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Original poster

Are you NHS staff? Will you or won't you be getting the vaccination?

211 replies

CovidStoleTheRainbow · 25/10/2020 06:49

My apologies if there's already a thread. I did have a look and couldn't see one.

If you're NHS staff in a hospital will you get the covid vaccine?

If you will, what reassures you that it's safe?

If you won't get it, why not?

I work in a hospital but come Jan, I will be a community nurse so I'm not sure whether I will be very high up on the list (compared to A&E or HDU staff).

OP posts:
mumsneedwine · 25/10/2020 06:52

If anyone doesn't want there's can I have it instead please ? I'm a teacher and I'd like it tomorrow if possible. Thanks.

Original poster
CovidStoleTheRainbow · 25/10/2020 06:54

@mumsneedwine oh mate ☹️
I'd like to think that would be part of the plan after hospital staff??
I mean they won't just stop there.

OP posts:
Char2015 · 25/10/2020 07:13

I think in larger trusts there won't be a priority list for vaccinating as they normally have capacity to vaccinate all around the same period. They changed flu vaccination this year so you have designated people in each department giving the vaccine. Normally, it's an open clinics in central locations and not done within each department. I think the same will be done for the covid vaccine. I also think all NHS staff will be eligible. I will be getting the vaccine once my trust offers it.

Original poster
CovidStoleTheRainbow · 25/10/2020 07:18

Our flu vaccinations worked the same way this year. Everyone who's anyone got it, as long as they are staff.

OP posts:
opmamatrist · 25/10/2020 07:25

Not NHS staff but work in the health care sector as an Optometrist and I won't be getting the vaccine out of choice even if offered

Original poster
CovidStoleTheRainbow · 25/10/2020 07:29

Can I ask why not?

OP posts:
roses2 · 25/10/2020 07:30

I know they're coming to the end of the safety tests which shows it's safe but have they actually proved it is an effective vaccine against covid yet? I didn't think it's passed that stage yet. I won't be getting a vaccine until it's passed both safety and effectiveness against the virus.

Hairyfairy01 · 25/10/2020 07:30

NHS staff, no way will I be getting a vaccine against a virus that didn't even exist (in this form at least) this time last year. How can they have any idea what the long term side effects are?

startswithanL · 25/10/2020 07:32

I think I would take it if all tests proved safe...

FippertyGibbett · 25/10/2020 07:33

I will get the vaccine because I believe we should lead by example.
I have the flu every year to protect my patients and keep me working, and this is the same.
I believe that this is our best hope to get out of the situation right now, so we should take it.

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 25/10/2020 07:33

@roses2

I know they're coming to the end of the safety tests which shows it's safe but have they actually proved it is an effective vaccine against covid yet? I didn't think it's passed that stage yet. I won't be getting a vaccine until it's passed both safety and effectiveness against the virus.
You won’t be offered the vaccine until it is ready for licensing and it has been approved for use by the MHRA.
WiseUpJanetWeiss · 25/10/2020 07:34

@Hairyfairy01

NHS staff, no way will I be getting a vaccine against a virus that didn't even exist (in this form at least) this time last year. How can they have any idea what the long term side effects are?
Vaccine side effects occur quickly.
AwaAnBileYerHeid · 25/10/2020 07:45

Vaccine effects can take a few years to materialise. Most side effects will become apparent quite quickly however there are side effects that can take years to materialise.

hettie · 25/10/2020 07:53

@Hairyfairy01 That's what the trials are about and why it's likely delayed as it's a numbers game). You vaccinate people with the new Covid vaccine and give others a placebo (in this case an actual vaccine to make sure they can't tell- the meningitis vaccine I believe). Then you count the number of people who get side effects until you have given it enough people to be as certain as you can that the statistical likelihood of side effects is very low. Like all medical treatments you cannot remove all risk. Some people react to antibiotics, most dint. To be as sure that your new vaccine is as safe as antibiotics you have to work with probability. But to know the probability of side effects you need to have tested it on sufficient numbers of people. The more people you give it too without side effects during trials the more sure you can be that that picture will hold out at a population level. For vaccines decades of research indicate that side effects (if they happen) occur soon after vaccination All the non novel bits of the vaccine delivery have already been widely used ifor years in other vaccines too. These are non negotiable standards and processes that are baked in to obtaining a licence in every developedcountry...So unless you think vaccines as a general thing are unsafe then this one really won't be different in terms of how it's been developed. Safety by the way is different to the does it work question....

