Could it be that the Indian variant, like the Brazilian and SA variant is nothing to seriously worried about?

[user19097527484949]

There was a lot of talk a few months ago of the Brazilian and South African variant.. but neither have completely messed things up for us yet. Could it be the same with the Indian one ? Fingers crossed !

no need to worry no need to worry no need to worry...

Truth is we don't yet know either way

It seems to have been dropped by the news in the last week, but the last I read about it, on the BBC, it said that 15 care home residents got it after their 2nd AZ vaccine.

Some were hospitalised but none died and these are seriously vulnerable people, so I took from that that it's a lot more infectious but the AZ vaccine will at least stop serious illness if you get it.

@Pastanred

Andy B is jumping on bandwagon

Bolton rates are 1/10 of Feb

Which puts it about 3-4 weeks away from being as bad as Feb under the current levels of restrictions. Less if restrictions are loosened on 17th May.

So many new variants seem to come from corrupt countries rife with poverty and little to no healthcare for anyone but the rich and well connected.

Once the virus this rarified environment, they're suddenly no worse than any other variant.

I feel sorry for people in Brazil, SA and India.

Rafaela you’re forgetting vaccination

Cases can go through the roof but if people don’t get serious I’ll ess it doesn’t matter

Illness

@HelgaDownUnder

So many new variants seem to come from corrupt countries rife with poverty and little to no healthcare for anyone but the rich and well connected.

Once the virus this rarified environment, they're suddenly no worse than any other variant.

I feel sorry for people in Brazil, SA and India.

And of course Kent!

@Lemons1571

I’m still wary of the SA variant and the AZ vaccine. Is there any data to show how effective AZ is against this?

AZ is going to SA and India on as a large vaccination program

SA sold all their AZ and are replacing it with something else.

I didn’t forget vaccination. The conversation was about why Bolton might need to vaccinate quicker, so need more vaccines. It was about case rates rather than admissions or deaths.

@TruelyWonder

I haven't said it isn't something to worry about. I actually said we are on a knife edge. I only posted in the first place because people were worried the vaccines won't work. Just to say AZ has evidence it works so Pfizer should be fine too. That in fact Pfizer is saying it will without tweaking.

I agree variant is so fast to spread it needs watching. Luckily we will have are most vulnerable people fully vaccinated before it could get at them. Obviously the possibility of it running through younger people is an issue. Not all vulnerable can be vaccinated for a start. Plus some health people could die. That is why I also said we need to get jabs in arms.

No idea why me saying the vaccines work well but you need to actually have them is such an issue. I would go one all the threads with poster telling people to miss their second AZ jab or telling people to wait a few months until there is more evidence about all the vaccines. Those are the people to criticise.

In the mean time if people are worried any variant. Get whatever both jabs when you can because they all should work well for all know variants. You do need both though because despite what any social media or mumsnet expert tell you this is how they are designed to be used. Don't leave yourself vulnerable.

Bravo! I will certainly get my second jab as soon as I can

I don’t think anyone has said not to get vaccinated have they? People should have whatever they are offered. any vaccine is better than none. Just that there are concerns about the efficacy of AZ against the SA strain.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

Oxford are already making a ‘tweaked’ version of their vaccine with the SA spike to use as a booster for autumn. There’d be no point in doing that if they were convinced their vaccine worked against the SA variant.

Pfizer are also making tweaked versions of their vaccine too. As a fall back in case we do need them

@JanuaryJonez

It seems to have been dropped by the news in the last week, but the last I read about it, on the BBC, it said that 15 care home residents got it after their 2nd AZ vaccine.

Some were hospitalised but none died and these are seriously vulnerable people, so I took from that that it's a lot more infectious but the AZ vaccine will at least stop serious illness if you get it.

Also if it is the care home I have seen reported and I think it must be because of the 15 cases. Then apparently they caught covid just prior to the second jab. So it wouldn't have had a chance to work

@Tealightsandd

Am I still missing something?

The reports on effectiveness against the Indian variant all seem to be about Pfizer.

So perhaps nothing to worry about for those who've had Pfizer - but what about AZ?

The evidence from India where they are using AZ. Shows that in the 10% of the population that has been vaccinated it holds up very well. Pfizer has no real world data that I know of against the India variant.

That's good news TruelyWonder
What about the South African, Brazil, and UK strains? Does AZ work as well as Pfizer against those too?

Perhaps it does work well against the UK strain? If the vaccinated in India are protected. It was originally the UK strain causing a lot of their problems.

@Tealightsandd

That's good news TruelyWonder What about the South African, Brazil, and UK strains? Does AZ work as well as Pfizer against those too?

Against the UK and Brazilian variant it is similar to Pfizer very good. Actually works nearly as well as two doses of Pfizer after only one dose and a decent few weeks.

The south African variant we have no real world data for AZ yet. However it has been very effective in counties like here that do have a mix of variants including the south African one. There was the trial that went badly but that was only a 3/4 week gap between doses and a lab dish trial. So to short a time and human immune system to help etc.

So fingers crossed then. It sounds positive from what you've said.

Just that really fingers crossed all the latest vaccine evidence is right

Also we still have lots more people to vaccinate and the India variant snapping at our heels. I know they couldn't help but stop using AZ for under 40s. However hope that doesn't slow down vaccinations. The less of this virus circulating the better.

*So too short a time and no human immune system to help etc.

@WouldBeGood

Well, the actual experts aren’t worried

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/12/indian-covid-variant-calls-in-question-17-may-reopening-in-uk-say-experts

Err, the actual experts ( both from Sage and Indy Sage) are worried.

How did it get in! Were we too slow again to put India on the red list?

How has it seeded?

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline

How did it get in! Were we too slow again to put India on the red list?

How has it seeded?

The government imported it. Perhaps as an exchange thing, after we exported the UK strain to India.

The UK doesn't have pandemic border control. 'Red list" passengers mix with others in airports, etc. Then travel from the airport on busy public transport to do 'home quarantine'. Real quarantine means no mixing, no spreading, straight from airport in quarantine transport to quarantine hotel.

How did it get in when we have quarantine people?

People travelling to INDIA at EASTER to weddings and to see family. 😡

To be fair some people work in India etc.

My brother inlaw has just told us this week his work colleague that was helping in India died.

The man was only 32 years old. We have no idea if any underlying health conditions but very sad and very worrying.