Vaccine groups

OceanMama I posted the link from fortune above. There is so much we don't know yet. Yes, I'm worried about long Covid too!

I don't think it would 'create a more dangerous situation' though. We're in danger right now. People are highly infectious before they have symptoms (if they have any).

The information I found says it is not known if the vaccine stops people spreading Covid.

One of the key things I want to know is how long immunity from the vaccine lasts. I don't think this is something we know yet.

No, we don't know that yet either. We're up against something new, so can only guess and hope that it's similar to other, older/previous Coronaviruses.

Hetty58

No, we don't know that yet either. We're up against something new, so can only guess and hope that it's similar to other, older/previous Coronaviruses.

This is why I am happy to watch and wait with the vaccine until we do have this kind of information. An easy decision for me though as I don't expect to be eligible until the second half of 2021. I'll find out more information and think about it further at the time.

OceanMama

Hetty58

No, we don't know that yet either. We're up against something new, so can only guess and hope that it's similar to other, older/previous Coronaviruses.

This is why I am happy to watch and wait with the vaccine until we do have this kind of information. An easy decision for me though as I don't expect to be eligible until the second half of 2021. I'll find out more information and think about it further at the time.

Why does that make a difference to you?

Nobody will know how long immunity lasts until a substantial number of people have been vaccinated. It seems you're happy to let other people be guinea pigs.

OceanMama

Hetty58

OceanMama, there is no proof that vaccination prevents people from spreading it.

Are you saying that someone who is vaccinated can still be infected and infectious yet not develop symptoms? If so, that would create a more dangerous situation. Do you have any information from the NHS about that? I haven't looked into any of that yet as I'm not in line for a vaccine so haven't felt the need.

I just think, if it prevents the spread by making people immune, people like carers in aged care facilities, or who provide in home care to multiple people, should be high priority. That protects multiple elderly and (maybe) prevents spread via one carrier.

No, it does not create a MORE dangerous situation.

You can be infectious without having symptoms now. Indeed, that's how most people are getting infected.

The difference is that if you are infected, you probably won't develop serious symptoms such as Long Covid or die.

Even when people are vaccinated, we still need to take precautions by social distancing and wearing masks.

That's not more dangerous!

Blinko

It's not really about whether people are economically active or not though, surely. It's about who's filling up hospital beds. And that's the very elderly. That's why they're first in line.

I agree. There are currently over 20,000 people hospitalised with Covid in UK hospitals. Most of them are elderly, who who wouldn't be there if they had been vaccinated.

This is about NHS logistics as well as the value of those people's lives.

farview I am completely of the same view no hard hat needed for me

Yes Blinko is quite right. It's a drain on NHS resources. We are dealing with two new variants of the virus as well:

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/23/what-do-we-know-about-the-two-new-covid-19-variants-in-the-uk

people squabbling about which groups are more important.
Crikey growstuff I can't see anyone on this thread squabbling about the order? Just thinking out loud and trying to puzzle together the logic.
My DH is just 60, working in education, and yes he is put out that he won't get the vaccine until next summer. It doesn't mean he is picking fights and wrangling over the vaccine order with the 78 year old lady over the road who hasn't wanted to go out for 10 months. In fact he is just off to walk her little dog which 3 working aged neighbours do on a rota basis.
People can be concerned and disappointed with the order, but we follow the rules just like yesterday with three householdmixing.

If I were to be asked, I would rather front line staff, shop workers and so forth to go first, followed by young people in their teen or twenties, starting out in life to be first. As I'm unlikely to get consulted, quite happy to wait until it's my turn. I am not likely to get mine until summer I think, but as I can isolate at home without starving or having a mortgage to pat I shouldn't be top of the queue. But is is what it is so no point making a fuss.

I'm with Fairview will wait and see how things go. Am So in favour of Oxford vaccine. I too wonder about how long protection lasts and whether one can still infect others. My son lives in USA and talks about flying over as soon as he is vaccinated, will be sooner for him as he will pay for it. Not at all happy about it even though it's 18months since we saw him.

I'm happy in my little bubble and want to stay that way!

Nev
@nevillehurst2

Cuba has the most doctors per head of population in the world and have loaned some out to poorer countries to help with corona virus, Cuba has the virus under control without expensive vaccine and has a better free NHS than the UK Britain's NHS is poor and run down by the tories

There doesn’t seem to be any mention of the under 50 S getting the vaccine. I know they are less vulnerable and it’s not known if one can still be infectious if one has had the vaccine but you would think that there would be a be chance of herd immunity if everyone had it. A huge undertaking I know and costly no doubt but that is how smallpox was wiped out I believe?

The logic as I see it, for the hierarchy in vaccinating NHS staff and the elderly first (apart from humanitarian reasons) is because sick elderly fill hospital beds, and the regular work of the NHS then grinds to a halt. This affects everyone, children, elderly, pregnant woman anyone requiring medical intervention.
A struggling health service has a knock on effect on the economy.
Of course all front line workers and younger people need the vaccine as soon as possible, and hopefully we will not be in this rationing situation for too long.

I am at a loss to understand vaccine reluctance when in the 20th century millions of lives have been saved by vaccination. Sadly some children are still dying in parts of the world from preventable illnesses because they can’t gain access to vaccines, and even in UK many hundreds of measles cases are notified annually. We are so lucky to live where we do.

I had the vaccine last week as I am 81, my husband also had it , he's 81 with Parkinson's disease. You do have thoughts about it but then I thought I go every year for flu jabs, I had pneumonia and shingles jabs last year and because they have been around for a while you don't give them a second thought, so I have to consider we are lucky to get the covid vaccine early, as we been sheilding since last March.

As I understand it the vaccination provokes antibody production in the recipient so preventing or significantly reducing the severity of the virus hopefully reducing hospital admission and death rates. Vaccinated individuals are advised to practice social distancing as there’s no evidence that they cannot still transmit virus. The idea is to vaccinate those likely to die or be severely affected whilst herd immunity develops. I believe the current plan is for vaccination of those clinically vulnerable and over 50s. I, with medication, am normally independent and have a very full and active life but have had to shield for 10 months making me dependent on others and less physically fit, thankfully my mental health has held up. I will be so glad to have the vaccine so that I can rejoin the world albeit in a socially distanced way

My understanding is that the vaccine prevents a person from catching Covid, but does not prevent them from passing the illness.

In addition, I personally think that to some degree us oldies and vulnerable ones are a brilliant test and are the most disposable but then I. Feeling very low so maybe it's just how I feel n o w that makes me feel so negative.

But I did read that the current v vaccine is not currently going to work on the second variant, though apparently it will only take around 6 weeks to adapt the current vaccine.

Where did you read that vaccine doesn’t doesn’t work on new variant Daftbag?
I have read that they’re fairly confident it will!

It’s amazing that some of our older ones are now getting appointments to be vaccinated.

The trouble is come the end of January all the 80 pluses and vulnerables will be having a whale of a time: pub meals out, hotel holidays………… and I’ll still be keeping my head down and going careful!

You deserve it Nannina as you like many others have tried really hard in the last ten months to go very carefully, so as not to burden the NHS.

Can I ask, will it then be the responsibility of 80 pluses etc. to go carefully to actually protect the likes of me and others in their 60s and 70s, assuming we are not a burden to the NHS? That might be another six months or more?

The vacc doesn’t prevent infection 100%!!

The green-eyed monster got to you Ellianne?

No, what it will mean is that 80+ year olds in care homes will be able to accept visitors, knowing that their serious risk of premature death has been reduced.

The vaccine does not guarantee efficacy, so people who have been vaccinated will still need to be cautious.