Vaccinations from next week

Many of us are apprehensive about stuff they don't know anything about, especially when they're not a scientist.

I am surprised the scientists aren't demonstrating more just how easy it actually is to adapt existing inoculations to deal with slightly different virus variants.

It would give everyone more understanding of why it was so quick to produce! Very reassuring actally.

Sparklefizz

I cried! I live on my own and I long for contact with family and friends.

I will go as soon as I am called, but am not expecting that to be before the end of January or February. It's just so wonderful to have hope, and I'm proud that the UK is the first to offer the vaccine. My son and daughter both think the same and will have the jab whenever they can.

Thank you - thank you - thank you to all the scientists.

Bless you Sparklefizz, May 2021 be a wonderful year for you.

Interesting article from way back

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/14/coronavirus-vaccine-delays-brexit-ema-expensive

Got that wrong!

And this also explains our ability to have obtained the vaccine first

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/01/uk-likely-to-be-first-western-country-to-license-a-covid-vaccine

My (very fit) daughter is recovering from COVID. My 13 year old granddaughter caught it too. She could have gone back to school last Wednesday but wasn’t well enough and went back on Monday.
I phoned her at 4.00 to see how she had got on and she had put herself to bed as she was so exhausted!
When will we be able to cuddle our grandchildren?

I can understand people who have had bad reactions previously to medication being cautious about the vaccine. I can also understand people being cautious if they feel that testing has been inadequate (it hasn't).

What I find hard to understand are the various conspiracy theories being taken seriously. It will turn us all into zombies/mutants, microchips in the vaccine will mean we can be tracked etc etc. WHY would governments - and especially governments throughout the world - or even individuals go to all that bother? Stuff and nonsense.

I'm delighted that a vaccine is ready and will have mine when it's my turn. It will take time for us to get back to any semblance of normality, but this is the starting point. Alleluya!!

Bring on the vaccine! I will be there. I didn’t question any of the other vaccinations I have had in 65 years so why this one? It has been approved. I think the government or the airlines should say no vaccination, no travel, that might concentrate the minds of those putting the rest of us at risk!

An as immunologist in my working days I will very gladly take the vaccine as soon as it available to my 70+ age group.

I am happy to have the Vaccine when it becomes available. I understand those who are sceptical because of the short time for testing - but to some degree - all vaccines that treat viruses (including Flu) are an experiment to some degree. All viruses mutate, as this is how they "survive". It's why the Flu vaccine has to be "tweaked" each year, to try and defeat that slightly different strain. I would rather risk a possible "side effect" than risk something that has killed millions worldwide! I have a scar on my leg from a Dyptheria vaccine when I was a child. It is always important that any side effects from any medication (including vaccines) are reported back to your GP, so that you can receive help for whatever it is you experience, but also to add to the knowledge base about medical treatments of all kinds. I spoke to one of my cousins in New York today - and she too, is happy to take the Covid vaccine when it is available there.

I have just sent off a lovely 2021 Calendar to my son and DiL, expressing the hopes that we will once again be able to get together during those months (as we used to in the past). Thanks to the vaccines, this is now such a very real hope.
I know I have to wait a little longer, I come into Group 2 - just missing out on Group 2 by a few months, unless any of my underlying health conditions can bump me up. Will discuss this when I have my COPD annual check (by telephone??) in a couple of weeks time.
I know it is TWO jabs, three weeks apart, then not sure if it needs a further period to be effective (like flu jab is), but really feel that by Easter next year I will have been offered, and happily accepted, one of these vaccines.

Should have read, 'I come into Group 3, missing out on Group 2.......)
Do wish there was an edit/modify button

Maybe someone with a much better brain than me can explain why an American invented vaccine made and produced in Belgium(both countries with very high death rates) are selling it to U.K. to use first ?

Oh dear bluebell do you think we are being used as Guinea Pigs?

Blossoming

Sparklefizz

I cried! I live on my own and I long for contact with family and friends.

I will go as soon as I am called, but am not expecting that to be before the end of January or February. It's just so wonderful to have hope, and I'm proud that the UK is the first to offer the vaccine. My son and daughter both think the same and will have the jab whenever they can.

