Genuine question- why do low risk people need the vaccine ?

[stufftosay]

If a 20 year old's risk of death is so low and if we don't know or so far whether the vaccine prevents spread- why do they need to be vaccinated ?

If the vaccine prevents spread then I understand why. But so far they're saying it only prevents serious illness from covid. So if you're super low risk, why would you need to get it ? Genuine question. Please let me know if I've misunderstood something !

If we vaccinate all elderly and at risk patients, would this not be enough ? Does everyone need to be vaccinated because the vaccine is not 100 percent effective so there may be some vulnerable people who aren't protected by it? So we need to stamp it out completely ?

I'm quite happy to have the vaccine, but if we carry on this argument that we must protect the tiny number of people who can't be vaccinated for health reasons, then I'm not sure what the long term plan is for under 16s. They can't be vaccinated as the vaccines aren't licensed for their use, so do they just get locked up forever to protect someone having chemo somewhere? It's all utter bullshit.

Low risk now does not mean low risk tomorrow. Low risk individuals can still develop diabetes or their blood pressure can go up. All manner of health problems can still beset them. This vaccine will protect them for the future as well as today.

@tatutata No, herd immunity will mean very low levels of the virus in the community which makes everyone who can't be vaccinated much safer.

For example, my child wasn't vaccinated against measles - which is a horrible virus - until he was one. But I took the chance of going to baby groups and sending him to nursery when I went back to work at 11 months, because there's so little measles in the community that he was very unlikely to be in contact with someone who had it.

As evidence accumulates we will have a better idea of whether vaccinating the entire population is a sensible aim.
We don't yet know how long vaccination or covid itself gives immunity for. Whatever the government says, its probably better to get some data first. We've a long way to go before we need to make a decision about fit people in their 20s.

@whatswithtodaytoday that's literally the point I am making. Without vaccinating under 16s, I don't see how herd immunity is achieved given the rising % immunity that seems to be required.

I'm curious about this, I had it and I had it mild as did my wife. Based on that would I always get it mild? I don't think I need the vaccine but don't want restrictions if I don't have it...

Predicament

@Blue565

Not sure I see the predicament.

Just get vaccinated when your chance comes. Done.

You have no idea how your body would respond a second time, eg to a higher viral load that the one you had that time, or to a mutated virus. There is no predicament/dilemma IMO.

They don't!

@Blue565

I'm curious about this, I had it and I had it mild as did my wife. Based on that would I always get it mild? I don't think I need the vaccine but don't want restrictions if I don't have it...

Predicament

Some of the literature describes people who have had a much worse course when they’ve been reinfected.

Take the immunisation.

I'm under 50 and don't fancy getting long covid. It sounds awful. So I won't be returning to normal life until I've had the vaccine, thanks.

They don't! smile

They do. I know a 22 year old with no underlying conditions seriously ill in hospital with covid. She's not the only one. People seem to think that since she probably won't die, she doesn't count.
She does.

I’m under 50 and hope we do get the chance to have it at some point

Prefer it to roulette of Covid even if risk is very low

Herd immunity/push down transmission

Won't we need to be vaccinated to travel ? Planes and cruise ships etc ?
Surely if tourism is to get up off of its knees then we will need to be vaccinated for that. I know holidays aren't essential but I'm sorry to say that I live for mine. Surely other countries will insist on it.

Today death figures say a 26 year old person died of covid with no underlying heath conditions. So every body is at risk from it.

Sal

@Daisyhoney

Won't we need to be vaccinated to travel

Negative PCRs 72 hs is what some countries are requiring

[quote trulydelicious]@Daisyhoney

Won't we need to be vaccinated to travel

Negative PCRs 72 hs is what some countries are requiring[/quote]
At the moment. That could well change when the vaccine programmes have been more widely rolled out.

@JanewaysBun

Tbh I Don't see them vaccinating everyone. My prediction is under 50 min health/social care workers/ecv etc won't get it

Hancock said yesterday that everybody who is over 18 would have it by the autumn

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-55605009

To all those saying they know a 20 year old in hospital right now from covid or a 30 year old that died etc. The risk of that happening is still very very low. I'm not in any way trying to minimise it. I just did a lot of research on it because I'm in fear of my life constantly and needed to get perspective.

I've read a lot of articles which compare your usual risk of death vs your risk of death from covid and apparently only once you reach over 50 is your chance of death heightened if you get covid, compared to your usual chance of death.

www.bbc.com/news/health-52758024

I've read very similar articles and studies from other outlets to.

I'm not posting this to be controversial or to minimise anything or to anger anybody. It's just my research. But I think I do understand why we need to vaccinate everyone. Thanks for all the replies. I can't wait to get mine and not to be so afraid anymore.

Most people survive catching measles. The death rate in western countries is about 1-2 in every 1000 cases. But most of us wouldn't argue that as those are pretty good odds, and our (pre vaccine era) parents and grandparents only had a mild dose of measles, so let's not bother with the time and expense of vaccinating healthy children who will probably survive if they catch it. Same goes for the Covid vaccine.

A very small percentage of a big number is still a lot of (young healthy) people dead or suffering from long Covid. If that can be mitigated by vaccination, let us have the vaccine please.

@Ceara that's a good point. I should dig out the stats on how many people get seriously ill from measles. I saw a case recently and it's absolutely devastating and will make you disabled for life. So the risks are probably very small but I'm still vaccinating my daughter for it ( as was I ).

There are a lot of unanswered questions that can't be answered due to novelty of this type of vaccine and complete absence of data.

If it were known that this vaccine prevents transmission then those with the most social contact would be vaccinated.

But those with the most social contact are least likely to require hospitalisation or die.

So those with least social contact but increased risk are being vaccinated with the hope that vaccination will reduce severity of illness.

There is no evidence to support this. It is a theoretical hope. There is no gold standard trial to support this comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated, length of stay in hospital, death. Like there 'needs' to be for other 'treatments' like Ivermectin.

Just the hope that reducing severity in the most at risk groups will somehow lower transmission. Sure viral load may be reduced but as low transmitters this only effects personal severity rather than community transmission.

So I see this 'vaccine' as prophylactic treatment rather than a vaccine in the commonly understood sense.

To all those saying they know a 20 year old in hospital right now from covid or a 30 year old that died etc. The risk of that happening is still very very low. I'm not in any way trying to minimise it

Yes, we know that. But it doesn't help much to know that the risk is low when you are looking at it happen to someone, does it?

I've read a lot of articles which compare your usual risk of death vs your risk of death from covid and apparently only once you reach over 50 is your chance of death heightened if you get covid, compared to your usual chance of death

And I really wish people would stop focusing on death, as if thats the only thing that matters. Lots of the people who don't die are still debilitated, and may have long term health issues, possibly for life. Death is not the only metric that needs to be looked at.