A potential vaccine? What does that mean initially for those who aren't eligible for it?

[3littlewords]

Encouraging news today that a vaccine has been found that's 90% effective. However as initially it will be rolled out to those front line workers, the over 80s and those CEV , what does that mean for everyone else?

Will the virus just left to run through the rest of society as they will most likely not need any NHS support? Will 14 day isolating for close contacts still take place? Will school bubbles still close for 14 days ?

Given children will probably be the last people to be vaccinated (if at all), how will this affect education? Will they still be required to test and isolate every time they show any symptoms? Will there continue to be a disruption to teaching?

When will it be acceptable to reduce the need for SD and masks? When everyone has been vaccinated? When the NHS is no longer overwhelmed? When the number of deaths reduce? When?
What does the news of a vaccine mean for the majority that won't be eligible (initially anyway)?

Because they’re much more likely to die 🤷🏻‍♀️

Or take up NHS beds. And it’s terrible to keep them locked up alone in care homes with no visits.

The priority chart has not just been plucked from the air. It makes complete sense given the mortality from Covid.

Makes me laugh that people think teachers should get this before the elderly

Cev teachers? Absolutely.

Your average 40 year old female teacher with no underlying conditions? Nah. I want schools to stay open so yes in my personal ideal world vaccinate teachers first, but in reality they're not going to prioritize healthy adults over clinically vulnerable elderly people because healthy adults don't often end up in hospital. It's all about capacity in hospitals. I don't think Boris gives a shiny shit whether class 3 has to close cos miss Smith is isolating as long as he can say look! The NHS is ok! We did it!

Hopefully though if the vulnerable are vaccinated doesn't that mean we don't realistically need to isolate? Does it actually matter if one not very ill adult passes it onto another adult and it doesn't make them very ill either?

* Hopefully though if the vulnerable are vaccinated doesn't that mean we don't realistically need to isolate? Does it actually matter if one not very ill adult passes it onto another adult and it doesn't make them very ill either?*

Yes. This is why the order is how it is.

@TrustTheGeneGenie that’s a good point actually, once the elderly and vulnerable are vaccinated we shouldn’t need to isolate. Therefore no more school closures or class bubbles isolating so no need to vaccinated non CEV teachers.

I’m really angry with the media portrayal of the vaccine

I watched Boris interview yesterday and he very much down played the vaccine

Said it’s unlikely to be before Xmas and the vulnerable will only be vaccinated in the first half of 2021.

He said it all good news but cautioned people not to basically get excited or carried away

It’s so irresponsible how it’s being interpreted

Be end of 2021 before those low risk get it

So now we know what the next few months will be like--an endless public debate about the priorities for vaccination.

Meanwhile the relaxation of social distancing will be hellish for many.

Serious thought needs to be given to ensuring that those who do not own a vehicle can be vaccinated in the open air--in parks, for example.

@Ginogineli

I’m really angry with the media portrayal of the vaccine

I watched Boris interview yesterday and he very much down played the vaccine

Said it’s unlikely to be before Xmas and the vulnerable will only be vaccinated in the first half of 2021.

He said it all good news but cautioned people not to basically get excited or carried away

It’s so irresponsible how it’s being interpreted

Be end of 2021 before those low risk get it

But surely we will be free as soon as the vulnerable have got it? We only need NHS capacity we don't need to vaccinate the whole population to be "safe" do we?

nether thank you. DH ( blood cancer) and I have been shielding since march. No wonder we haven't caught CV19... we've been in total hiding. ( And washing our shopping and quarantining post, and all those other things MN seems stupid)
We'd quite like to do normal things again. Including seeing our families.

We certainly do not need to vaccinate everyone to be ‘safe’.
But this runs in direct contradiction to the narrative that’s been peddled - that this is a virus that is a serious danger to every single one of us. So it’s going to be a bugger to shift that.

But the truth is most countries will vaccinate HCPs and the people most likely to end up in hospital.
And this will take the pressure off sufficiently to reduce many restrictions.
Yes, the rest of us may catch it and yes the rest of us will be absolutely fine. Just like flu.

You won't be able to get it privately at boots as the storage condition s are too restrictive but other vaccines are also coming so maybe one of those will be done that way.

Remember for every person vaccinated the herd immunity gets stronger plus those that have had it will also see immunity for a number of months maybe years so eventually the virus will find it hard to find new victims. This will take time but I'd say by the end of next summer lmaybe spring life will be a lot more normal looking.

I have heard it's being rolled out next month to the vulnerable and front line staff. Then to everyone else after. DP and I have been discussing plans for next year and have put in social events for as early as March. I think most restrictions if not all will be lifted by then.

@MiaMarshmallows

I have heard it's being rolled out next month to the vulnerable and front line staff. Then to everyone else after. DP and I have been discussing plans for next year and have put in social events for as early as March. I think most restrictions if not all will be lifted by then.

You're having a laugh if you think ALL or even MOST restrictions will be lifted by March. I'd say more like Summer/Autumn. Yes, some restrictions will be lifted by March, we'll probably be back where we were in July/August, with lots of things allowed to re-open, but still with masks, SD, and restrictions as to numbers attending gatherings etc (weddings, parties, etc). There'll still have to be restrictions until all the vulnerable and elderly have been offered the vaccine - that will take a few months at the very least - there are millions of them. The easing of restrictions will be very slow.

