Im not convinced the covid vaccine will make any difference!

@Mawbe, they arent my words its a quote from the NHS website, the point I was making was this sentence;
'There is a chance you might still get or spread coronavirus even if you have the vaccine.'

Every step is bound to help, but unfortunately nothing is a magic wand!

Greeneyedgirl, the virus is running freely - out of control, in fact - and that's the problem.

I believe it's far too soon to attribute a reduction in over 80's hospitalisation to the immunisation (as we've only just begun) - when other explanations are likely.

Yes, it's a shame that we can't have compulsory vaccination. I do hope, though, that some restrictions will apply to those who (selfishly) refuse the jab. Should they be allowed air travel? Will doctors/dentists want to treat them?

I'm worried, though, that people will see vaccination as 'the answer'. They may forget all about masks, handwashing, distancing - all the vitally important ways to reduce transmission.

Genty

@Mawbe, they arent my words its a quote from the NHS website, the point I was making was this sentence;
'There is a chance you might still get or spread coronavirus even if you have the vaccine.'

I wonder what you suggest then? Refuse the vaccine ? Stop wearing a mask ? Send a sacrifice to the gods ?
Sorry but I feel posts about possible side effects, possible incomplete immunity etc are singularly unhelpful when many of us have woken up this morning with a new set of worries and sadness.

Genty

@Mawbe, they arent my words its a quote from the NHS website, the point I was making was this sentence;
'There is a chance you might still get or spread coronavirus even if you have the vaccine.'

Yes, Genty so you don’t ease up on the personal hygiene and social distancing precautions. As others have said upthread.
The big difference is that you will not catch it so severely, if at all, so are less likely to need to be hospitalised or even ventilated.
That is worth a heck of a lot in itself.

Well, I am sat here with my arm outstretched waiting for the vaccine - even though I am not likely to receive it for many months yet!

I know that I could still be a carrier and that the first jab only gives about 70% protection but, once vaccinated, hopefully I would not be very badly affected if I did catch Covid. To me, that is enough for me to want to br vaccinated as soon as possible.

Exactly Teacheranne.

There seems to be more strains of covid popping up in the world,so does the vaccine cover them all,can`t see it myself,but i hope so.

And no one knows of the long term effects of having had covid, the main concern being that it can, in some cases affect the heart. As with (I think) scarlet fever. So I’d rather take my chances with the vaccine than risk heart disease or possible neurological problems, not to mention long covid.

Me too, Teacheranne. Can’t wait!

Nor me - I'm ready to have the vaccine!

I don't understand why people think a vaccine is ever going to give 100% protection.

My DC all had the measles vaccine but all had measles afterwards just much more mildly. I presume they were still infectious to others as there was an incubation period when I was told to keep them isolated.

Like Teacheranne, I'll be waiting in line but will still take the necessary precautions!

I agree MagicWand nothing will be 100% effective given the mutations. If it means fewer people in hospital and on ventilators then it's worth it.

Surely it's a good thing to have the chance of having some protection? At the moment in my area the virus is ripping through the community, the death rate is rising and I personally know of 2 people in their 30's in ICU. We have to risk assess everything in our lives, I think that I personally have a responsibility as a member of my community to do whatever I can to reduce the risk to others, I have had the first dose of the vaccine with no I'll effects so far I will continue with all the actions that we have been advised to carry out for as long as it takes for us to get our lives back. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I make no judgement about anyone elses point of view.

cathymum, yes, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Far more important, though, is the fact that we are all responsible for the safety of others.

Everyone needs to follow the rules. No more excuses, please!

Maybe, instead of having the vaccine, we should all go and live in Wuhan as it's magically disappeared from there now. No point in having the normal seasonal flu jab either as that's disappeared too.

Wuhan is fine quizqueen. I have a friend there. I have other British friends in China too, who have already been vaccinated. They started vaccinating in October

Hopefully, that will be us in 2 or 3 months time.

DanniRae

Way to go Genty - Glad you are being positive about the vaccine NOT!!

Seriously, at the moment it is giving most of us hope that we will be able to get back to some kind of normal by the Spring. Don't try and take that away from us please!!

Where in the rules of life does it say we all need to be positive about a vaccine?

Especially now that the UK govt wants to use the Pfizer vaccine in a manner the company is warning against?

There are many reasons to believe that even if the vaccines all work as intended, and given properly, that life won’t go back to how it was for another year at least. If ever.

Until I read or hear that the vaccine is unsafe, I shall be patiently waiting my turn. I don't believe it will make me invincible, but it's not going to do any harm either.

It's all we've got right now, so I'll be right there to get it, bare arm at the ready, when it's my turn!

Genty what worries you about the COVID vaccine applies to all vaccines. Did these problems worry you when your children had their vaccinations?

My 2 children had all their jabs, but DS still had a very mild attack of measles and both had very mild whooping cough.

On the other hand, before the whooping cough vaccination both my sisters had it so severely it was expected to leave them with damaged lungs for life, thankfully that didn't happen, but a friend has been prone to severe respiratory problems all her life, several requiring hospital admission following the lung damage caused by whooping cough.

No vaccine, in fact no pharmaceutical product, can be guaranteed to be fail safe, always curing/protecting with no side effects. Thats life!

Regarding no hospital admissions taking place in people who have been vaccinated. : This refers to the people on the trial, so they had their injections longer ago than the people being vaccinated now.

I will have the vaccine when my turn comes although I have reservations about how much difference it will make. In the short term almost none I imagine. We are probably all going to be staying home until Easter anyway.

DH was one of the participants in the Oxford trials who was admitted to hospital during the trials after a heart attack and needed triple bypass surgery. Nothing whatsoever to do with the vaccine. I believe this applied to all of those taken to hospital during the trials, and there were not many, whatever their illness, it was unrelated to corona virus.

M0nica

DH was one of the participants in the Oxford trials who was admitted to hospital during the trials after a heart attack and needed triple bypass surgery. Nothing whatsoever to do with the vaccine. I believe this applied to all of those taken to hospital during the trials, and there were not many, whatever their illness, it was unrelated to corona virus.

You sure about that, unrelated I mean?