How have they tested the long term effects?

[BecomeStronger]

I trust that the vaccine is safe. I won't be in any priority group but I'll have it as soon as it's available to me.

I am happy that we wouldn't be offered it if there's any prospect of long term damage. I'm told "they" know it's safe, but how?

How do they know it's safe from long term side effects without long term trials? Is it all because they know similar vaccines are safe?

@DumplingsAndStew and @LemonTT

www.buzzfeed.com/shaunlintern/these-nhs-staff-were-told-the-swine-flu-vaccine-was-safe

In the case of Pandemrix it appears that issues with the vaccine were started to be identified about a year later

The first hard evidence of a problem with Pandemrix emerged in 2010

If we are talking proper long term one nurse was vaccinated in 2009 and was officially diagnosed with narcolepsy in 2013, another one in 2014. So vaccine side effects are not always immediately obvious. Also, sometimes for autoimmune diseases (as it appears narcolepsy is) it takes a long time for the symptoms to be strong enough that you realise you have them and then even longer to obtain an official diagnosis

@LemonTT

Feel free to call me names if you like, but don't call me an anti-vaxxer because I'm not.

I've had all childhood immunisations, up to date with travel vaccines, flu and yellow fever.

I'm just worried about the Covid vaccines that are being launched currently to the market and I do not to be forced (or 'effectively forced' as you like to say) to have them. That's all

There is also the point that even if some people do have adverse effects it is still worth it to get rid of the virus. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

@helpfulperson

But it's not even known if these vaccines prevent transmission so we may not get rid of the virus anyway.

I also believe that medical treatment/vaccines should not be forced on anyone

[quote trulydelicious]@LemonTT

Feel free to call me names if you like, but don't call me an anti-vaxxer because I'm not.

I've had all childhood immunisations, up to date with travel vaccines, flu and yellow fever.

I'm just worried about the Covid vaccines that are being launched currently to the market and I do not to be forced (or 'effectively forced' as you like to say) to have them. That's all[/quote]
I have never used the phrase effectively forced to vaccinate. I want to see high uptake of the vaccine. This is achieved by voluntary offers to people made by trusted healthcare professionals. Which is why the uptake rates in the UK are high.

I would like people to be able to hold and access their vaccination, treatment and medication histories for practical reasons. Mainly because requests for this information wastes a lot of NHS time. But also because you won’t always fall ill in the Uk.

@GoodKingWindowshopping

I am not from the scientific community, have no training in science, so even if I tried to understand in detail how the vaccine works I don't think I'd understand. I read overviews, where I trust that people have gone through the data in detail and explained it in terms that I can understand. And I do trust that the absolute top scientific brains in many different countries, with lots of funding, lots of joint research, accelerated round the clock working their legs off, have come off with different amazing vaccines that will no doubt save hundreds of thousands of lives.

But what I do understand is that the Internet, social media and sites like Mumsnet have had posts every single day questioning the 'long term safety' of the vaccine. This - some say coordinated - effort to destabilise credibility of the scientific community has created an atmosphere of fear and doubts which, when you think about it, may cost lives of tens of thousands of people.

WHo do I trust? Strangers behind the anonymity of social media, or the creme de la creme of the international scientific community? Well, I do trust the scientists.

So my last point - if you REALLY want an answer to your question, look to reputable sources. NOT Mumsnet.

Well said!