Vaccine Progress, Approval, and Deployment

[Tezza1978]

There's just no need for vaccinating the under 50's unless they have health conditions.

It will help keep cases down and lower the "reservoir" of COVID - which reduces R.

Likely that everyone will get a jab (who wants one)...... but over 50s get more frequent boosters to account for variants (probably once a year)

 

[brad465]

That is one of the reasons I am skeptical of attempting mass vaccination of the under 50s on an age basis.
I think it may have to turn into "jab whilst you wait" system, perhaps with web cams at the entrance so you can see how long the queue is remotely.

This is where 24 hour vaccination centres maybe useful, which I haven't heard a lot about recently beyond a trial one setup.

 

[NorthOxonian]

There's just no need for vaccinating the under 50's unless they have health conditions.

Whether there's a need is debateable but there's certainly some appetite and it should be available for under 50s if we want it. I personally would, it'd significantly reduce my chances of being ill with something which can quite unpleasant for a couple of weeks (even if very unlikely to do me any serious harm to someone of my age).

 

[matt]

My wife received a letter yesterday, both dates (first next Friday & May 7). Dates not moveable, only ring if you do not want the vaccine at all so the slot can be reused.

It must vary by area as both my parents had the choice of days and time to pick.

 

[birchesgreen]

As an under 50 without underlying health conditions i would very much like the vaccine thanks.

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes another here under 50 who would quite like the vaccine thank you very much. Perfectly willing for it to take a bit of time to get to me as we deal with priority groups and, in my view, start sending some of our vaccine abroad to help other countries with their priority groups, but I will be looking to have my jab too! I think also politically it will be unacceptable to not eventually offer everyone the vaccine.

Speaking of priority groups how far down the list have we gotten to? Are we down on group 4 (70+ and clinically vulnerable) or are we down to group 5 yet?

 

[matt]

Yes another here under 50 who would quite like the vaccine thank you very much. Perfectly willing for it to take a bit of time to get to me as we deal with priority groups and, in my view, start sending some of our vaccine abroad to help other countries with their priority groups, but I will be looking to have my jab too! I think also politically it will be unacceptable to not eventually offer everyone the vaccine.

Speaking of priority groups how far down the list have we gotten to? Are we down on group 4 (70+ and clinically vulnerable) or are we down to group 5 yet?

Group 5 in some places now (over 65s)

 

[Yew]

Whether there's a need is debateable but there's certainly some appetite and it should be available for under 50s if we want it. I personally would, it'd significantly reduce my chances of being ill with something which can quite unpleasant for a couple of weeks (even if very unlikely to do me any serious harm to someone of my age).

As an under 50 without underlying health conditions i would very much like the vaccine thanks.

It will help keep cases down and lower the "reservoir" of COVID - which reduces R.

Likely that everyone will get a jab (who wants one)...... but over 50s get more frequent boosters to account for variants (probably once a year)

And you're more than welcome to them, but lets not treat this like it's some sort of epidemiological necessity, especially when there are vulnerable people in other countries who are unvaccinated.

 

[ainsworth74]

Group 5 in some places now (over 65s)

Excellent

 

[brad465]

I don't expect us to return to regional restrictions, at least not to the extent we were in them before, but could it be possible that once the top groups have all been vaccinated to the highest accepted levels, that they might try and curb regional outbreaks by diverting vaccine resources into them?

 

[Skimpot flyer]

It will help keep cases down and lower the "reservoir" of COVID - which reduces R.

Likely that everyone will get a jab (who wants one)...... but over 50s get more frequent boosters to account for variants (probably once a year)

If you don’t want a jab, they will send The Persuaders round, to give you a nudge...

 

[seagull]

Seen news today that there is a plan for vaccine passports to allow those vaccinated to go abroad for holidays again.

Just great.

So those of us of working age, many of whom have watched jobs and employment disappear, pay frozen, social life vanish and mental health take a dive for the sake of protecting the more elderly and vulnerable, will now have the "pleasure" of seeing those same people swanning off on holiday having been vaccinated, while we are a) unable to as we haven't been and b) unable to as we can't afford it any longer.

I hope I (and the news) is wrong.

 

[brad465]

Seen news today that there is a plan for vaccine passports to allow those vaccinated to go abroad for holidays again.

Just great.

So those of us of working age, many of whom have watched jobs and employment disappear, pay frozen, social life vanish and mental health take a dive for the sake of protecting the more elderly and vulnerable, will now have the "pleasure" of seeing those same people swanning off on holiday having been vaccinated, while we are a) unable to as we haven't been and b) unable to as we can't afford it any longer.

