I’m just angry now

[BathFullOfEels]

They knew a vaccine would be the only way of getting us out of this mess. The country has already been locked down twice. Why, why, why didn’t they use this time to set up the logistics of distributing and administering these vaccines?

Why, why, why are the government allowed to decide who to prioritise to receive these vaccines when they were always going to distribute in a way that benefits them. Surely any government with an ounce of realism would be self aware enough to realise that they would make this vaccine distribution a political decision and instead allow the decision to be made by an independent third party who can distribute it in a way that would allow the country to get back to work. Instead it’s likely that months and months down the line we’ll all be forced to go back to work despite still be unprotected.

I have visions of pensioners being able to swan off on holiday over the summer while the workers of the country will still be unable to.

It’s an absolute fucking farce. Watching that press conference last night just finally made it snap for me - they genuinely don’t know what they’re doing at all

Build up your immune system in a natural way. Dont rely on the parliament who sent us into lockdown at least 2 weeks too late and took us out two months too early. Also a virus was always going to mutate. Scientists knew that so why didnt they do more to plan for things happening? More nurses...more doctors...more equipment. MORE MONEY FOR THE NHS !! This virus will continue to mutate like the flu...for years to come....are we still going to be in lockdown 10 years from now? I only ask. I have the greatest of empathy for anyone affected in any way. I am one of the lucky ones. Do scream....to you your local MP and to the PM. Send emails and demand answers.

It seems sensible to vaccinate the people who are most likely to require hospital treatment or die should they contact it. The elderly and the clinical vulnerable should stay first on the priority list.

*contract

My mum is in a care home that has just announced they have had 69 cases of Covid since mid Dec. 35 residents and the rest staff. 5 residents have died. We havent been able to go and see her since March. If they vaccinate younger people first and say 500,000 care home residents die, the gov, will rightly, be accused of manslaughter. The gov are will be criticised whatever they do, because there is not an answer that will make the virus go away overnight. At least our vaccination programme is moving much more swiftly than in most of Europe.

This incompetent government should be held to account . They have known for months we, due to our excellent scientists, would have the vaccine first so they could have planned ahead, but no the blustering buffoon Johnson does everything off the cuff. We could have had 24 hr vaccinating centres for the under 70s to attend etc. And if Johnson again says what a great job he is doing I will flip, the success will be due to our professors, doctors NHS workers teachers, carers, not the blundering idiots from the Tory government.

So the elderly have worked most of their life and you say(swan off on holiday) poor buggers have been locked up for almost a year. Have a heart. It's never going to be implemented so everyone is happy.

Totally agree. Everyone knows best.

@Kamijak123

I’m not taking this crap poisoning vaccine it won’t work, and we will be back in lockdown again just wait and see,

We sure will if everyone was like you

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

It's about reducing deaths and pressure on the NHS. Always has been.

And I say that as a CV person of working age. Even as CV I won't be getting the vaccine until the summer.

The death rate reduces then restrictions will be lifted. The way the govt. Have arranged the vaccination schedule is one thing they've done that I agree with

This ☝🏻

It’s about protecting those most likely to die from Covid and cause a huge burden on the NHS.

The logic is that over 80s are more likely to be hospitalised, therefore taking up precious beds / resources. So vaccinate those most at risk of being hospitalised will assist NHS. They are not actually saying old people are more important!

Couldn’t agree more!!! Working population need vax to get back to work!! I’m not saying kill all 90 year olds (!) but surely most of them are shielding or sat sade in a nursing home so vax their carers and those people in society like teachers etc who need to get going!!! What’s the agenda here???? There’s a reason they’re doing this bullshit at around...........

If Johnson again says what a great job he is doing I will flip, the success will be due to our professors, doctors NHS workers teachers, carers, not the blundering idiots from the Tory government

Well yes, but that's the nature of politicians - all of them, no matter what party
If there's blame flying around they'll make damned sure someone else takes it, but when it comes to any credit they'll fight like cats to be first in line

The over sixties are the most at risk when it comes to COVID. Therefore of course they should be some of the first in line for the vaccine. The economy is important, yes, but preventing unnecessary deaths is by far the most important thing and all life is as important as the next, whether you’re in your twenty’s or over sixty. If you have older parents, you would always want them to be the first in line for vaccines.

Wait... so you think that it’s fine for older people to remain at risk? They are more likely to be admitted to hospital for other issues and contract the virus! Worse still they can then pass it on to a care home. Don’t you remember what happened at the beginning? But that’s fine because, what, pensioners are expendable? Only working age people are valuable? The arrogance and ignorance in this thread is shocking. If the government were making political decisions then surely they would be vaccinating workers and children first. They know older people who get Covid are more likely to be admitted to hospital so this decision is based on stopping the NHS being overwhelmed. They should never have let kids go back to school in September that is why we are where we are.

