Once you/your older relatives have the vaccine...

[Freetodowhatiwant]

...will you feel comfortable about seeing them?

My parents are 81 and 77 respectively and should hopefully be having their two doses by the end of January (they are abroad in a European country). I am wondering will we even be able to have them come stay with us. They are both fit and healthy despite their ages. I am mid 40s and working from home but do have two children at primary school who will, presumably, still be attending. We are hoping they might be able to spend a few weeks with us including over February half term.

Once you, if you’re older, or your older relatives and friends have had the vaccine will you take the risk of meeting up?

Definitely, yes. I'd avoid going if I actually had Covid, or had been a close contact of someone (as there is still a small risk of catching it even if you're vaccinated) And I'd ask my them to go easy on the social contact before we visit (as scientists are not yet certain that vaccinated people can't pass it on, though it seems unlikely) But after that, absolutely. What else would you be waiting for? Covid isn't going to go away completely for many years, if ever. Once vaccinated we need to accept the small residual risk and get on with our lives.

Im hoping so otherwise seems pointless having a vaccination if we can't meet up with people and start getting back to normal

Can't wait. My parents live with us and my children are at secondary school. I've been worried since September.

God yes I can't wait.

Would love to, but MIL has said they won't meet us until we've had the vaccine as well as them.

Looks like it'll be a long time before she sees my toddler (whom she hasn't seen since March) and my baby (whom she hasn't even met).

Absolutely as soon as we've all had the jab we're going back to normal we're going to have our big Christmas celebration in the spring /summer...turkey and crackers in the garden!

This thread is making me feel good, I am glad I posted! We need some positive things to look forward to and for the older generations at least the vaccine is really really close at hand. I can’t wait to have my parents here. We took a huge chance and they came to stay with us just after the October half term and luckily it will went fine - they had to quarantine after travel but were happy with that - but it would be so wonderful for them to have had the vaccine and be able to come over once again. They miss the children so much.

AND it would also mean that maybe by Easter we could fly abroad to see them which would make my heart sing.

That’s a real shame about your MIL though @FriedasCarLoad.

Yes once my older relatives have had the vaccine and allowed time for immunity - should be OK with meeting up.
However I have already had a conversation with MIL who didn't comprehend that the first dose doesn't create immunity - it takes time after the 2nd dose.

Yes, absolutely. Can’t wait for my grandparents to have it so I can go and see them, I won’t be waiting until I have mine also (I’m early 30s so not likely to get it until after summer). They’re very sociable people and have struggled so much with not seeing anyone, I can see they’re feeling very low now after almost a year of being by themselves. I’m really looking forward to taking DD to see them, she’s 18 months old now and they’ve only seen her twice!

My mum has been very careful, mid-70s, and says she won't go back to normal until community transmission is low again - so presumably by next summer. She's worried about being the tiny minority it doesn't work for.

Yes, but I’ve gently reminded my mum that she and my dad will still have to be careful, as they could potentially infect us.

Yes I guess there's always the risk they could be the 10% it doesn't work well for and also the risk they could pass it to us. But if we all follow the rules and be reasonably careful hopefully we will be ok. I really hope my parents will have had the vaccine by early Feb (I think immunity is about ten days after the second dose) and we can look forward to seeing each other soon. Can't wait to get mine too although at 46 I don't know when that will be.

Probably... but I would not be surprised if my step-mom never relaxes again.

Right now they are staying with step-sis & her partner. Partner dares to go to supermarkets & to get petrol & casinos. I don't think our parents will go mask-free around step-sis & her partner at all until after everyone is vaccinated. I am not sure I could ever live up to the standard step-mum wants.

My Mum and Auntie and Uncle want to wait until we've had it in case one of us is the 10% that's not protected/or we're still capable of transmitting it after vaccination, which they've said could be the case. Really hopeful, we can meet up in the summer.

@FriedasCarLoad what is your MILs rationale for not meeting until you've had the vaccine as well ?

@rookiemere

MIL is a lovely lady, but she doesn't always think things through logically and based on facts.

Perhaps she understands that the vaccine is ninety-something % effective rather than 100%,and doesn't want to take the risk.

I think that such a small level of risk is worth it to meet new and close relatives, but it's her perogative.

I'd personally want more of the rollout to have taken place first.

Although it's a good success rate with regards to taking up immunity, it's not perfect, and the only way to properly lower risk is to have widespread immunity.