The elephant in the room regarding a vaccine (particularly next year)

[annabel85]

The vaccine is what we've all been clinging too, but it's going to a be a long and limited roll out as there's only so many doses, at least in the short term. And along with health workers the main priority is rightly going to be the elderly over the winter and spring if and when it becomes available.

The elderly have had to pretty much shut themselves away since March - or at least advised to. This vaccine would enable the elderly to be about and about again, socialise and see their families.

However, the elephant in the room, is what does this mean for the working age population? Are we just going to be sitting ducks so things can be back to normal in spring/summer? Maybe this is just what will have to happen, but a lot of the population who won't be eligible for this vaccine for a long time won't just be able to switch off the health anxiety that has been drummed in over Covid. People are terrified of catching it and it's not going anywhere. Many just want to get back to normal, which is perfectly natural, many more aren't going to be any less scared just because Mum or Gran has had a vaccine.

Someone made a tongue in cheek post yesterday about how you'll get posts along the lines of 'MIL has had vaccine and wants to do xyz but we don't feel comfortable'.

The risk will never be low enough to satisfy some people.
But we can’t and won’t run society based on the views of that minority.
We have curtailed so many things to protect the NHS and those most vulnerable to Covid. Once those things are sufficiently safe, it’s time to balance other priorities.

Those that are under 70 with no vulnerable health conditions may not eat it until 2022, if ever. It may only be available privately much later on for those people. Covid isn’t going away we have to live with it. Are you actually not going to return to normal until vaccinated? What about when rules are relaxed, will you just not go into work? See your family?

@Racoonworld

Those that are under 70 with no vulnerable health conditions may not eat it until 2022, if ever. It may only be available privately much later on for those people. Covid isn’t going away we have to live with it. Are you actually not going to return to normal until vaccinated? What about when rules are relaxed, will you just not go into work? See your family?

I'll be happy to be back to normal once my parents are vaccinated but they're some way down the list.

I do wonder if people are aware that the flu vaccine (flu causes thousands of deaths every year) is often only around 50-60% effective?

I'll be happy to be back to normal once my parents are vaccinated but they're some way down the list

My parents are around number 8 on the list. They certainly won’t be staying at home until the vaccine programme gets round to them. For a start they both still work full time out of the house.

OP if you’re not comfortable to change you’re behaviour until your parents receive the vaccine, I’m sure no one will force you.

But you can’t insist others remain similarly restricted. It’s about proportional risk and responsibility.

When health providers are back to functioning normally and clinically/socially vulnerable vaccinated, I will be going straight back to as normal. I can’t wait.

@HelloMissus

OP if you’re not comfortable to change you’re behaviour until your parents receive the vaccine, I’m sure no one will force you.

But you can’t insist others remain similarly restricted. It’s about proportional risk and responsibility.

I haven't insisted or said they should. My point is more that it'll be difficult to convince everyone to go back to normal again before the vaccine has been rolled out widely. Not after terrifying people all year.

Workplaces with no social distancing measures for example.

It's amazing, fantastic news.

Everything crossed for my very elderly and vulnerable parents. And my DH with cancer. I want all the vulnerable (and those care workers who care for them) vaccinated asap. We just have to be patient.

I think letting it rip in younger age groups is a risk due to the relative high rate of long covid (around 1/10 I think). I would be surprised if SD measures are removed before widespread vaccination.

@whiteonesugar

Agreed *@Forgetmenot157* - they dont tell us the flu cases every year do they?! If they did none of us would go out...

There are weekly statistics published for flu: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-national-flu-reports-2019-to-2020-season

@Racoonworld

Those that are under 70 with no vulnerable health conditions may not eat it until 2022, if ever. It may only be available privately much later on for those people. Covid isn’t going away we have to live with it. Are you actually not going to return to normal until vaccinated? What about when rules are relaxed, will you just not go into work? See your family?

Kate Bingham (head of UK vaccine task force ( has said everyone over 50 would be vaccinated by Easter 2021.

Everything I’ve heard makes me predict that all over 50s will have had it by early summer . Over 30s perhaps by late summer . As long as it stops transmission, it will mean life back to normal . 1 in 10 risk is minuscule .

Are we just going to be sitting ducks so things can be back to normal in spring/summer?

Outside of this website, I think that a very large majority have this virus in proportion. Most know that while there is a risk to some younger/healthy people from this virus, if you are under 65 and generally healthy, you are going to be ok if you get it. Yes, you might feel like absolute shit if you're unlucky (just like flu can feel terrible and knock people out for weeks) but then people get in cars and smoke and drink and fly knowing there is also a risk. There is no case of people being 'sitting ducks.' It's about having a balance and weighing up the fact that most of the people at risk of experiencing serious repercussions from this virus are very old and already very frail.

I know for some, anxiety means it won't be that simple but even then quite often once you start getting out about more and you see you're ok, those fears recede. A minority will need support to overcome that.

OP I agree that it will be a tough gig to convince some people who have bought the narrative that Covid is life threatening to all of us.

But as we saw in the Summer - enough folk want to go out to eat, to meet friends, to return to work.
I guarantee that if they opened the theatres or the football stadia tomorrow they’d fill up.
If they said we could meet up with our families for Xmas, most people would snatch their hands off.

I disagree. None of the under 50s I know, including me and dh (both teachers), appear to be living in terror of the virus. People are just getting on with it and looking forward to the end of lockdown (whenever that happens).

My point is more that it'll be difficult to convince everyone to go back to normal again before the vaccine has been rolled out widely. Not after terrifying people all year.

