Just a bit of a rant

I hope your daughter recovers soon sazz. I don’t suppose your daughter knows which variant she’s got as we’re currently running two variants side by side. If Omicron is less severe, we know that Delta is rather nasty.

My DD has covid atm. Here are her symptoms if anyone thinks it's mild or just a cold or flu.
Severe head pain like migraine
Dizziness room spinning
Temperature 103 after paracetamol
Sleeping all day
Fainted on the floor
Coughing constantly
Tightness in her throat
Runny nose
She wasn't called for booster yet but is double vaccinated
Our whole family are vaccinated and most have had booster
It's definitely not like a cold for everyone
Hope this helps some anti vax people decide to take vaccine and booster

How many of us knew - I certainly didn’t - that it’s best to get tested to see if we have COVID before getting the booster in case we’re carrying the virus but are asymptomatic? If this is the case, it should be better publicised, surely! I had my booster in November.

If my experience of using public transport yesterday in Manchester ( the tram) is anything to go by, there are a lot of people who are not concerned about Covid. In the carriage I was in, over half the passengers were not wearing masks or were not wearing them correctly. At one point three men without masks were stood right next to me talking quite loudly so I wrapped my scarf around my mouth over my mask for better protection. One of the men laughed and pointed me out to the others but thankfully one of them was more understanding and moved the group to the other end of the carriage.

I saw a number of other people wearing masks as chin warmers or pulling them aside constantly to eat and talk on the phone.

I had thought that passengers would follow the rule of mandatory mask wearing on public transport but was wrong.

And don’t get me started on the huge crowds of people crammed around the Christmas Market stalls! I had to go to a solicitor in the city centre to sign some legal documents but I won’t be going out again!

I agree growstuff. The tweaking is undoubtedly going on but it will take time for any new vaccine to be approved, manufactured and rolled out.

Chestnut

We were told from the start that omicron was a new strain which was very different and that seems to be why it's resistant to the vaccine. However, I'm disappointed that we are still using the original vaccine instead of moving on to a newer version. We were told some time ago it would be easy to tweak the original vaccine to allow for new variants but it doesn't seem to have happened. So basically we are not keeping up with the virus which is very clever.

Who said it's easy to tweak a vaccine? Whoever it was wasn't telling the whole truth. It's possible, but it's not easy. The Omicron variant has numerous mutations, so it's going to take time. It then needs to be trialled and to pass all regulatory procedures. There will probably be a new vaccine, but it won't be ready until the New Year some time.

We were told from the start that omicron was a new strain which was very different and that seems to be why it's resistant to the vaccine. However, I'm disappointed that we are still using the original vaccine instead of moving on to a newer version. We were told some time ago it would be easy to tweak the original vaccine to allow for new variants but it doesn't seem to have happened. So basically we are not keeping up with the virus which is very clever.

sago is there anything preventing you from taking a lft and hopefully getting a negative result or don’t you intend to have the booster?

I know I am mightily sick and tired of the whole process, but we must carry on. Like others, I am tired of those that have come up with excuses, and feel they are part of the problem that is spreading the virus and causing variants.

However, it seems some of the variants are starting in countries that have low vaccination rates, and until those countries can be brought up to date with others, the virus will do what it can and create new variants. I despair that we will never catch up.

I don't think there is any conspiracy - to what end and to whose gain?

I'm normally a cheerful person but these last few days I have even had doubts as to whether I should carry on living.

NotTooOld I know it's easy to say, and hard to do, but please try not to dwell too much on the bad news. This too will pass.

You make a good point, Sago, about not having the booster if you might have Covid. DH and I had to wait 28 days after testing positive before we had our boosters.

To get back to the OP, the vaccine worked very well indeed for us as our symptoms were extremely mild.

I can understand, though, why those who have experience of the very rare vaccine side-effects may be hesitant. I hope your SIL makes a good recovery, Sago.

GSM Why do you despair?
I am double jabbed, I wear a mask, sanitise and wash my hands.

My worry is my once fit and healthy SIL with a blood clot on each lung, the consultant confirmed it was a result of the vaccine.

So sorry MissA.
sago, not for the first time your attitude makes me despair. You put everyone you may come into contact with at risk and you may end up increasing the burden on the NHS. I remember your recent post about having no regrets over breaking the rules last Christmas when the vast majority of us spent Christmas alone or just with spouses. Have you no shame?

I can empathise with the OP. Yes I have had all 3 vaccines, wear a mask, keep my distance and avoid risk, but sometimes I do get really, really tired of it all. This does not mean I don't have sympathy for anyone suffering from covid19 or loss of loved ones, I just don't see what else we can do to keep ourselves safe and sometimes despair of it ever ending.

MissAdventure I’m so sorry about your daughter

Scare monger I guess = scaremongering

GSM and Growstuff I agree .
All this nonsense about there being some hidden agenda , about scare monger I guess…..the fact is a pandemic IS scary.

Can you even imagine where we would be without the vaccine ?? Seriously craftygranny , think about it

I just think we should do everything, masks, passports and vaccinated to stop ourselves from getting a bad dose of covid, We somehow have to stop the NHS from becoming overwhelmed and giving the people who are suffering from other conditions a better life. Just why wouldn’t you try these things

Sago, please get that booster asap. We're all really so sick of it, but the vaccinations, masks, social distancing - and avoiding meeting indoors - are the best tools we have to protect ourselves and others.

One day the pandemic will finally be over. I'm looking forward to (and planning) the biggest party ever when it is!

Thank you.
I just wanted to illustrate that these things are all a bit random, aren't they?
There is no point expecting every person and every response to be the same.

It just is what it is, and ranting makes no difference to outcomes.

MissAdventure - sincere sympathy.

If have my booster I will only have it after a negative test, it shouldn’t be given if you are positive even if you are asymptomatic^
“If” ?
Even my daughters (in their 40’s) have had their boosters.

Sadly there are so many contradictions it gives the conspiracy theories more weight.

The vaccine is helping but people are being more blasé because they are vaccinated.
There are thousands of asymptomatic people wandering around passing on the virus.

If I have my booster I will only have it after a negative test, it shouldn’t be given if you are positive even if you are asymptomatic.

It is about all governments everywhere trying their very hardest to save people from a life-threatening disease.

The people to blame are those who refuse the vaccine, apparently equivalent to one third of the population of London, because:
'I can't be bothered,
I am frightened of needles,
I will wait until everyone else has had it to see if it is safe,
I am a conspiracy theorist'.

All genuine excuses heard with my own ears.

I know exactly where you are coming from Crafty.
I have had my three jabs and wore a mask if I ever go out,
which is very rare.
I think we have had so many mixed messages from the government it is going to make you wonder all sorts of things.