Im not convinced the covid vaccine will make any difference!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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

Me too, Teacheranne. Can’t wait!

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.

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.

Exactly Teacheranne.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

@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 growstuff 100% agree with you, In general, it takes about two weeks after getting a vaccine for antibodies to develop in the body that protect against the diseases the vaccine is made to protect against. Not forgetting theres two doses!

One concern I do have is the long term effects of this 'rushed' vaccine! No one knows if this vaccine will cause any side effects in years to come.

Both companies of the vaccine have been granted protection from future product liability claims related to covid, meaning patients cant sue for damages! Ruud Dobber a member of Astras senior exect team said " This is a unique situation where we as a company cannot take the risk if in 4 years time the vaccine is showing side effects. In the contracts we have in place we are asking idemnification."

And we are being told the vaccine is safe!!!!!

Elegant I suddenly thought of Les parapluies de Cherbourg.

Elegran

An umbrella may not protect you from the effect of a severe rainstorm. Rain drives in at 45 degrees, or horizontally sometimes. You have to plough through puddles, you get splashed by passing cars, and you've to reach outside the protection to put a key in the door or open a gate.

I'd still rather have an umbrella than none.

What a sensible analogy Elegran!

Genty look at your own words
The 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will give you some protection from coronavirus. But you need to have the 2 doses of the vaccine to give you the best protection

And then you say Im not sure the vaccine will make any difference.

You sound as if you need to think things through again. Look at the umbrella analogy and let’s be grateful that help is available.

Ouch! Don't say that Greeneyedgirl! When the it was announced that the vaccine had been approved, I wrote on here that I hoped people wouldn't expect too much and was accused of being a pessimistic party-pooper.

There was a woman on radio 4 this morning against lockdowns for economic reasons, still extolling the virtues of letting the virus run freely, alongside the vaccine, to cause herd immunity. I would have thought with hospitals over extended with Covid and a now more contagious virus, that argument had fizzled.

I am hoping that the vaccine will have some effect, but my concern is that, as usual, the government has unrealistically raised public expectations.