Next version of vaccines

[didireallysaythat]

When do you think we'll get the next round of vaccines?

I've assumed that by the end of this year the current vaccines won't be effective against emerging dominant strains - do you think they will have the next round ready before the winter? Do you think people are ready to get "updated frequently"?

Also wondering this. Googling this earlier there were reports last month suggesting by Autumn, but all seemed very speculative so would like to know if there is more clarity now.

A family member works at the hospital and has been doing long hours at the vaccine hub. Their opinion is there will be a booster by the autumn which addresses the new variants for the most vulnerable, maybe in with the flu jab.

I think the vulnerable groups will happily take it. Not sure about others.

It seems the vaccines offer some protection to servers illness of all current variants.

Saying this I still want the Moderna one if possible, hopefully that will be widely available for the last 3 groups. Got to be some benefit of being last!

I don't know much about Moderna but I've seen people favouring it. What is the reasoning?

RE: Moderna looks decent against variants, which if it's good enough we can just forget about boosters and such like for a while basically.

@frozendaisy

RE: Moderna looks decent against variants, which if it's good enough we can just forget about boosters and such like for a while basically.

Thanks :)

I'm perfectly happy to get an annual covid booster, or bi-annually if necessary. But then I've always paid for a flu vaccine since a nasty bout of flu a few years ago. I'm forties and very healthy, no underlying conditions. I've already had the AZ jab, early by chance, and would be more than happy to have their tweaked version as soon as I can get it. I'd have it 11 weeks after my upcoming second jab if I could (or whatever time interval they decide is most effective).

I'm of the same mind - happy to get a booster. Just reading other threads where people want to open up things faster now and book their holidays etc (which I totally get) it seems like this is triggered by groups 1-9 getting theirs vaccines. But I don't think it's quite as clear cut binary thing - it's not over once you've had your second jab (AZ/Pfizer). I hadn't appreciated Moderna might not need a 'top up' as quickly as the others - thanks for the info!

Vaccines don't prevent infection - they simply speed up the immune response, frequently resulting in the virus being eliminated BEFORE someone can test +ve. This is the 95% "protection" you hear claimed about the Pfizer vaccine, and this figure drops for variants, but that's not necessarily because the vaccine stops working - it's simply the immune reaction is slower.

With all current variants it seems that all the vaccines offer good protection against serious illness. We don't yet know how well they reduce infectiousness of people -another key metric, but they're likely to significantly reduce it.

So my bet is that unless something changes, they won't rush to roll out a booster jab - can't see it happening until next year anyway.

There has been some suggestion of boosters for certain groups starting in August. I hope so because some people will not develop much if any immunity from the first vaccine. I had no antibodies detected 5 weeks after my first dose.

I’m 33, healthy & low risk (I do have asthma but my level doesn’t seem to be a concern with covid really) I’d happily get a booster every year if it meant normal life. I get a flu jab every year. I’d pay for one if I didn’t qualify. I’d rather not get ill. I don’t have healthy anxiety, I just hate being ill. And I’ve got young kids so I don’t have time 🙈😂 I do have an extreme fear of being sick however, so I understand generalised health anxiety. Mine is very specific. I wish to god they’d invent a norovirus vaccine! I’d have a booster ever week if it meant I wouldn’t throw up!

I think they will need boosters though, especially against the south african variant, which seems to be the least responsive to the vaccine, but maybe to others as well.

Chile has vaccinated a large percentage of its population (more than UK according to some sources), but their cases are still rising, as it is thought that variants could be part of the reason.

I get the flu jab each year (voluntary paid for) and would happily get a Covid jab each year but say we get our vaccination May/June it would be nice, but probably not going to happen, to not have to have a booster for 12 months say, then I could space out flu autumn, Covid spring, for however long required.

I'm not against boosters but would just like a jab in summer to be it for a year or so.

@didireallysaythat

When do you think we'll get the next round of vaccines?

I've assumed that by the end of this year the current vaccines won't be effective against emerging dominant strains - do you think they will have the next round ready before the winter? Do you think people are ready to get "updated frequently"?

I wonder if it will be an automatic update or whether we will be able to choose to when to install the update

@CappuccinoCounter

I think they will need boosters though, especially against the south african variant, which seems to be the least responsive to the vaccine, but maybe to others as well.

Chile has vaccinated a large percentage of its population (more than UK according to some sources), but their cases are still rising, as it is thought that variants could be part of the reason.

Chile only started vaccinating properly from 2nd Feb (only 80,000 by that date), and are mostly using Sinovac. Brazil had identified issues with Sinovac efficacy from trials (www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55642648); it may be that Sinovac needs more time for immunity to develop, it may be that people aren't being careful in the initial weeks after vaccination, it may be helping but cases are still rising among unvaccinated, or it may be a Brazil variant issue, or it may be that it's just not a particularly good vaccine. I haven't researched it enough to know, but it isn't necessarily linked to variants because there are many other plausible causes.