I hope I (and the news) is wrong.

Is that our Government imposing this on us, or other countries doing it for our arrivals? There are a lot of Mediterranean countries that would be livid at the idea of losing out on tourism revenue because their target age markets (e.g. club 18-30) can't travel, potentially till at least mid-summer.

 

[Yew]

Seen news today that there is a plan for vaccine passports to allow those vaccinated to go abroad for holidays again.

Just great.

So those of us of working age, many of whom have watched jobs and employment disappear, pay frozen, social life vanish and mental health take a dive for the sake of protecting the more elderly and vulnerable, will now have the "pleasure" of seeing those same people swanning off on holiday having been vaccinated, while we are a) unable to as we haven't been and b) unable to as we can't afford it any longer.

I hope I (and the news) is wrong.

My understanding is that such a scheme would be in violation of of resolution passed by the Council of Europe.

 

[Bertie the bus]

If you don’t want a jab, they will send The Persuaders round, to give you a nudge...

That video is laughably bad. I particularly liked the part where he tried to make his point by referencing an American consent form for a vaccine not even in use in this country yet.

 

[Bantamzen]

It will help keep cases down and lower the "reservoir" of COVID - which reduces R.

Likely that everyone will get a jab (who wants one)...... but over 50s get more frequent boosters to account for variants (probably once a year)

This isn't about reducing the spread, but it is about reducing the likelihood of needing medical treatment. The virus can still spread even with the vaccine, it just means that you are far less likely to need to go to hospital.

And you're more than welcome to them, but lets not treat this like it's some sort of epidemiological necessity, especially when there are vulnerable people in other countries who are unvaccinated.

Exactly, and is why the talk of "vaccine passports" in some of the trash media today is annoying.

If you don’t want a jab, they will send The Persuaders round, to give you a nudge...

If they ever happened to turn up at my door, they would not need much persuasion to move on!

 

[birchesgreen]

And you're more than welcome to them, but lets not treat this like it's some sort of epidemiological necessity, especially when there are vulnerable people in other countries who are unvaccinated.

True but i can't trust this ridiculous society we are now in to try and make the unvaccinated second class citizens.

 

[yorksrob]

As an under 50, I'd like to have my vaccination - not least in case some of the older people I know happen to be in the small percentage for whom vaccines aren't fully effective.

From a clinical point of view, I wouldn't mind waiting whilst vulnerable people in other countries get done. However I don't trust our Government not to continue with onerous restrictions or shove us all back into lockdown again, so I'd rather have it as soon as possible please.

 

[hwl]

I don't expect us to return to regional restrictions, at least not to the extent we were in them before, but could it be possible that once the top groups have all been vaccinated to the highest accepted levels, that they might try and curb regional outbreaks by diverting vaccine resources into them?

Unlikely as the response from extra vaccination will be way too slow.

Seen news today that there is a plan for vaccine passports to allow those vaccinated to go abroad for holidays again.

Just great.

So those of us of working age, many of whom have watched jobs and employment disappear, pay frozen, social life vanish and mental health take a dive for the sake of protecting the more elderly and vulnerable, will now have the "pleasure" of seeing those same people swanning off on holiday having been vaccinated, while we are a) unable to as we haven't been and b) unable to as we can't afford it any longer.

I hope I (and the news) is wrong.

This isn't news - the government signed the consultancy contract for assessing vaccine passport options in mid November. (I've flagged this before on the threads)

The latest round of analysis on travel impact / new strain etc is in and travel impact is now better understood so will see more international restrictions not just here in order to buy time for vaccination get rolled out. The government knew 4-5 months ago that last summer and early last autumn people were 4x more likely to have covid is they had been abroad in the proceeding month.

The US, Germany and France are deeply worried about B1.1.1.7 / N501Y that is about to hit them badly (already well seeded) after seeing what it has done to us and now Portugal getting hit badly. Hence most countries won't want to see Brits until we have got it firmly under control and they are heading that way too.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

As an under 50, I'd like to have my vaccination - not least in case some of the older people I know happen to be in the small percentage for whom vaccines aren't fully effective.

From a clinical point of view, I wouldn't mind waiting whilst vulnerable people in other countries get done. However I don't trust our Government not to continue with onerous restrictions or shove us all back into lockdown again, so I'd rather have it as soon as possible please.

See my post in the Media Coverage thread... the media love to ramp-up the doom and gloom !

 

[DorkingMain]

Reports that the AstraZeneca vaccine has the same efficacy for stopping serious illness and hospitalisation against the South Africa variant, but has a reduced impact against stopping transmission / mild illness. Apparently just as effective against the UK variant as normal COVID.