I can’t believe someone would actually type that out. Selfishness is the biggest virus

They didn't. That's a strangely common misconception. People who are 60 now were born in 1960/61. People in their 70s would have been a maximum of 5 years old at the end of the war. The 'baby boom' generation were born AFTER the war - hence the name. The people who actually fought in the war are in their 90s now - there aren't many left.

@MajesticWhine

You can be angry if you like. But it's a health decision not a political one. Be angry with the JCVI. Have a look at their epidemiological data and their mathematical models and maybe drop them an email.

Exactly this.

This thread has actually shocked me. Are people really selfish enough to think they deserve the vaccine over someone multiple times more likely to of covid without it just because they are working age?

Choosing to vaccinate the elderly first, because they are lost likely to get very ill and therefore overwhelm the nhs benefits the whole population. The elderly are the ones dying in the 10,000s.

Choosing to vaccinate the working age first on the basis they ‘contribute to society’ would result in 10s of thousands of deaths that could be otherwise prevented by the vaccine. That’s akin to genocide.

It’s completely unbelievable that people can’t grasp the bigger picture and see this.

and today theyre saying ppl will need to be vaccinated every 6 months ....

Considering most of the hospital admissions are over 60, definitely the over 60’s need priority, together with nurses, emergency services and teachers. We all need to be patient, it’s a mammoth task vaccinating the whole population . It would make things easier if people stopped breaking the rules and life would get back to normal quicker. A lot of people have been shielding especially the older population so I doubt very much they would be off holidaying as soon as they’ve had their vaccinations as they will still be vulnerable as the vaccine isn’t 100% effective, masks and social distancing will be here some some time.
Yes workers need a jab too, but if a choice between your elderly relatives and yourself would you want to put them at risk because you took their vaccine?

I don't think there's hatred towards elderly people implicit in the anti-lockdown view. It's about generational equity and, to some degree, about class equity. My grandfathers could be alive now and fighting for their lives on a covid ward. But they both died in the 1980s, one from emphysema caused by working in a steel factory, the other from heart failure. (Heavy smoker, overweight.) They were typical working-class men of their generation and one fought in the war. They've already been dead for thirty five years. Is that because society hated them? No. But life expectancy has a lot to do with privilege, and they didn't have it. Anyone in their 80s has had a long life by any standards and has outlived the majority of their generation. It's fantastic if everything can be done to preserve it but society doesn't have infinite resources. Policy needs to be about allocating them fairly.

Our children haven't voted for this government, and they aren't assenting to the choices made on their behalf. But they are the ones who will be most affected by lockdown. So as parents I think we have to be their advocates, and that IS political.

We're used to political parties chasing votes by separating rich from poor, Northern from Southern, male from female, rural from urban etc. Now there is the question of old versus young. The point made by others that the Tories are the party of the old is very important. Unfortunately, at the moment, no one is standing up politically for the young. So I think there some responsibility among parents to be their advocates. What kind of tax could be levied for example, after this is over, to redistribute money from the well-off and elderly (who have benefited from lockdown) to support catch-up education, children's centres, child welfare, better pay for teachers etc?

@Busygoingblah

This thread has actually shocked me. Are people really selfish enough to think they deserve the vaccine over someone multiple times more likely to of covid without it just because they are working age?

Choosing to vaccinate the elderly first, because they are lost likely to get very ill and therefore overwhelm the nhs benefits the whole population. The elderly are the ones dying in the 10,000s.

Choosing to vaccinate the working age first on the basis they ‘contribute to society’ would result in 10s of thousands of deaths that could be otherwise prevented by the vaccine. That’s akin to genocide.

It’s completely unbelievable that people can’t grasp the bigger picture and see this.

Yes people are that selfish, I can’t believe people think the elderly should stay in their houses and younger people should get vaccinated. This epidemic has shown how incredibly selfish some people are . Happy my eighty year old mum got her second jab today. I am happy to remain at risk

Kamijak123: curious if you are an anti-Vaxxer or only this vaccine? Clearly, whichever it is, you are ignorant of evidence-based scientific fact. Try to educate yourself

What! Do you think pensioners have never been workers? How dare you!!! Do you not think that a lot of us pensioners fought for the rights and benefits that you have now.. I am a pensioner. I am 74. I am still working and employing young people. I have survived breast cancer and have a few health issues. Don't you dare say my life is not as important as anyone else's. I may be getting to the end of my life but does that mean I have made my contribution to society and I now deserve to die. Of course, if the vaccine was offered to me and I could decide whether to give it to my children or grandchildren I would obviously give it but that is my reaction as a human being not as an old crumbly who is of no further use. You will be a pensioner one day. Lets hope that then the contribution you will have made to life will be of of no value,, because that's how you are making me feel. What an uncaring human being you are!!! I don't ant to die yet. I still have a lot to give.....and to get.