The Vaccine

You're right, Callistemon. My DM had lost a school friend to diphtheria and knew someone who had polio in the 1940s, and so there was no doubt that I was going to get any immunisations going. The polio one was new at the time, but - amazingly - I'm still here. Vaccine technology has been on the go since the eighteenth century when Edward Jenner started it, and has been getting more sophisticated ever since.

As for thalidomide, it was tested on pregnant animals but not on humans, and so it was a bitter lesson in testing - you can't make assumptions from the results in one species to the results in another.

In other words, scientists are learning all the time, and I am very grateful for their efforts. I am looking forward to getting my life back, even if we will still have to cope with distancing and masks for some time, particularly if we have to work around perfectly fit people who enjoy a good conspiracy theory.

My husband used to go to the hospital gates each day to see if his mum was on the polio death list. She died at a relatively young age, possibly due to heart damage because of polio.

The polio vaccine took over 20 years to develop and there were quite a few incidents on the way including batches with simian virus, batches transmitting polio and other failures. In those days vaccines were sometimes tested on children in homes or institutions something no one would do now. Ultimately it was a battle well won but thinkng it happened overnight or easily is entirely false.

MayBee70

Apologies if this has been asked before but what do those of you that don’t agree with the vaccine think we should do to get out of this pandemic and lead a normal life once more?

But the point is that even with the vaccine life will not be as it was before because no one knows how long the immunitygiven by the vaccine will last

Yes definitely. It’s the only we’re going to get this virus under control. We must trust medical scientists!

trisher

MayBee70

Apologies if this has been asked before but what do those of you that don’t agree with the vaccine think we should do to get out of this pandemic and lead a normal life once more?

But the point is that even with the vaccine life will not be as it was before because no one knows how long the immunitygiven by the vaccine will last

Well, we won’t know that until we use it. The alternative being to carry on testing it on volunteers for another year or so, in which time many more people will die. Or suffer from long Covid.

Just a little message to anti-vaccers: You're blocked from sending me PMs. Please go and spread your nonsense elsewhere.

quizqueen here is a referenc to the current influenza statistics. Published in the usual way they are published every other year assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/923246/National_Influenza_report_1_October_2020_week_40.pdf

Many of those who would have died of flu this winter may well have died already from COVID.

M0nica

quizqueen here is a referenc to the current influenza statistics. Published in the usual way they are published every other year assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/923246/National_Influenza_report_1_October_2020_week_40.pdf

Many of those who would have died of flu this winter may well have died already from COVID.

Already posted by trisher earlier. I find reading the full thread helps the discussion ?

Yes I’m definitely having it, the sooner the better.

HSV is a virus and they still dont have a cure or a vaccine. I have it on my eyelids, have done for years at least 40+ years. Millions spent on research but no vaccine yet or a cure. Antiviral treatment helps. Can eventually cause blindness.
But they say they have this Covid vaccine ready in just under a year. Not long enough in trials for me yet. Too many things found with severe side effects, diclofenic, thalidomide, dog vaccine that created parvovirus, statins to name a few.
I'm very pro vaccine but worried about this one.

None of the Covid vaccines is ready just yet. Oxford/Astra Zeneca is starting a completely new trial. The others don't yet have enough data. The hype about all of them has mainly come from the media and the excited public.

I'm not concerned about the safety. As I've stated all along, I'm concerned whether they'll do what has been promised. It seems like the licensing authorities are also concerned about efficacy..

I find it reassuring that there have been delays. It shows that safety and efficacy are being taken seriously.

No medical intervention is ever 100% safe, so people need to ask themselves what the alternative is. The alternative would be to stay home for ever or to venture out and risk (even if it's a small risk) catching Covid. For me, the risk of dying or being very seriously ill is quite high is higher than any risk from any vaccine, which have already been tested for safety on tens of thousands of people.

Wot? Reread all 20 pages before every post one makes. many people come into threads at all stages on long threads. A bit of repetition does no harm every so often.

I don't think it's just the media who are jumping the gun about vaccine. Perhaps it's an attempt to raise morale or perhaps to try and keep people isolating but the government are playing their part Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was "incredibly exciting news" and that while there were still safety checks to come, "these are fantastic results".
Speaking at a Downing Street briefing on Monday evening, Mr Johnson added that the majority of people most in need of a vaccination in the UK might be able to get one by Easter.
I would imagine many don't take much notice of the "might".

Interesting stats heard on the radio. After a survey (sorry, did not hear the numbers of participants) 9% said they would not have the vaccine and 25% said they were not sure. Assuming that half of the ‘don’t knows’, and I know that is a guess, decide to take the vaccine, that is approximately 21% who will not take it.

Scientists on here, is that going to be considered enough?

trisher

I don't think it's just the media who are jumping the gun about vaccine. Perhaps it's an attempt to raise morale or perhaps to try and keep people isolating but the government are playing their part Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was "incredibly exciting news" and that while there were still safety checks to come, "these are fantastic results".
Speaking at a Downing Street briefing on Monday evening, Mr Johnson added that the majority of people most in need of a vaccination in the UK might be able to get one by Easter.
I would imagine many don't take much notice of the "might".

I agree - and whatever the motivation, overpromising and underdelivering is not at all helpful. The recent development with the AZ vaccine ( which I think has been handled very badly in terms of PR) is a reminder that there’s many a slip. I’m 74 and would count myself lucky to have the vaccine this side of Easter regardless of what anyone and especially Johnson has to say on the matter.

Tweedle24

Interesting stats heard on the radio. After a survey (sorry, did not hear the numbers of participants) 9% said they would not have the vaccine and 25% said they were not sure. Assuming that half of the ‘don’t knows’, and I know that is a guess, decide to take the vaccine, that is approximately 21% who will not take it.

Scientists on here, is that going to be considered enough?

Good article here from the Lancet showing how difficult your question is to answer simply

www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32318-7/fulltext

Me again, Sorry!

I decided to research that question on the WHO website who.int and found an excellent explanation by their chief scientist about herd immunity. Well worth watching.

Thank you for that Suziewoozie. That is something I need to put my thinking head on to read but, I shall do that now.

I think the one I mentioned should be screened on all public media. It is simply and clearly delivered. The best explanation I have seen yet.

Nobody knows exactly what level of immunity is required for herd immunity. It depends on a number of factors, such as efficacy and length of immunity, which won't be known for some time. Even being optimistic, it's likely to take years rather than months to develop - and that's without factoring in other countries.

www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32318-7/fulltext

Ooops! Snap! I've just posted the same link as suzie. Sorry!

growstuff

Ooops! Snap! I've just posted the same link as suzie. Sorry!

Great minds ?

Tweedle24

Me again, Sorry!

I decided to research that question on the WHO website who.int and found an excellent explanation by their chief scientist about herd immunity. Well worth watching.

Do you have a link?

Shelagh Fogarty doing an interesting piece on vaccine hesitancy on LBC. You've converted me Suziewoozie

Alegrias2

Shelagh Fogarty doing an interesting piece on vaccine hesitancy on LBC. You've converted me Suziewoozie

I’m listening as well ( and thanks)