Not sure if I would have the vaccination or not

[Pinkyyy]

Just that really.

I'm not sure that I would feel comfortable having a vaccination given that they whole world is in a race to create it and I would be scared that somewhere or another, corners had been cut and not all of the side effects were known.

Is there any information anyone has seen that's helped them make a decision regarding this? I haven't followed any of the vaccine talk.

Also I feel I should point out I haven't had any of my vaccines (not even as a child) so it would be a big step for me to have it and I'm very anxious.

Your parents didn't have you vaccinated; instead they gave you anxiety about them.
That's what you need to address here.

No, the constant bombardment from people to get myself vaccinated is what makes me anxious. I avoid going to the doctors because they always try and get me to have them.

some may call that selfish but it's up to every individual whether they want it or not

But the problem is that while we are all individuals, we all live in a society and our actions have an impact on the rest of the society too.

Take the example of the measles you mentioned. You weren't vaccinated and contracted measles in your 20's. You survived that illness without incident. But while you had measles, you could have unknowingly passed it to other people who are vulnerable, people with reduced/ no immune system (think cancer patients), or older people or young babies (before their vaccinations). Also, and I'm not sure of the numbers, but a certain percentage of people, despite being vaccinated do not develop immunity. That is why vaccines work best if large numbers of people get them, because it is not just about protecting the person who is vaccinated, but protecting all the people who of medical* reasons can not be vaccinated, or do not develop immunity when vaccinated.

*I think it is important to differentiate between those who can not and does who do not want to. IMO, those who can, should.

I would probably have the Oxford vaccine if it's successful.
It was initially being developed as a vaccine for MERS which is still being trialled in one of the middle eastern countries so the base which is a modified chimpanzee adenoviral virus has been trialled already. It's just the part which is related to covid which is new

It is not a completely new vaccine - the same technology has already been used to make several other vaccines which are already in use. The delivery system, if you like, is tried and tested, just the payload is different.

There is no such thing as a completely safe vaccine - but vaccines which are licensed for general use have a vanishingly small risk of causing damage (as against short-term discomfort following administration). It's not just the 1/10 vs 1/100 of the sweetie jar analogy, it's many orders of magnitude more than that. The one in 55,000 narcolepsy risk was much greater than is normally tolerated - so that specific vaccine was withdrawn once it came to light. There were, and are, other swine flu vaccines still in use, just as there are multiple candidates for the Covid-19 vaccine.

That leads me to conclude that any Covid vaccine which is licensed will have a damage risk of way less than 1 in 55,000. My personal risk of dying if I contract Covid (due to age, health etc) is somewhere between 1 and 3%. For me, the odds are heavily in favour of having the vaccine.

Remember as well that many new vaccines go through months/years of testing because each stage is done after the last stage was proven to be successful. Current vaccines are doing the stages simultaneously to speed things up so it means it doesn’t compromise the safely of the vaccine but it will be ready sooner.

No, the constant bombardment from people to get myself vaccinated is what makes me anxious. I avoid going to the doctors because they always try and get me to have them.

Why do you think they do that, OP?

It could be what the conspiracy theorists say - that they're all in on it with Bill Gates trying to microchip and control you.

Or - more likely - because they know that modern vaccines are extremely safe, and the diseases they protect against cause untold suffering. After clean water and sanitation, vaccines are the biggest contribution to public health in human history.

I understand why some people were against the combined mmr vaccine, as there was a theory that it could cause autism. I knew someone who paid for individual vaccines for her children, rsther than risk the combined MMR. That seemed a sensible step to me - I thought maybe the 3in1 combo could have been hard for some people's bodies to take, so the individual vaccines may have been gentler.

All that aside, this disease is serious enough that I would not hesitate to get the vaccine. I'm unsure about the flu vaccine though... I don't normally have it as I rarely catch colds (and am cynical as to its efficacy when there are 4(?) strains of flu but the jab only covers one), but I think I read that even the flu vaccine might help the body to cope better with Covid19? Does anyone know any further details on this aspect?

Why haven’t you just had the other vaccines?

I’m sure you have nothing to worry about, me, my kids and the other responsible citizens out there who will have the vaccine will be doing our bit for herd immunity which will keep you safe.

I’ll be standing as near the front of the queue with my sleeve rolled up and my arm out as I can get.

In the meantime OP I hope you are also worrying about the other nasty illnesses you can catch and spread that you can’t be arsed getting vaccinated for. Measles etc.

What's selfish about it? I've had the measles.

You could have spread it to people who can’t have the vaccine or are immuno suppressed. Measles is way more infectious than Covid

can’t be arsed getting vaccinated for

That I don't want to be vaccinated for.

Can’t be arsed, don’t want to, both stupid and selfish.

Op just a different perspective! My OH never had any childhood vaccinations either, not because his parents were against just as it was found he is allergic to the serum in the vaccinations! Weird I know but very true as even when we had kids and had them vaccinated the Dr's looked at his notes and would only recommend the polio on a sugar cube! He's never caught anything! I personally won't be first in the queue for this Jab as I had the flu Jab once and it made me really ill, I luckily have never had the flu! I don't want to stop others getting it! Just my personal experience!

