Did you have the BCG vaccine?

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So there's been lots of media outlets mentioning the weak link between countries that have the BCG vaccine still on their schedule and low incidence/fatality of COVID, with countries that never had BCG (Italy/US) on their schedule having high incidence and fatality. I'm not really debating that, obviously much more research is needed. The general theory being the BCG jab boosts your overall immunity, or provides a blueprint for combatting other unrelated pathogens, particularly just after its given (which they are trialling on healthcare workers in Australia).

The question was posed to Michael Mosely on Twitter and he said well everyone in UK has had BCG and we have high incidence/fatality so that link can't be right. But I wonder how many have not had it here, most under 30s won't have had it unless considered at risk, but the rest of us between 30-70 should have had it right?

Except lots of people commented on Twitter that their council cancelled BCG vaccines in the 80s, their parents didn't consent, or they were off school that day. I'm in my 30s (northwest england) and had it, and I think most of my schoolmates did, apart from a handful that were either immune (Mantoux test) or scared of needles. Did you have it, or didn't and why?

I didn't need it in the late 1980s because I reacted to the Heaf test. Had to have a chest x-ray before starting biologics and a blood test (having also had a blood test when working for the NHS in 2014) - still didn't need it.

DP didn't have it. His Dad didn't believe in vaccinations. He had an appointment booked with the GP to ask about having all the vaccinations just as this all kicked off, so that was cancelled - he started having the flu jab a few years back because he'd seen how ill I got with Swine flu the year I'd been unable to get the vaccine until it was too late and another friend ended up in intensive care from it (still has fucked lungs now).

Neither of my kids had it - it had just been stopped when the eldest reached 15.

I am 28 and in my area I was the last school year group to have it. Anyone younger than me didn't have it as they stopped the programme.

I and all the members of my family have had it. It has always been offered to people with South Asian and African links. It’s also the one vaccine (along with polio) that almost all Asians / Africans agree as essential so most immigrants would have had it before coming to the UK. As we are the people who are dying the most frequently I don’t think the research behind it being a cure is sound.

I’m 27 and I had it at secondary school. I think my year was one of the last to have it

45 and I’ve had it. All my kids were born abroad so have had it too.

I'm also 28 and my year group were the last to have it. I didn't get it and was supposed to get it the year after but it got stopped.

I didn't have it at school. But my grandad had TB when I was born so may have been given something at birth. I'm unsure. I think that's why I didn't get it at school though. Late 30s now.

Didn't have it, as missed it at school. When I went to have it later on they already said I had come into contact with it, and had my own immunity 🤷🏻‍♀️

I have had the vaccination. Would have been around the early 2000s when I had it. My oldest DC didn't get it but my youngest has because of their dads heritage.

I’m 28 and I got it at school

I had it (and have the scar to prove it) but can recall at least ten people in my year who didn't for whatever reason.

I’m early 30s, I had it (I still got mumps though!!)

BCG doesnt protect against mumps, its for TB

I've had the BCG twice it only lasts 20 years. I last had it 15 years ago. I caught CV but I haven't died. Does that help!!

no
I was tested in the 1978 and had the reaction to the 6 needles showing I had antibodies (i think)

I'm 29 and I had it in comp as a teen too

My DH & I were born in the same year, we both had it at school.

Yes, I had it in secondary school. Our two children have also had it because they were born in a high risk hospital. They both had it before we were discharged.

I was born in 83 in the UK but grew up in Spain so I didn't have it. I recently started a new job that requires it, so had the BCG end of February. Fingers crossed it does give some immunity!

Had it at 14 ish. I'm 40. Five year old had it at about four weeks as we lived in London.

I had it when I was at school - I'm 57 now so any immunity would presumably have expired.

They skipped it for my entire year group as so many people the previous year had bad reactions to it, so I never had it.

I'm 51.

Not everyone had it in the 1990s. It was dependent on risk of TB exposure. My school in Cambridgeshire had a program, but we moved to Hampshire and my younger brother didn't get it. My mum had a relative die of tb and was keen he got it so asked gp who refused. I'm 40 my brother is 38.

I actually had it when I was a few days old because there was tb found in the ward where I was born. I reacted to the prick test and so wasn't given it at school. So I've probably not still got immunity?

Remember it well. Had it at 13 and fainted on the way into school assembly immediately afterwards . Took me years to live that down....

Remember it well. Had it at 13 and fainted on the way into school assembly immediately afterwards . Took me years to live that down....

I'm 45 so this would have been late 80's in Lincolnshire