The government has ordered large stocks of more than one vaccine. This is great news because other vaccines using similar technology are also likely to be effective.

Anyone willing to be vaccinated will be offered one eventually and it's likely to be before next winter. The virus transmits less effectively in summer.

We have a hard winter to get through (light is at the end of the tunnel and it's a long tunnel) - but with an end in sight hopefully more people will comply with restrictions and rates will drop faster.

@alreadytaken

The government has ordered large stocks of more than one vaccine. This is great news because other vaccines using similar technology are also likely to be effective.

Anyone willing to be vaccinated will be offered one eventually and it's likely to be before next winter. The virus transmits less effectively in summer.

We have a hard winter to get through (light is at the end of the tunnel and it's a long tunnel) - but with an end in sight hopefully more people will comply with restrictions and rates will drop faster.

The risk is that fewer people will comply if they think the vaccine is imminent as they'll "think it's all over". That's why Boris played it down yesterday. Last thing we need at the moment is people ignoring restrictions. A vaccine AND low infection numbers at the same time will enable more restrictions to be lifted sooner. Even with a vaccine, if infection rates are high among the public (most of whom won't get a vaccine in the next 3-6 months), restrictions will be in place for a lot longer.

But why do they need to be If the people who are actually at risk are vaccinated?

Why does it matter if lots of healthy adults are mildly Ill or have it asymptomatically?

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Makes me laugh that people think teachers should get this before the elderly

Cev teachers? Absolutely.

Your average 40 year old female teacher with no underlying conditions? Nah. I want schools to stay open so yes in my personal ideal world vaccinate teachers first, but in reality they're not going to prioritize healthy adults over clinically vulnerable elderly people because healthy adults don't often end up in hospital. It's all about capacity in hospitals. I don't think Boris gives a shiny shit whether class 3 has to close cos miss Smith is isolating as long as he can say look! The NHS is ok! We did it!

Hopefully though if the vulnerable are vaccinated doesn't that mean we don't realistically need to isolate? Does it actually matter if one not very ill adult passes it onto another adult and it doesn't make them very ill either?

Has anyone actually said teachers should be prioritised BEFORE the elderly and ecv? I think teachers should be prioritised, but not before the elderly or the ecv. They should be prioritised before the under 50s that are healthy though and regardless if the teacher is young and healthy. It’s about herd immunity too and vaccinated those who are in places of high exposure.

Well we are choosing to be positive and have planned social events from March. Can't wait to meet up in big groups again as well. DP and I are such social people and it's been horrible not seeing all our friends. 2021 will be a good year!

I think the impact of prioritizing the elderly is correct, as many of them need long stays in hospitals and intensive care. This should free up some staff to return to their regular work, and for planned surgeries to go ahead. The impact on the population in general will be significant once those over 70 are vaccinated.

I also think that if the government is serious about schools staying open, teachers should be higher up on the list. It's not just if they 'get it', it's because so many of them have to self isolate if someone in their class has it. I work in a secondary school and at the moment, staffing is our biggest issue by far. Schools WILL close down not because of the number of cases, but because of lack of staff. We can't 'magic' teachers out of thin air.

But why do teachers need to isolate if the vulnerable have been vaccinated?

Is everyone who remains unvaccinated going to have to test and isolate for the rest of their lives?

Why can't we just go back normal ie if you're well enough to go to work, go and if you're not, don't.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

But why do teachers need to isolate if the vulnerable have been vaccinated?

Is everyone who remains unvaccinated going to have to test and isolate for the rest of their lives?

Why can't we just go back normal ie if you're well enough to go to work, go and if you're not, don't.

The amount of exposure that a teacher would have wouldn’t be the same as for other workers. Also there is no opportunity for SD and masks when teaching. SD and masks will still be used when the vaccine is here initially, however if you can’t SD or wear a mask and work in an environment where the risk of exposure is high then it makes sense to vaccinate that group of people. It’s just about priority as eventually the vaccine will probably become available for all at some point.

SD and masks will still be used when the vaccine is here initially, however if you can’t SD or wear a mask and work in an environment where the risk of exposure is high then it makes sense to vaccinate that group of people. It’s just about priority as eventually the vaccine will probably become available for all at some point.

Some of the teachers at DD school wear masks and tell the students to too. They're generally able to stand away from the students as well. I can't see any reason why teachers should be treated differently from the rest of the population.

I don't see the need for teachers to be vaccinated or for classes/bubbles to isolate etc. We don't do that for flu in a normal year. Don't the statistics show that covid is no more of a threat/risk to healthy/young as other viral diseases like flu or norovirus?

Once the vulnerable and elderly have been vaccinated, we really should be back to "normal", i.e. people should stay off work/school if they are ill. Hopefully, we should have all heeded the necessity of basic hygiene such as hand washing, catching coughs, etc.

We don't vaccinate everyone against flu - only the vulnerable and elderly. Not sure why covid should be any different. The vaccination should eventually be available for younger people if they want it, like the flu vaccine.

I can’t find link but several articles I read on news this week said study shows teachers have proved to be no more likely to catch covid than other professions