hettie · 25/10/2020 07:55

@AwaAnBileYerHeid As far as I'm aware there is no research/evidence base of any cases of vaccines that have subsequently years later been found to cause latent side effects. But perhaps I'm wing, which vaccines were you thinking of that had subsequently been shown as having long term side effects?

Brieminewine · 25/10/2020 07:56

I’m frontline nhs and no I’ll not be having it. I’m not being a tester for a rushed through vaccine. I’m young and fit, and probably already had it tbh, colleagues have tested positive and been only minimally effected so I’ll wait it out I think.

AgnesNaismith · 25/10/2020 07:59

Vaccine effects can take a few years to materialise. Most side effects will become apparent quite quickly however there are side effects that can take years to materialise

Given that this isn’t a new ‘style’ of vaccine and is not live would you still expect possible long term effects? We have many other similar vaccines - like flu - which change yearly and are also not live, are they a risk?

There was a vaccine being developed for SARS prior to this and the pre-work fed into it, so really it’s been in development for longer than a year.

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 25/10/2020 08:01

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

Vaccine effects can take a few years to materialise. Most side effects will become apparent quite quickly however there are side effects that can take years to materialise.
I don’t think there’s any evidence of that. There may be long term side effects, but they don’t take years to become apparent.
hettie · 25/10/2020 08:03

@Brieminewine Your not the tester, currently 1000's of people in the USA, brazil, south Africa and the UK are testers. If enough people have it without adverse effects during testing phase then we can be as sure as we can be (will at least as sure as any other licensed drug you've taken this year) that the side effects are ok. It's quick because they've thrown massive resource at it and started (a bit of a gamble if it fails) manufacturing at the same time. It's not quick because they've abandoned all standards and scientic rigour Hmm

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 25/10/2020 08:03

@Brieminewine

I’m frontline nhs and no I’ll not be having it. I’m not being a tester for a rushed through vaccine. I’m young and fit, and probably already had it tbh, colleagues have tested positive and been only minimally effected so I’ll wait it out I think.
You can still spread it to your vulnerable patients, and to your older relatives with pre-existing conditions.
Evilwasps · 25/10/2020 08:08

I'm not NHS staff but I'd like to think anyone who is offered it will get it. Frankly if you're in a patient facing role you'd be selfish not to have it, same goes for care workers after what happened in the care homes. Plus it might help end the shit show the government is making of managing the pandemic.

On a side note I wish they had managed the flu vaccine better this year, I still haven't had it despite having a health condition that warrants getting it every year. Not sure why people who should get it are suddenly lower priority during a pandemic, that's pretty backwards planning

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 25/10/2020 08:08

I’m NHS hospital admin. I won’t be having it if offered. For the first time though I will be getting the flu vaccine, have always resisted it and always had to sign a form saying so, but worry that having flu alongside or followed by COVID is a terrible prospect. Not been offered the flu vaccine yet but when (if) I’ll take it.

frumpety · 25/10/2020 08:09

If it has passed all the appropriate trial phases and is considered safe then yes.

Is @AwaAnBileYerHeid thinking of one of the swine flu vaccines that caused narcolepsy in some people ?

hettie · 25/10/2020 08:11

@ThroughThickAndThin01 Do you mind me asking why you wouldn't want it? Is it related to why you've never wanted the flu vaccine?

toiletpaper · 25/10/2020 08:18

I'm an intensive care nurse and work with the sickest of the (extremely) sick covid patients. I'll likely have it when it's rolled out but I can't say I'm not afraid of any potential side effects.