out that they reasons they give are concerned more with unsubstantiated fears and lack of understanding of risk than anything else. Unless you can show me otherwise?

Alegrias2

I’m a scientist. Not in the field of medical science, but in physical sciences. I’m used to people who read stuff on the internet and feel that they now have an insight and need to share their ill-informed opinions on chat forums.

People are scared of vaccines, especially this one, because they don’t understand how we got to where we are so quickly. Its natural, I suppose, to fear things you don’t understand. There is a vast misunderstanding of risk, as shown by the old chestnut of vaccines causing harm in the past. So I did some sums.

Look at the Pandremix vaccine, which caused an increased risk of narcolepsy in children of 1 in 50,000. Even if the COVID vaccine has a similar risk (which is unlikely, but never mind….) then if everyone in Scotland, where I live, has the vaccine, around 100 people would have some side effect. More than 100 people have died in Scotland in the last 5 days. I’ll take my chances with the vaccine, thanks.

That is your choice to take that chance with a new vaccine.

Why can you not accept that others choose not to take it?

could well become, like the 'flu' jab, something that need doing annually.

A friend swears she would have the jab every fortnight if it meant she could just get her life back on track!

Just announced in FMs Questions, the Scottish government has ordered refrigerated units suitable for storing the vaccine.

i think they are developing and mass producing special secure cases in which to transport the vaccine, that will keep it cold enough.

Re the safety aspect - "Pfizer and BioNTech said they plan to submit the mRNA-based vaccine candidate, now called BNT162b2, to the FDA for an emergency use authorization after a required safety milestone is met, likely in the third week of November ."
Infectious diseases news, www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20201109/covid19-vaccine-more-than-90-effective-pfizer-says

Someone earlier on this thread said that people suffering from blood cancer cannot have this new vaccine.
I believe the guidance is that blood cancer sufferers shouldn’t have any sort of live virus vaccine. But this new Pfizer vaccine is not a live one. It uses RNA like the examples below.

“The Imperial vaccine is an example of an 'RNA' vaccine that involves vaccinating people with part of the genetic code of coronavirus. This helps the body to mount an immune response. Like the Oxford vaccine, this does not contain live virus, so it should be safe for people with blood cancer.“ Blood Cancer uk.

I seriously think we're all getting ahead of ourselves atm cos of the storage requirements for this particular vaccine.
The UK only has a limited supply of -80 degree storage units, mainly in science labs. The vaccine has, in its present form to be stored/transported at -70/-80 degrees.
Thats a logistical nightmare!
So unless they manage to reformulate it into a powder form we might be a long time waiting.

My friend works in NHS, and was told last week about the vaccine. He says they were told that one condition of receiving the vaccine is that you must have had the flu vaccine. Now, as my mother always said, “ I know not what the truth may be, I tell the tale as told to me”.

I know it`s still early days...but we can only cross everything in the hope that it sees an end to this vicious virus.

MayBee70
If it makes you feel any better I promise not to take up a hospital bed and not be looked after by medical staff.
Do you feel better now?
The only thing I'd be peed off about is the fact that my body couldn't go to medical science for which I'm signed up for ?

MayBee agree and also people who choose not to have the vaccine are also putting at risk those who CANNOT have the vaccine.

When the health secretary says it's 'absolutely a possibility' that we will have a vaccine ready by Xmas, it doesn't instill confidence.
Did he actually go to school?
Or was that a positive maybe?

Good news. I only hope the distribution and administering of the vaccine is not given to one of Johnson's or Hancock's mates . Look what happened to the important testing programme .

petra

I won't be having the vaccine. Not because of all the crap put up RE Bill Gates is the spawn of satan ? You have to laugh at that one.
No, it's because ( for me) it just doesn't feel right. I can't explain but I've always gone along with the adage: when in doubt, leave it out.
I have the utmost admiration and respect for the scientists who are working on this.
I also respect and accept everyone's choice

So, I take it that, if you do catch the virus you will not take up a hospital bed and be looked after by medical staff that have been given/have taken the vaccine in order to protect everyone. Quite frankly it infuriates me that I’m prepared to have this vaccine, not just to protect myself but to protect others and that you aren’t prepared to do the same.