How do you feel about the prospect of annual boosters?

[Bonifacethethird]

Just curious really. I know that the flu vaccine is given annually, but when news of the vaccines came out, I think a lot of people would've been imagining it to be a one (well one two dose program) and you're done type of vaccine?

Topical because Chris Hopson (boss of NHS Providers) was on TalkRadio yesterday saying annual boosters will likely be needed for the next five to ten years:

mobile.twitter.com/talkRADIO/status/1406887551634444288

It has taken 7 months to vacinate 82% of the adult population with one dose.

So i agree with a PP, it simply cannot be done, within the timescales to fit in with winter, esp as GPs have had to put routine stuff on hold & cannot continue to do so.

Flu vaccines are routinely given to the vulnerable not everyone, so boosters for a similar population only, Bojo is trying to figure how to tell us!!!

Absolutely fine. I’ve had the flu jab for about ten years now, I expect they’ll do the covid one at the same time.

I don’t expect I’ll be one of the people flagged for a booster, and I don’t get a flu jab.

If it’s recommended for me I’ll do it but it’s one more hassle so hopefully they can make it easy for people eg having it available at Boots etc not just through GPs.

Was expecting it to be annual so fine, have the flu jab every year so am guessing it'll just become like that.

I'd like the mass centres to continue for boosters. Or for them to be done through pharmacies. It's been so efficient compared to the GP surgery's usual flu drive that leaves vulnerable people standing outside in a queue for significant lengths of time.

@RiskyReels

Grateful to live in a country where this could be an easily accessible option and very relieved at how well the vaccines seem to work. Things could be a lot worse!

yes

Fine with boosters hopefully they can combine it with flu jab, two for the price of one!

@Bonifacethethird

Thanks for your replies. Most people happy with boosters then - a few people saying they wouldn't necessarily take them up and a few points about incentives being needed.

My own feeling is that I had so much anxiety around the initial vaccine that I don't relish the prospect of going through it again next year. Clearly I'm in the minority there though

Presumably you/your kids have been vaccinated against polio/diphetheria/rubella/hepatis B/ mumps/whooping cough/measles/hpv.....

Covid will be another one to add to in order to protect us from the nasties of the virus.

Or maybe we should let Covid go rampant and let the virus kill millions of the population and let the planet heal.....It's a good prospect from the environment point of view.

I think this has been widely expected and is sensible for a virus which mutates.

Happy to have it as a d when it is offered.

Triggered much?

• @Alondra

@ComtesseDeSpair

Yeah I hope so. My mental health was awful after the AZ concerns became apparent. If the next round of vaccines are tweaked to remove the clot/myocarditis concerns I might feel better about it. I just had so much anxiety about it this year that the thought of doing it again puts me on edge.

Depends what vaccine it is IMO. I would not accept AZ because of the increased risk of side effects and the fact it is a less effective vaccine than the one I've already had (Pfizer). Just hoping at some point you can actually pay to get the vaccine you want if you are bothered by it

I wouldn't pay for it unless it was required for travel. I don't have the flu jab purely because I don't want to pay for it. I'd have it if it was free.

The key question will be how often the boosters are needed? What if we reach a point where there’s several mutations with varying degrees of severity and vaccine resistance that you need top ups every few months?

This has always been mooted as a possibility. Fine by me. I get the free flu jab every year, so wouldn't mind combining it with an updated Covid jab. They might even at some point be able to combine them into one injection.

I'm a bit nervous about having a booster so soon, but having said that I fall into the top four categories who will certainly be offered it (due to work) and I'll leap at the chance for extra protection for myself, and in turn my family and friends. Originally I wasn't going to have the vaccine, but then I realised my fear of living like we are for the rest of my life was far worse for me. Now I've got my head around it, I'll be very grateful - there are many in the worse who won't even have had one dose yet.

I'll happily have whatever is offered and as said above, appreciate the fact that I'd have the chance of a booster when there are many that won't be vaccinated for a year or so around the world.

Matt Hancock said on tv they were looking at giving a different vaccine to everyone next time and studies are going on as to which vaccine works better with the one you've already had - also I guess they'll have to consider which are most effective against any new variants if we have one that's going to cause us problems in terms of vaccines working sufficiently against it.

@Topseyt

This has always been mooted as a possibility. Fine by me. I get the free flu jab every year, so wouldn't mind combining it with an updated Covid jab. They might even at some point be able to combine them into one injection.

Agreed!

Fine by me.

I haven't seen any scientific evidence around the variants or any need for boosters. It's all speculation so far.

I've had Covid and science shows that people who had Sars Cov I 17 years ago are not only immune to Sars 1, but also Sars Cov 2 - so natural immunity for those who've had Covid is looking very good and long-lasting.

Matt Hancock said on tv they were looking at giving a different vaccine to everyone next time and studies are going on as to which vaccine works better with the one you've already had

I hope to god the medical community condemn this and tell him to start looking in the direction of a high school science textbook where he might learn something about variables.

Yes, lets deliberately mix everyone up so we can totally confuse the fuck out of ourselves should any data or disparity arise about long term safety between each of the technologies.

Matt Hancock is not only useless, he's bordering on dangerous.

As expected with an ever changing virus. No issue to me assuming it’s as easy to get as Flu jab, I have mine at Tesco pharmacy when I do my shopping.

And who is going to cover the cost of booster jabs? I certainly do not want to be in a position where the young and healthy have to fork out for Covid boosters so that they can travel or participate in society fully.
I think limit it to elderly and groups 1-[6][10] whatever is reasonable but do not allow private companies to profit from this again as is the case with travel tests. That is my concern with the Torie government.