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)?

Such great news. I’m hoping next summer will be less restrictive and there will be enough immunity with the vaccine that we are relatively back to normal. I think we can all accept that we will have to live with this virus but it will be nice to hug my parents. It’s definitely lifted my spirits.

@cologne4711

When will it be acceptable to reduce the need for SD and masks

hopefully people will continue with both to some extent, as it reduces the transmission of other diseases. We could carry on wearing masks in enclosed busy areas and stop handshakes.

No. No way.

@viccat

Selfishly I'm hoping it will be like the flu jab in that you can pay for it privately if you're not eligible for the free one... A lot will depend on the logistics especially as this one needs to be stored so cold, and the available supply in general.

I think that might happen in time, but that it would be politically unacceptable to let people pay privately for it in the first tranche, as that would mean money trumped vulnerability...

Hurray! Looking forward to a mask free, drunken, massive party!

The government has pre ordered 30 million doses, so presumably that’s 15 million people (as 2 doses a month apart are needed), so that is indeed about 29% of the population. To start with (although given production limitations sounds like most of that will be next year).

Plus all the other vaccinations being worked on that the government has also pre ordered.

Restrictions won’t all be removed overnight, but hopefully by some time next year lockdowns and firebreaks won’t be needed.

At some point people will need to accept that, as human beings living in societies, the very existence of other people will pose a risk to some degree. If people want to shut themselves away to eliminate the perceived risk, fine. Crack on.

But face coverings and avoiding physical contact after a safe and effective (hopefully) vaccine has been developed and administered?

No way.

@ILovemyCatsSoSoMuch

The government has pre ordered 30 million doses, so presumably that’s 15 million people (as 2 doses a month apart are needed), so that is indeed about 29% of the population. To start with (although given production limitations sounds like most of that will be next year).

Plus all the other vaccinations being worked on that the government has also pre ordered.

Restrictions won’t all be removed overnight, but hopefully by some time next year lockdowns and firebreaks won’t be needed.

20% I meant not 29%

Brilliant news and as far as any side effects go, I would rather take those rare side effects over long covid effects.
The post viral effects of the virus sound awful and in some cases life changing.

@HesterShaw1

At some point people will need to accept that, as human beings living in societies, the very existence of other people will pose a risk to some degree. If people want to shut themselves away to eliminate the perceived risk, fine. Crack on.

But face coverings and avoiding physical contact after a safe and effective (hopefully) vaccine has been developed and administered?

No way.

And this

@cologne4711

When will it be acceptable to reduce the need for SD and masks

hopefully people will continue with both to some extent, as it reduces the transmission of other diseases. We could carry on wearing masks in enclosed busy areas and stop handshakes.

Definitely hope that handshakes and hugging strangers you've only just met never come back to being the norm. Should be restricted to friends/family etc and should also be socially acceptable to say no to both.

Re masks, I think their use will start to phase out, but we'll be left with them being socially acceptable for those who want to wear them. As opposed to the start of Covid when some who wore them were verbally abused, and some physically abused - we had an asian uni student in our city who was punched and kicked by a gang of youths because she was wearing a mask.

More awareness of health and the ease of virus spreading has to be the lasting legacy of these dark times and those who want to take precautions should be free to do that and not be ridiculed etc.

hopefully people will continue with both to some extent, as it reduces the transmission of other diseases.

They won’t. Avoiding disease isn’t the only goal of life.

@HesterShaw1

At some point people will need to accept that, as human beings living in societies, the very existence of other people will pose a risk to some degree. If people want to shut themselves away to eliminate the perceived risk, fine. Crack on.

But face coverings and avoiding physical contact after a safe and effective (hopefully) vaccine has been developed and administered?

No way.

But those who wish to continue to take precautions should be free to do so IF THEY WANT rather than be potentially subject to mocking and ridicule etc. I.e. it needs to be socially acceptable to say no to a handshake or hug.

You don’t need to guess the priority list as it has already been drawn up:

“older adults’ resident in a care home and care home workers1
all those 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers1
all those 75 years of age and over
all those 70 years of age and over
all those 65 years of age and over
high-risk adults under 65 years of age
moderate-risk adults under 65 years of age
all those 60 years of age and over
all those 55 years of age and over
all those 50 years of age and over
rest of the population (priority to be determined)”

www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-25-september-2020/jcvi-updated-interim-advice-on-priority-groups-for-covid-19-vaccination

@HesterShaw1

At some point people will need to accept that, as human beings living in societies, the very existence of other people will pose a risk to some degree. If people want to shut themselves away to eliminate the perceived risk, fine. Crack on.

