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

Yes bring it on with whatever it takes to manage this disease! Not as if there is any other alternative option.

Absolutely dreading it due to my needle phobia an I don't know if I can do it. I don't have a flu jab for that reason. I wish they'd develop a nasal vaccine for adults, I'd have no problem then.

Perfectly happy to have it, and happy to pay for it as well.

Fine with me. I’m not sure I’d be a priority for one but if I was offered one I’d definitely take it, the same as flu.

I expected it to be honest, especially for certain groups.

I will be surprised if they dish out annual boosters for all for the next 5-10 years.

I can see everyone getting 1 maybe 2 boosters.

However, I think they will eventually just dish out the Covid vaccine either with or along side the flu vaccine.

No problems at all. Isn't science wonderful!

Science save lives and livelihoods - Covidiots not so much. So grateful for the amazing world beating critical scientific contribution of those here in Oxford University and elsewhere who have the intellectual capacity to make the difference to save the globe with medical science.

Expected it to be an annual, quite happy with that.

If it’s recommended, I’ll have it. I’ve been having the flu jab for the last 20 years (diabetes) and Covid presents more of a risk to me than flu.

Very happy to. My work (and the place before that) routinely offer flu jabs to all employees and I always took that up (they paid to have a nurse come to the office and administer it). I know that if COVID is the same that they’ll do the same. It’s a lovely combination of self interest and altruism for them…neither they nor the employees wants us off work sick.

As others have said, this is not new news. It’s been said during government briefings many months ago.

Covid is not just going to go away. We will need annual boosters and may need some common sense changes for life to continue and manage this virus.

Very happy with it! I love science

Question re the booster. If they discover that the protection for the injection lasts a year, for example, then the old, vulnerable and cv will be running out of protection by December/ January as they were the first to be inoculated, so they'd be first for boosters.
Younger people who are just getting their first now- and second one in August/ September will still have a lot of "protection time" left.
Is the plan to give them a winter booster? Or will it be a rolling schedule like it is now? Genuinely interested.

No problem with this. I've been getting the flu jab for over a decade, why would this be any different? Just hope they manage to streamline the process a bit so it's easier to book.

I’ll cheerfully have it once a month if it means we can just lift all the bloody restrictions.

Nope I won't be getting a booster. I regret getting the vaccine and won't be getting any more.

Those who regret vaccination I hope they get some protection for themselves and those in their vicinity and importantly I hope they don’t regret getting a more contagious strain of the dreaded which is about to sweep through despite good vaccination rates and some hopefully herd immunity. Don’t pass it on to granny springs to mind. Good luck and stay safe in your bubble as many many bubbles I personally know are now burst with some symptomatic and needing NHS treatment including older double vaccinated patients. Check the official recorded statistics as to the trending possibilities of the next third wave of Delta Indian or any other newer variants as just sequenced in India etc.

@pyjamams13

Nope I won't be getting a booster. I regret getting the vaccine and won't be getting any more.

Why do you regret it out of interest?

It's good. We are fortunate if this happens.

I'd be happy with it. I have an annual flu jab to asthma so it would seem much the same as this really.

@MarshaBradyo
since having it I have had lots of twitching in my eyes. Uncontrollable at times. I'm annoyed that I didn't listen to my gut feeling and not get it. nothing I can do now but a booster is out of the question.

@pyjamams13
I too have had really bad side effects from AZ, but also on reading your post, it reminded me of what happened to my son with his pre-school booster. His eyes did resolve after a few months, I hope yours do too x

This whole thing is a nightmare for those of us 'damaged' by the first dose of AZ, who are unable to get a second dose. The damage to health from the vaccine is hard enough to cope with, yet we also are likely to be unable to get a second dose and gain protection from Covid. I am truly depressed by this, it means possibly a restricted lifestyle forever, and possibly a lifetime of living in fear of Covid. Whilst all those double vaccinated are starting to get their lives back, I feel mine has gone forever. I am watching doubly vaccinated friends and family going out for meals etc, whilst I am trapped at home with vaccine damage. I do hope all those that can go and get boosters do so, people like me will be forced have some social contact (medical appointments etc) so the fewer cases out there the better.

Not fussed. I already have an annual flu jab. They’ll just roll them into one injection.

They’ll just roll them into one injection.

I highly doubt that as they are very, very different in terms of composition/ingredients, don't forget also that the flu vaccine varies across age groups in terms of content. I think it will be two separate jabs.