Somewhat positive (the South Africa variant isn't going to kill many that have been vaccinated), but obviously a dent to the ridiculous "zero COVID" aspirations.

 

[brad465]

According to the Sunday Telegraph, the current expectation is the rollout is ahead of schedule enough that over 50s will be done by (unspecified point in) April, rather than early May, and will be able to start vaccinating under 50s after, opting for doing so in the work environment:

However, there is a more sinister detail in there as well about rolling out vaccine passports to those who've been vaccinated so they can return to normal life after, which I don't expect to go through quietly, not so much because of civil liberties (although that'll be a part), but because of the very clear discrimination this would involve.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

My understanding is that such a scheme would be in violation of of resolution passed by the Council of Europe.

So much for Gove and Zahawi stating outright there will be no vaccine passports

 

[Tezza1978]

Reports that the AstraZeneca vaccine has the same efficacy for stopping serious illness and hospitalisation against the South Africa variant, but has a reduced impact against stopping transmission / mild illness. Apparently just as effective against the UK variant as normal COVID.

Somewhat positive (the South Africa variant isn't going to kill many that have been vaccinated), but obviously a dent to the ridiculous "zero COVID" aspirations.

Have you got a link for this mate would be interested in reading it? A nice contrast to tomorrows "exclusive" in the FT saying the AZ Vaccine doesn't stop mild illness from one small study in SA. But they admit that no-one in that study was hospitalised.....!!

So much for Gove and Zahawi stating outright there will be no vaccine passports

Can't see that going down well with the backbenchers, still doubt it will be brought in, and if so not until rollout complete. Trying to bring one in early when only over 50s have been jabbed would would light the blue touchpaper of anger in this country, even this government isnt that stupid

 

[yorksrob]

If a vaccine passport is required for travel abroad, perhaps this should be affixed to the actual passport, rather than devising a new document that would be more likely to be misused in domestic settings.

 

[brad465]

Have you got a link for this mate would be interested in reading it? A nice contrast to tomorrows "exclusive" in the FT saying the AZ Vaccine doesn't stop mild illness from one small study in SA. But they admit that no-one in that study was hospitalised.....!!


Can't see that going down well with the backbenchers, still doubt it will be brought in, and if so not until rollout complete. Trying to bring one in early when only over 50s have been jabbed would would light the blue touchpaper of anger in this country, even this government isnt that stupid

It certainly would cause anger, and may even cost the Tories at the next election, especially if opposition do actually oppose it for once. We might think all Tory voters are old people and would be unaffected by that proposal, but the proportion of their vote they get from under 50s will be more than enough that just a few % abandoning them would be enough to cost them the next election. Then of course some over 50s maybe sympathetic to restrictions on younger relatives staying around for longer and not support them either.

 

[kristiang85]

Reports that the AstraZeneca vaccine has the same efficacy for stopping serious illness and hospitalisation against the South Africa variant, but has a reduced impact against stopping transmission / mild illness. Apparently just as effective against the UK variant as normal COVID.

Somewhat positive (the South Africa variant isn't going to kill many that have been vaccinated), but obviously a dent to the ridiculous "zero COVID" aspirations.

That's weird, I just turned on BBC and caught the end of their segment on this, and they seem to be saying this is going to cause serious problems for the vaccination programme and its not good news at all.

But obviously I don't trust their point of view....

 

[yorksrob]

That's weird, I just turned on BBC and caught the end of their segment on this, and they seem to be saying this is going to cause serious problems for the vaccination programme and its not good news at all.

But obviously I don't trust their point of view....

Well, they've not bothered to put it on their website yet.

Anyhow, we need to come out some day soon - we can't stay locked down forever.

And whatever varient emerges in the world will end up here in a few weeks anyway, so we'll have to get on with it.

 

[Bertie the bus]

That's weird, I just turned on BBC and caught the end of their segment on this, and they seem to be saying this is going to cause serious problems for the vaccination programme and its not good news at all.

But obviously I don't trust their point of view....

Considering Kirsty Wark just kept repeating over and over again that vaccines don’t reduce transmission, when studies show they do, when vaccine passports were being discussed on last night’s Newsnight that really doesn’t surprise me.

 

[kristiang85]

Considering Kirsty Wark just kept repeating over and over again that vaccines don’t reduce transmission, when studies show they do, when vaccine passports were being discussed on last night’s Newsnight that really doesn’t surprise me.

Do the BBC not look at any of the studies from Israel?

OK maybe they can claim they are waiting for more evidence before broadcasting, but they are actively stating the opposite as fact, which is clearly nonsense.