But face coverings and avoiding physical contact after a safe and effective (hopefully) vaccine has been developed and administered?

No way.

This.

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

I think I would be a little wary of taking this vaccine. Some side effect can take years to become apparent. I am in no way anti vax (very far from it) however I would be wary of accepting this.

Ditto.

Still, good news that I'm not in the priority list and neither are DC! If it helps people feel better about life and we can get back to some semblance of normality then I'm all for it.

Please pardon my ignorance... but once you’ve been vaccinated, does it start working within a few days?

You don’t need to guess the priority list as it has already been drawn up

I really think teachers should be prioritised here too.

And people who work places where SD is difficult (food production for example).

@Hmmph out of interest - I'm due in Feb, so don't think it'll actually matter to me unless they're very quick at distribution! - I would guess that pregnant women wouldn't be in the moderate risk group for the vaccine even though that's how they're being treated for other purposes? I'm guessing, in fact, that they won't give it to pregnant women at all, given how cautious they normally are about giving anything in pregnancy that doesn't have a long record to prove it's safe?

The UK has 40 million doses ordered. But only 10 million would be ready this year.

So only 5 million people could be vaccinated before the end of the 2020. Still a long way to go before we come out of this.

But those who wish to continue to take precautions should be free to do so IF THEY WANT rather than be potentially subject to mocking and ridicule etc. I.e. it needs to be socially acceptable to say no to a handshake or hug.

Why are some people so determined that coronavirus should do their job of standing up for themselves for them?! You always have and always will be free to refuse handshakes and hugs; who do you want to legislate to say that no one else can be offended by it? See also: you never had to see your family at Christmas; if you don't want to bloody well say so rather than hoping a global pandemic will save you from slight social awkwardness...

If it is as good a vaccine as is being reported (fingers crossed) hopefully it means any vaccine manufacturing facility will buy the patent and vaccines will be churned out until everyone, in every country, who wants to take it gets a vaccine. Will take a little time. But it's not being manufactured yet.

How long before you get a shot? Is that what you want to know? 6-12 months more towards 12 I would guess if you are a healthy adult with no underlying conditions, I expect there will be options to buy privately as there always is.

Surely if vulnerable people inc elderly, health care workers and for example staff in education settings have vaccine, we can have our lives back ?

In theory if a good percentage of the population is immune and cannot transmit the illness, then the rest of the population will have a reduced risk of catching the virus. Plus, the NHS will be able to return to semi-normal.

I would have liked to see on the list somewhere all NHS staff, I assume that will be next.

@ZombieFan

The UK has 40 million doses ordered. But only 10 million would be ready this year. So only 5 million people could be vaccinated before the end of the 2020. Still a long way to go before we come out of this.

twitter.com/Steven_Swinford/status/1325776285860245504 *Britain has ordered 40m doses of Pfizer vaccine, including 10m due by end of year if it gets regulatory approval

This is who gets it:

1. Care home residents & staff
2. 80+
3. 75+
4. 70+
5. 65+
6. High risk adults under 65
7. Moderate risk adults under 65
8. 60+
9. 55+

10. 50+*

A vaccine is the way out of this, but it's still a process. My Mum is a high risk adult in her early 60s. At number 6 it'll be a long time before she could get the vaccine.

People can't just let their guard down.

[quote Hmmph]You don’t need to guess the priority list as it has already been drawn up:

“older adults’ resident in a care home and care home workers1
all those 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers1
all those 75 years of age and over
all those 70 years of age and over
all those 65 years of age and over
high-risk adults under 65 years of age
moderate-risk adults under 65 years of age
all those 60 years of age and over
all those 55 years of age and over
all those 50 years of age and over
rest of the population (priority to be determined)”

www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-25-september-2020/jcvi-updated-interim-advice-on-priority-groups-for-covid-19-vaccination[/quote]
I’m certain that list will be reviewed by the time the vaccine is ready to be distributed and administered. I reckon and hope teachers and staff in schools will be prioritised just like NHS staff. I’m not a teacher, but surely we need teachers just as much as we need other key workers if not more!