Most people seem to complain that it's hard to get people to comply with restrictions. I really don't think it will be hard to get the majority of people to give them up!

@TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair

Are we just going to be sitting ducks so things can be back to normal in spring/summer?

Outside of this website, I think that a very large majority have this virus in proportion. Most know that while there is a risk to some younger/healthy people from this virus, if you are under 65 and generally healthy, you are going to be ok if you get it. Yes, you might feel like absolute shit if you're unlucky (just like flu can feel terrible and knock people out for weeks) but then people get in cars and smoke and drink and fly knowing there is also a risk. There is no case of people being 'sitting ducks.' It's about having a balance and weighing up the fact that most of the people at risk of experiencing serious repercussions from this virus are very old and already very frail.

I know for some, anxiety means it won't be that simple but even then quite often once you start getting out about more and you see you're ok, those fears recede. A minority will need support to overcome that.

I agree with this. I don’t know anyone outside of the EVC or elderly in real life who are terrified. Most are being cautious and sensible and don’t want a bout of Covid, but they know the risks to them are small and they’re certainly not terrified.

@LindaEllen

It's just a mess. I've stuck to the rules 100% because I don't want either of my parents catching it because of me. I have anxiety and it has been worsened greatly over lockdown.

They have both said they will get the vaccine as soon as they can, but they might not be for a long while yet.

And then the fact that it's 90% effective scares me. So 1 in 10 will still be able to be infected - and there's thought that people can still spread the virus even if they are themselves immune.

This isn't enough for me to get 'back to normal', I don't think.

It's not enough for me to believe that my parents are safe.

No vaccine is ever 100% effective never will be. 90% is still amazing, and regardless of age or other vulnerabilities the odds are still very much weighted in favour of surviving covid.
Please don't let your anxiety tip over to them let them decide how they want to live their lives. If they want to be out all day every day after the vaccine thats their choice as is it is if they also choose to still limit social interactions.

It does seem odd though that those who are younger but clinically extremely vulnerable are lower down the list, below all age 65 and over. Given they were told in March not to even go in the garden!

That bothers me too. There are many many vulnerable people who should jump the queue so to speak. They have children to raise aswell as elderly parents to see too. Yet they are down the list, they need the protection.

They reckon it might take 12-18months to vaccinate everyone in the country!

They also don’t know yet how long immunity lasts from it. What if immunity is only six months? It’ll be like painting the forth road bridge.

I guess though the more people in circus who are immune at anytime the less chance of it spreading. But yes some/many people will be walking around not immune/not have had the vaccine.

So I probably won’t get it and I teach uni students. But my students are health care students so hopefully they’ll get it. Which then lessens my chances of catching it when I’m in a classroom with them.

@TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair

Are we just going to be sitting ducks so things can be back to normal in spring/summer?

Outside of this website, I think that a very large majority have this virus in proportion. Most know that while there is a risk to some younger/healthy people from this virus, if you are under 65 and generally healthy, you are going to be ok if you get it. Yes, you might feel like absolute shit if you're unlucky (just like flu can feel terrible and knock people out for weeks) but then people get in cars and smoke and drink and fly knowing there is also a risk. There is no case of people being 'sitting ducks.' It's about having a balance and weighing up the fact that most of the people at risk of experiencing serious repercussions from this virus are very old and already very frail.

I know for some, anxiety means it won't be that simple but even then quite often once you start getting out about more and you see you're ok, those fears recede. A minority will need support to overcome that.

I'm not sure. I think the possible long-term effects are being underplayed by the mainstream media, although you can certainly find out about them if you look. Hopefully it is just a minority that Long Covid and long-term organ damage affects (although of course this would still be awful), but I don't think we can be sure that it is by any means.

There are other vaccines that will (hopefully) be successful too, ones we have pre ordered.

Different vaccines will be better suited to different groups of people.

The roll out will be determined by JCVI & I think we just need to trust their decision.

I think they are wrong on who to vaccinate first. Most elderly who aren't in nursing and residential homes that I know are going out and about anyway. Going to shops wearing masks and trying to social distance, they seem to be doing well.

Rubbish! Rather than arguing who should go first and sharpening our elbows, let's just be patient until it's our turn.

I think they are wrong on who to vaccinate first. Most elderly who aren't in nursing and residential homes that I know are going out and about anyway. Going to shops wearing masks and trying to social distance, they seem to be doing well

They’re not going out because they’ve been petrified into staying at home.
My 89 year old would bloody love to be out and about. She hasn’t got long left, she doesn’t want to spend her last years/months or whatever it is sitting at home on her own.

@TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair

Are we just going to be sitting ducks so things can be back to normal in spring/summer?

Outside of this website, I think that a very large majority have this virus in proportion. Most know that while there is a risk to some younger/healthy people from this virus, if you are under 65 and generally healthy, you are going to be ok if you get it. Yes, you might feel like absolute shit if you're unlucky (just like flu can feel terrible and knock people out for weeks) but then people get in cars and smoke and drink and fly knowing there is also a risk. There is no case of people being 'sitting ducks.' It's about having a balance and weighing up the fact that most of the people at risk of experiencing serious repercussions from this virus are very old and already very frail.

I know for some, anxiety means it won't be that simple but even then quite often once you start getting out about more and you see you're ok, those fears recede. A minority will need support to overcome that.

Bear in mind that it's become almost a crime to take a sick day in this country, and you're expected to come in and work through anything. Therefore, if the working age population are going to be expected to go back to normal then if they do get Covid then they shouldn't be getting warnings and hitting triggers if they need to take time off.

Then there's the risk of long Covid which many employers aren't going to be sympathetic too if you're wiped out for months.