NHS STAFF - are you getting the vaccine?

[Cinderellashoes]

Just interested. I’m a nurse on a ward and I will be getting it as soon as I can. However I worked in research for 5 years and know how strict clinical trials really are - I understand not everyone with that background would be as trusting of new drugs being developed. Where do you work, and what will you do about the vaccine?

have had Covid myself back in May and barely lost a stride at the time but am now having some unexpected outcomes. I welcome the vaccines and will be having it.

@AnyFucker can I ask what unexpected outcomes you had? I had it a month or two ago. Mild at the time but I'm not feeling 100%

Intensive care nurse - hell yes

Pharmacy Tech working patient facing - Yes I will get it as soon as I am able to

@Wildwitchofthewest will pm you

@polkadotpixie I dont think it is sensible to have the vaccine if you are TTC as you could easily fall pregnant quickly and there is no research about how it affects foetal development. I'm going to opt out for now then have it done when the baby arrives (I'm not planning to breastfeed).

@Wildwitchofthewest I had it too, very minor symptoms at the time but my sense of smell hasn't returned and I'm shorter of breath after mild exercise than I used to be.

Nurse specialist in cancer unit. Yes, I’ll have it if offered, have been following the trials closely and reading up, and the science is impressive! Had Covid back in March, was lucky to have a very mild case, scarcely worse than a cold, and didn’t last as long. Had antibody test in June, which showed I had antibodies, and had a second one last week, awaiting results.

I’m one of the people who has the flu vac under sufferance, it makes me feel as bad as having flu, but I do want to protect myself, my family and friends, colleagues and patients.

However, I totally agree with PPs with regard to this being politicised, as the flu vac is made into a black and white, ‘why wouldn’t you have it?’, Code of Conduct kind of thing. I resent that, as our OH team told me this year that if I had the same reaction to flu vac again, they wouldn’t offer it to me. It should remain my choice what I put into my body, as it is with everything else. I’ve had all other vaccines, as I would the Covid one, but should always remain a choice ...and we should defend that.

100% both DH and I (oncologist and frontline health worker)
So is DSis who is a very cautious research scientist and has been very reassuring explaining why it's so comparatively quick. The main reasons are that normal trials take years to get funded (this has had money thrown at it immediately across the world) and then agesto get through ethics (been prioritised) every bit of red tape has been snipped and smoothed then you have to convince people to be a part of the trial (here they had more volunteers than needed).

Band 7 occupational therapist and I’ll have it, despite being needle phobic. I’ve no idea if I’ve had covid 19 as was too scared to have the blood test, but assume not as never had typical symptoms. I’ve had the flu jab for the first time in years recently.

@Thewiseoneincognito

I really have to ask... when you post something like that, do you think you’re being a good person? Do you realise how you come across?

Definitely

Yep I'll be at the front of the queue.

Yes I will have it. I am on a career break at present, due back next year. As soon as works starts the programme, I will be there.

@ladylunchalot

I'm hoping that they'll be looking for staff secondments to help administer the programme - I'm very interested in doing this.

Our health board in South Wales is already starting to advertise.

Just out of interest - if you are on a clinical trial, as I understand it you aren’t told if you had the vaccine or the placebo. Are you allowed to have another vaccine when it becomes available generally?

Yes I will be getting it, I’m a. Hospital at home trainee ACP. Dh (GP) will also be getting it. No qualms at all.

[quote Thewiseoneincognito]@Autumnspice curious, how long does your committee usually take to approve trials for other medications? How long is needed to verify and properly test before being stamped good to go?[/quote]
I mainly deal with human tissues and cells so slightly different.
If criteria is met we’ll sign it off quickly. If the governance isn’t met it can take months before we give the ok.
I’d go into further details but it would be outing.

I was slightly concerned by the suggestion that the vaccine reduces symptoms but doesn’t stop you being infectious, as well. That would surely make you more likely to pass it to the unvaccinated. I’d like to see the trial data but I doubt it will elaborate as there was actually a very small sample who actually caught covid in the trials

BungleandGeorge that’s what I would like to see clarified because if you can still spread it then presumably you would still have to isolate if you caught it.
I will be following developments with interest.

@Crazycatlady83

Short answer is “yes”. I’m in the novavax trial. We’ve had an email about it.

If it means my patients are at lower risk by my having it then yes. If it only protects me then I'd rather mine went to someone else who may need it more as I'm young and healthy. But I have the flu vaccine every year so no reason not to, the vaccine itself doesn't worry me as I vaccinate people every day as part of my job and would be hypocrisy to say I'm concerned about it.
Although last year only 60% of our clinical staff had the flu vaccine, so...

[quote PaddyF0dder]@Thewiseoneincognito

I really have to ask... when you post something like that, do you think you’re being a good person? Do you realise how you come across?[/quote]
Very much doubt the poster cares what anyone thinks of them with an attitude like that. Scientific progress would never be made if everybody thought that way, they would still be looking for volunteers to test penicillin if everyone looked after no.1 first and thought of noone else. .

Good job we aren't all.....well I better stop there before I break some forum rules.

[quote PaddyF0dder]@Crazycatlady83

Short answer is “yes”. I’m in the novavax trial. We’ve had an email about it.[/quote]
Thanks! But wouldn’t that mess with the results of the trial you are doing? You won’t be able to tell if the novavax vaccine prevented the virus or the approved vaccine prevented the virus? Sorry to ask stupid questions and I am not antivax at all, I’m just wondering how the early vaccines will impact upon the later vaccines being trialled? Sorry these questions are probably unanswerable at this stage!!

Sorry I’ve realised I’m derailling!

Crazycatlady83 Just out of interest - if you are on a clinical trial, as I understand it you aren’t told if you had the vaccine or the placebo. Are you allowed to have another vaccine when it becomes available generally?

I'm in the Oxford trial (with control vaccine rather than placebo) and was told at my last follow up appointment that we will be unblinded early as/when the vaccine is rolled out so we know whether we need it.

As a slight aside, I am in Phase 2 and have weekly swab tests and 3-monthly bloods. I have another 10 months of this as I took the booster dose. So we are still being monitored; as much as some people like to believe otherwise.