Will you vaccinate against Covid?

[DelilahfromDevon]

Let me start by saying I’ve never been an anti vaxxer and have vaccinated my family in the usual way. Also vaccinated them against chicken pox. They get vaccinated against the flu at school but I’ve never been vaccinated myself with the exception of the pregnancy years when it’s recommended.

But I am undecided vaccinating against Covid. Firstly due to unknown side effects of a vaccination that’s being rushed through. Secondly, only 370 people under 60 without medical conditions have died from Covid. No children. (Source Daily Telegraph). Most people who catch it don’t die and at worst have minor symptoms.

If I do decide to vaccinate it will purely be for the greater good of the elderly and those who are immunocompromised rather than because I think/am concerned I’m going to get it myself.
Curious as to what other people’s thoughts on it are?

That the Government has ordered millions of "antibody treatment" for those whose health would be compromised by a vaccination

Er, what? Charitably, did you severely misread what the BMJ actually said??

"The UK has also ordered a million doses of AstraZeneca’s treatment containing covid-19 neutralising antibodies to protect people who cannot receive vaccines, such as those with cancer and immunocompromised patients."

"Those who won't will have a long time of social distancing" - Parker231

In theory they might but how's it possible to put that in practice? How would a restaurateur/publican/shopkeeper/stadium booking agent/ fellow diner/shopper etc. know whether an individual is vaccinated or not?

How could you police the unvaccinated person who visits their brother's house? Mark their front door? Tail them? Make them wear a sign around their neck which reads "unclean"? 😉🙂

I truly don't think that it's possible, unless mandatory vaccination and ID proof is enshrined in law.

An unvaccinated person is going to have concerns if they don’t socially distance as they wouldn’t know who they were in close contact with. Also perhaps other countries would want evidence of a vaccination before you can enter their country - I remember having to produce evidence of yellow fever vaccination before entering some countries.

I’m also in camp wait and see, I would consider getting it after a year or 2 once longer term possible side effects have been established or ruled out. I’m usually Fairly pro-vaccine and have paid for additional vaccines for my children. I have no concerns about the procedures being followed to role out a vaccine this quickly but in the time taken for trails, long term side effects simply cannot be established.

Parker231, many people aren't particularly bothered by the virus and are acting as they would at any other time. Self protection may not be as strong a factor as you believe it to be.

Wrt travel, for reasons of finances, personal responsibilities, or simply lack of desire many will be untouched by being told that they need vaccinations to go overseas.

I can think of neither carrot nor stick which would encourage uptake.

Does the vaccine stop you getting it or stop you spreading it? Or both?

@MartiniDry - other than medical exceptions I would make all vaccinations mandatory. People who don’t vaccinate are selfish imo.

TheElementsofMedical, I can't c&p the relevant sentences from my phone so I was paraphrasing (ineffectively, it transpires!).

Sorry that I made no sense.

@MartiniDry

That the Government has ordered millions of "antibody treatment" for those whose health would be compromised by a vaccination sounds horribly like they have a plan to mandate vaccination.

I won't be having the vaccination. Apart from a myriad of other reasons, Johnson has yet to do something right and I'm not convinced that Covid 19 vaccination would change that.

If Johnson had anything to do with developing the vaccine then neither would I, but fortunately he hasn’t.

@cyclingmad

no the patient who had the reaction turns out it was some type of spinal inflammation can't remember the term properly. Apparently it can happen to people with other vaccines too not judt this one.

So no not unless its mandatory

Such reactions also occur as a result of infections such as Lyme disease and various viruses.

The probability of vaccine harm is lower than the probability of harm from diseases.

Parker231, mandatory vaccination is the obvious answer to complete control although it's not one which I personally find acceptable.

Even then, how do you police it? How do you know whether the lady looking at the handbags in John Lewis has or has not been vaccinated?

How do you enforce compliance? Prison sentences? How many new prisons do you want to fund from an already depleted public purse?
Fines? Jolly good, but you can't get blood out of a stone.

Nothing relating to enforced vaccination or segregation of the unvaccinated is workable

But @Parker231 how can you show and prove there are no effects on human fertility, why is it selfish to hold off if there is no proof it doesn't interefer with fertility and you plan on having children? This can only be proven by long term human trials.

I have faith in science and that any released vaccine will be safe.

Yes, not for me but for society. Repeated lockdowns are destroying people's mental health. A vaccine could stop that but only if enough people had it.

No way no

Yes I will get it. I had flu jab yesterday, last year I had the pneumonia one as well. I'm late 60s but no other risk factors. I remember when small pox and polio were big threats and I value vaccinations.

Any decent vaccine generally takes on average 10 years of research and testing time to be deemed fully effective and safe.
It's a no from me.

@Tiny2018

You know that the flu vaccine is a new vaccine made every year to deal with the most prevalent strains? I honestly wish everyone would listen to the Sarah Gilbert podcast, it deals with so many of these concerns.

No

For those saying no, how are you going to ensure you don’t infect a medically vulnerable person who can’t have the vaccine? How long would you be prepared to have limitations on how you live your life?

@Parker231 you'd do well in a communist state.

Hardly! I’ll be having the vaccine as soon as it’s available. I want to continue with life and travel to see my family overseas. I want to remain healthy and not have restrictions on what I do. Sensible and unselfish

I'd potentially be interested, but would assume as a member of a household where everyone is low risk, I'd be low priority. Might well have immunity anyway by then.

Actually, antibodies would be a better way of putting that than immunity wouldn't it?

Just to clarify, of course people can name whatever reasons for not wanting to be vaccinated, and although I will be at the front of the queue to get vaccinated I do not support making it compulsory... but please do not get alarmed into thinking (from what you read here) that you should avoid the vaccination because the Government has ordered millions of "antibody treatment" for those whose health would be compromised by a vaccination