Did you have the BCG vaccine?

[aintnothinbutagstring]

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?

Me and DH had it. 38 and 47. My children haven't.

I had it in Secondary school. I'm 35.

Not sure if my younger siblings did. I'll ask them.

I had it at school in the early 80s. I don't remember there being any choice about it although presumably there must have been an option to opt out.

I finished school in 2007 and I am pretty sure we were the last cohort who had the BCG (in my school anyway). If this is the case then anyone under 30 hasnt had it.

I am in my 40s and had it at school. It never scabbed up though so I don't know if it "took". DS1 who is 12 had it as a baby, because we were in a London borough with a high incidence of TB, his did scab. I can't remember if DS2 had it or not.

Why on earth did they discontinue it?

How many people do you know with tb these days?

I’m 26 and I had it.

I'm 50, I had it.

@tonemeth TB's been making a resurgence in the homeless communities and immigrants.

I had it in school in the 90s. When I became a teacher in the mid-2000s it was no longer given in schools. Only 'at-risk' groups get it (both my children had it as we live in London).

I am 70 and I had it as did DH who is 73. It was introduced in 1953.

I’m 44 and had the BCG injection when I was about 15. DH is 47 and also had it about that age.

I think lots haven't had it.
I'm 30 and should have been the last year to have it, but missed it due to being ill and was told to just have the following year, which then never happened as they stopped giving it.

Dh mid 30s had the test and showed antibodies so never had the vaccine, whether he is still immune we have no idea.

My father was born 1952. He is in the age gap to have had at school in the late 60s, but travelling with army parents, has no scar, so assumes he missed it.

Depends where you live. Where we live we all have had it, kids included. I think the evidence is that if you have had it recently your more likely to have immunity. I’m not sure having it 30 years ago does much but don’t quote me in that.

I am 33, missed the 6 needle thing as I was stupidly engrossed in class so never got the vaccine.
I’ve always been raging at myself since

I’m 48 and I had it. I actually was off sick the year I was meant to have it and thought I’d got away with it, but I was hauled in the next year and made to have it with the year below. At the time I was very resentful, now I’m very grateful to whoever kept the records and noticed my previous year’s absence.

Can I ask why people are talking about the scar? I had it but didn't scar. Does this mean anything?

France and Spain have had bcg programmes in place and they seem to be as bad as Italy now. I think they were drawing conclusions when actually the countries were just a bit behind in the spread of disease than Italy, rather than the populations having any additional immunity from the bcg vaccine. I was hoping it would be true as all my family (incl my young children) have had the bcg vaccine but I don't think it actually helps.

I had the test but reacted so was sent for a cheat x ray. I’m sure I was told that it was either because I had immunity, or because I had it, so that was why they did the x ray.

I’m 40 this year.

I'm sure I saw a documentary about a 'super strain' of TB that was immune to the vaccine - there are people living with TB in the UK, anyway.

I had it in around y9 to my memory, I only remember one girl having a response to the Mantoux test, she was quite the celebrity as the test site swelled up considerably. I don't think anyone was forced to have it but most of us were persuaded as it got us out of lesson, some loved the drama of it all, a show of collective bravery!

In my own circle, my DH has had it (he's not UK born) and my DC have had it as DH is from a TB affected country. My parents and siblings all have had it, only one of my aunt's said she's not (in 50s) but doesn't know why.

I had it, born in 83, got in the secondary school when I was about 12 I think. We all had the little ring of needles test then a few days later if there was no reaction we had the vaccine. I still have the scar from that one.

I didn’t have it.

I am nearly 60.

The letter went round in school and in our school it cost money it wasn’t free.

My mother didn’t pay
I would say only about 1/2 the class had it

There is a world shortage of the BCG vaccine hence its no longer just given to everyone