Would you pay for an early vaccination?

[MilkTrayLimeBarrel]

Just that really - if a vaccine is developed and proven to be safe, would you be prepared to pay to get one early?

If not, and it is rolled out to the public, in which order do you think people will be given it?

If they allow over 70s to have it early on then no. If they ask them to wait we would pay for MIL and FIL to have it. This is purely from a childcare perspective.

@Ponoka7
Well yes, but this goes for pretty much everything in life, no? Me spending money on my health does probably increase inequality on paper (in the same way as, say, buying healthy food does), but how exactly does me being healthier disadvantage those who cannot afford it? If the vaccine becomes a genuinely scarce strategic resource, I just cannot see it being available to the private sector.

Also, being vulnerable from the health perspective does not mean being vulnerable financially, I would be surprised if there is even a visible correlation. I lived in a couple of counties, rich and poor, but the UK is the one where I am genuinely baffled that using private healthcare or education is considered shameful and unethical.

Same dilemma as many others

If I could without depriving someone who needs it even more I would because I have a lot of underlying issues.

However, I believe we shouldn't need to!

For example - I am paying for a flu and pneumococcal vaccine privately as I am not deemed vulnerable enough by the NHS to qualify (and anyway prefer the flexibility of appointments that the private option offers). People with my health condition in many other countries ARE recommended to get these vaccines (privately, publicly or insured - depends on the healthcare system). How did that disadvantage people with the same condition who could not afford the vaccine? Quite the opposite, I become less likely to infect them, no?

10:09firstmentat, there's a massive visable difference in the income of disabled/vulnerable people and the healthy population. Disability benefits sought to level that out, but they have been stripped back. With housing being short, that has further disadvantaged people. The attitude towards private vs public was because our welfare state was set up to provide equality. Our State provision should be fit for purpose and 'better' shouldn't be available or needed.

You personally might not cause the disadvantage, but the systems in place that you are making use of will do. If people didn't make use, then they wouldn't exist.

But in this case paying privately will ease the burden on the NHS. For me, this is on a par with the flu vaccine. It costs 6p to manufacture.

The ingredients rather cost 6p.

Yes I would, DS is in the highly vulnerable group so I'd pay for my whole family.

@Ponoka7
Why "better" should not be available? Admittedly, having grown up under communism, I am probably a bit wary when the state unilaterally decides what is good enough for me.

People shouldn't be able to pay. Front line medics and carers then vulnerable groups, ie everyone that normally gets flu vaccine then oldest to youngest...
The ethics around this will be so important, it will be needed globally and will take time. It would be awesome if we could globally prioritise need and not leave poor countries to last.

Richer people shouldn't go to the front of the queue to be vaccinated against a killer disease that picks off the vulnerable and the ill.

They already do. It's called the flu vaccine, and you can buy it at your local chemist or supermarket. This is capitalism. Why do you think that so many companies are rushing to be at the forefront of development and manufacture. They aren't doing it as a social service.

Disclaimer: I'm a 'researcher' (9-years / 40,000+ hours) whom runs an intelligence-related website, have several US sources (former US Army MI, Navy, Marines, USAF) and qualified/expert medical sources (Drs, MD, PhD, virology / immunology etc), and those people, in turn, have access to both active and retired contacts inside US 'government' including FEMA, CIA.

I call bullshit. Are you related to President Trump by any chance?

For myself, no, my vulnerable loved ones yes. Though presumably those already qualifying for the free flu jab would be first on the list anyway.

I would as long as I was a much lower priority behind all frontline workers

YouTube isn't reliable evidence of anything.

How can something be "proven to be safe" ??? After effects come in at a later date...

No.
I think people who need it more than me should go first, I'll wait my turn.

Yes ! Of course. Then, for those who cannot pay they can have it free on NHS. That is part of everyone contributing to this crisis and it would ease pressure on NHS clinics and maybe even motivate the drug companies more. Why should the full cost of this vaccine come from taxes when some people (eg via their work) have private health insurance which covers preventative treatment ? And when it may cost just the price of a meal at a restaurant per person ?

limeandlemonade, all of the ingredients are well tested and used in other vaccines/treatments. They are testing it to see if in combination, they work on Covid.

They've been using the main ingredient from the start of the Elboa crisis.

I would. If I’m vaccinated then I can go out into the world, do my job properly and pay the taxes needed to fund distribution of the vaccine to those who can’t pay. And I become unable to infect those who haven’t yet had the vaccine. It makes both immunological and economical sense to allow people who wouldn’t qualify for a free flu vaccine to also buy their own Corona vaccine early.

I would as if i die my kids will be orphans and i have a health issue that means I'm not in a group that can reasonably think they have nothing to fear from Covid.

It only makes sense to have private access if there's no shortage. Its impossible to imagine that a vaccine needed by several billion people won't be in short supply. I think some people are taking a very narrow view. It won't be available privately, not for years, we will likely, as members of a rich nation that's possibly developing the vaccine here, be able to access it first, but there won't be millions available instantly and front line medics globally need to be prioritised surely?

marlboroughlemon

Yes ! Of course. Then, for those who cannot pay they can have it free on NHS. That is part of everyone contributing to this crisis and it would ease pressure on NHS clinics and maybe even motivate the drug companies more. “

Fair points, but the question would be when for me.

If a healthy person who could afford to pay could access it before a vulnerable person who couldn’t, that would clearly be wrong.

If I cannot receive it (I’m shielding, and my leukaemia means I cannot have any live attenuated vaccines, though I’m OK for all existing dead ones) I hope that the immediate cohabitants of the shielded would be high on the list to have it.

Because not having to isolate within your home from your DC once schools open, would be an enormous relief. For me and also fot the DC who don’t want to live in fear they could bring it home to me no matter how diligent we are

It only makes sense to have private access if there's no shortage. Its impossible to imagine that a vaccine needed by several billion people won't be in short supply. I think some people are taking a very narrow view. It won't be available privately, not for years, we will likely, as members of a rich nation that's possibly developing the vaccine here, be able to access it first, but there won't be millions available instantly and front line medics globally need to be prioritised surely?

Sense and reality have little in common. Capitalism operates on the basis of profit. Actually, what is probably most perverse about this is that many vaccine producing labs for mass production currently on standby once one is proven are actually located in nations where the majority of people may never see the vaccine. India for one.

It's nice that you think that all the people all over the world who need the vaccine most will get it first. But it's naive. Once a vaccine is available it quite definitely would be available to buy. Just as antibody tests are currently available to purchase.