@Wishfulthinking1977

Op just a different perspective! My OH never had any childhood vaccinations either, not because his parents were against just as it was found he is allergic to the serum in the vaccinations! Weird I know but very true as even when we had kids and had them vaccinated the Dr's looked at his notes and would only recommend the polio on a sugar cube! He's never caught anything! I personally won't be first in the queue for this Jab as I had the flu Jab once and it made me really ill, I luckily have never had the flu! I don't want to stop others getting it! Just my personal experience!

Well he clearly can’t have vaccines, hence why is more important for people like the OP to have it, to help protect him. The reason he’s never caught anything is more likely to be because enough other people have had their recommended vaccines than anything else.

Like I said it was just a different perspective!

@Pinkyyy I had measles as a small child. It affected my eyes. I had an operation but have never had clarity of vision in my right eye, which is now deteriorating fast, and I will eventually lose my sight completely in this eye. My left eye’s not too clever either and had other issues which no-one is sure whether they are directly measles related. I made damn sure I had my kids vaccinated.

@defenbaker

I'm unsure about the flu vaccine though... I don't normally have it as I rarely catch colds

Irrelevant - influenza and colds are caused by different viruses. Having said that, though, there is some evidence suggesting that having the flu vaccine makes you more susceptible to catching other (non-influenza) respiratory viruses. It's an open question at the moment whether that also applies to Covid-19.

(and am cynical as to its efficacy when there are 4(?) strains of flu but the jab only covers one)

Not true - see below, extracted from www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/how-flu-vaccine-works/

"There are 3 types of flu viruses:

Type A flu virus – this is usually the more serious type. The virus is most likely to mutate into a new version that people are not resistant to. The H1N1 (swine flu) strain is a type A virus, and flu pandemics in the past were type A viruses.
Type B flu virus – this generally causes a less severe illness and is responsible for smaller outbreaks. It mainly affects young children.
Type C flu virus – this usually causes a mild illness similar to the common cold.
Most years, 1 or 2 strains of type A flu circulate, as well as type B.

How the annual flu vaccine changes
In February each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) assesses the strains of flu virus that are most likely to be circulating in the northern hemisphere over the following winter.

Based on this assessment, WHO recommends which flu strains the vaccines should contain for the forthcoming winter.

Flu vaccines protect against 3 or 4 types of flu virus (usually 2 A types and 1 or 2 B types). Vaccine manufacturers produce flu vaccines based on WHO's recommendations."

Influenza viruses mutate rapidly, hence the need to change the vaccine every year. The evidence to date is that coronaviruses mutate much more slowly, so unlikely to have the same issue of needing to change the vaccine every year.

@sirfredfredgeorge

Tbh I can't see it being mandatory

I can't see it being mandatory, but I can certainly seeing it being forced if you want access to schools, travel, clubs, activities, all sorts. The amount of fear of covid that's been created among so many would have lots of people making it a requirement without a legal obligation.

How would it be possible to prove you have or haven't had the vaccine? It will be taken at word if you have had it or not.

Do schools not accept children who haven't been vaccinated? I dont know this answer by the way

In some countries they may prevent children going to school if they haven’t had vaccinations unless they are exempt, or will require details of which vaccinations the children have had.

I am old so was an adult when MMR was introduced. I am not sure whether I have had all vaccinations available. I do remember having the rubella jab and polio on a sugar cube at school. I also came down with mumps when I was at secondary school and had to be isolated from my dad and brother.

Do you have children @Pinkyyy? If so have you had them vaccinated?

"How would it be possible to prove you have or haven't had the vaccine? "

In Germany, I have a vaccination book with my basic details on it
and each vaccination I receive gets a sticky there, with the stamp of the GP practice, signature and date

How would it be possible to prove you have or haven't had the vaccine? It will be taken at word if you have had it or not.

In the U.K. vaccinations go on your medical records. That information would stand up in court.

I never used to have the flu vaccine, as I was a healthy gym rat with normal BMI ..... until I was early 40s and caught "proper" flu which hammered me and kept me off work for 2 weeks

I returned to work for a few days , feeling shattered and promptly caught it again, or it flared up
and was off another 2 weeks

I felt so weak and it took me 3-4 months to build up to my previous fitness level in the gym

Ever since then, for over 20 years, I've always had the flu jab
and I've never had any problems with it - I just wait 48 hours before any hardcore training, to be cautious

@campion

Your parents didn't have you vaccinated; instead they gave you anxiety about them. That's what you need to address here.

This!!!!

Vaccines not only protect those that have it but also those that can’t have the vaccine. But this only works if people actually have the vaccine. So actually by not having it the risk might be low to you but higher to others around you. So it is quite selfish.

My dh works in this area.
The vaccine will go through all the normal trial stages it's just they've thrown extra people/money at it so that's why it's quicker than normal.
As others have pointed out there's previous research as well.
I will be first in the queue.
Measles can be fatal and can cause deafness. Look at stats from around the world.
Cannot be doing with anti science people.