Thank you - thank you - thank you to all the scientists.

Bless you Sparklefizz, May 2021 be a wonderful year for you.

Thank you so much, Blossoming ... how kind. And I wish the same for you, and for everyone. We deserve it.

mrsthreadgoode I ve no idea, I m just looking for a valid explanation to what I think is an interesting and valid question

Yes, I agree, all good news. But surely nothing to weep about.
Is it?

BlueBelle

mrsthreadgoode I ve no idea, I m just looking for a valid explanation to what I think is an interesting and valid question

It is a good question.

This article goes some way to explaining

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/01/uk-likely-to-be-first-western-country-to-license-a-covid-vaccine

Until 1 January 2021, licensing decisions on medicines and vaccines would have been taken by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which was based in London until Brexit. But the UK government passed regulations to allow the MHRA to give emergency authorisation to Covid vaccines if manufacturers had sufficient data to apply before the end of the year.

My daughter is a speech therapist at our local hospital. During the first wave she and her colleagues were seconded to ICU to help care for the Covid patients. She has two small children. This morning she has volunteered to be one of the first staff members at the hospital to have the vaccine. She reckons the hospital CEO will be the very first. She is very excited about it, and we are hugely proud of her.

ania123

Hurray! I have my sleeve rolled up and ready.

Me too?

I can't help feeling that we've been conned into thinking that the vaccines would start for the public next week ( I really hope I'm wrong). This is from the BBC:

"5:29
Will care homes get the vaccine?

Nick Triggle

Health Correspondent

There is a clear priority list for who gets the vaccine first – and care home residents and staff are top of it.

But operational complexities mean the reality will be somewhat different.

When the vaccines arrives, it will be sent straight to major hospitals who have the ultra-cold facilities to store it.

From there it can be moved just once – and when it is, it must be kept in batches of 1,000.

That means sending it out to care homes where there may be only a few dozen residents in some places would lead to a huge amount of vaccine being wasted.

Because of that, the NHS, which is in charge of distributing the vaccine, will run clinics from hospitals at first.

This will allow health and care home staff to get immunised first as well as, perhaps, some of the older age groups who come into hospital.

It looks like it will not be until much more of the Pfizer vaccine is available or the Oxford University one, which is easier to distribute, is approved that care home residents will be able to get it."

There will only be 800,000 doses in the first delivery, so not enough for care home residents and staff. Starmer asked Johnson about this at PMQs today and I wondered at the time why Johnson couldn't give a straight answer. I'm quite angry.

So 800,000 do people need 2 of them? Is that really only 400,000 people who can be vaccinated?

Lucretzia

BlueBelle

mrsthreadgoode I ve no idea, I m just looking for a valid explanation to what I think is an interesting and valid question

It is a good question.

This article goes some way to explaining

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/01/uk-likely-to-be-first-western-country-to-license-a-covid-vaccine

*Until 1 January 2021, licensing decisions on medicines and vaccines would have been taken by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which was based in London until Brexit. But the UK government passed regulations to allow the MHRA to give emergency authorisation to Covid vaccines if manufacturers had sufficient data to apply before the end of the year.*

The UK government could have passed the legislation anyway.

“We have been able to authorise the supply of this vaccine using provisions under European law, which exist until 1 January,” said June Raine, the MHRA’s chief executive.

Asked about the contradiction between these comments and Hancock’s stated view, Boris Johnson’s spokesman pointedly declined to back the health secretary.

trisher

So 800,000 do people need 2 of them? Is that really only 400,000 people who can be vaccinated?

Yes. That's right.

Lizbethann55

My daughter is a speech therapist at our local hospital. During the first wave she and her colleagues were seconded to ICU to help care for the Covid patients. She has two small children. This morning she has volunteered to be one of the first staff members at the hospital to have the vaccine. She reckons the hospital CEO will be the very first. She is very excited about it, and we are hugely proud of her.

Well done to your daughter Lizbethann

Greciangirl Was your comment directed to me? The reason I cried was with relief.

I'll wait and see what happens when we hear/see others who have been vaccinated first.

Mmm with 3.2 mill over 80s that's going to leave a huge gap!