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Original poster

Why Booster Focus and not initial vaccine?

22 replies

TheSummerHolidaysMakeMeCrazy · 22/12/2021 22:20

I'm triple vaccinated myself but increasingly perplexed at why the government are campaigning so hard for boosters as opposed to focusing on those who are resisting first & second jabs?

Can anyone advise?

OP posts:
Nahhh · 22/12/2021 22:21

Surely it’s an easier fight?

BoxingDayHam · 22/12/2021 22:21

Like @Nahhh says. It's easier.

Lorriestakingppe · 22/12/2021 22:22

I think they're doing both. If someone is daft enough not to be vaccinated by now there's probably not a lot anyone can do to persuade them otherwise.

DSGR · 22/12/2021 22:25

They have been saying for 12 months that people need to have first and second vaccines. Reams of it. Just last week Javid said 5m people were unvaccinated and clogging up beds and was trying to persuade people.
Boosters are important now because they will help with Omicron

SGChome20 · 22/12/2021 22:25

Because if anyone hasn’t gotten jag No1 by now they probably never will.

Gladioli23 · 22/12/2021 22:29

I think the thing about first doses now is that it's an individual level conversation at this point. If someone hasn't been vaccinated by now, it's going to be a conversation with a friend or a trusted pharmacist or GP that persuades them - not a government advert.

Whereas the boosters we're in the zone of "ooh I haven't got round to it" "oh I must remember to book" where nudging will just get people to the point of taking it. It's much more suited to a full comms campaign.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 22/12/2021 22:34

Having a booster now will really up protection. Having a first jab will do very little.if the aim is to protect public services then the third dose is more useful.

womaninatightspot · 22/12/2021 22:41

I thought boosters were important for omicron. Especially for those who had AZ as 1st / 2nd vaccine which doesn't protect against this variant? Or have I got that wrong...

s1h2o3na · 22/12/2021 22:42

@Lorriestakingppe

I think they're doing both. If someone is daft enough not to be vaccinated by now there's probably not a lot anyone can do to persuade them otherwise.
you'd be surprised. Its taken the health service over 7 months to get back to my relative and call them for a second jab after an adverse reaction to the first jab ,after which the GP refused to give second jab .Of course sods law they are now currently ill so have had to miss it. The largest relative percentages of the unjabbed are amongst ethnic minorities and those in the lowest socio-economic bands....these groups need far more targeted programmes to widen access to jabs. I know it fits the MSM narrative that the unvaxxed are all anti-vaxxers but its not the case.
Elieza · 22/12/2021 23:01

Some of the jabs we got are good for fighting delta but crap at fighting omicron.

Hence we need boosters of stuff that is good at fighting omicron.

Hazelnutbean · 22/12/2021 23:09

@Elieza

Some of the jabs we got are good for fighting delta but crap at fighting omicron.

Hence we need boosters of stuff that is good at fighting omicron.

@Elieza

The booster hasn't been updated for Omicron - that would take months to do. It's exactly the same vaccine. It's about 75% effective against Omicron as opposed to more like 95% for Delta in the first couple of months after having, but 75% is much better than nothing!

Flaxmeadow · 22/12/2021 23:12

The first and second jab rates have increased as well. I think they've been getting the message across for all the jabs. It's remarkable just how many have had a vaccine dose in the last couple of weeks

seonollaig1984 · 22/12/2021 23:13

In NI the executive are encouraging boosters and within every single announcing they are welcoming people for their first or second. Apparently the campaign has been pretty effective and they've had thousands of first jabbers.

Hazelnutbean · 22/12/2021 23:14

@womaninatightspot

I thought boosters were important for omicron. Especially for those who had AZ as 1st / 2nd vaccine which doesn't protect against this variant? Or have I got that wrong...
None of the current vaccines are as good at fighting Omicron, and AZ is less good than Pfizer and Moderna. Add in waning immunity, and your protection against Omicron six months after AZ is little better than had you not had it. I hasten to add that's protection against getting some kind of symptomatic Omicron, not serious disease, against which the vaccine is still believed to offer decent immunity.
Hazelnutbean · 22/12/2021 23:16

The booster hasn't been updated for Omicron - that would take months to do. It's exactly the same vaccine. It's about 75% effective against Omicron as opposed to more like 95% for Delta in the first couple of months after having, but 75% is much better than nothing!

When I say exactly the same vaccine, I mean the same Pfizer and Moderna, not AZ, which seems to have been "outcompeted" similar to earlier Covid variants!

Iggly · 22/12/2021 23:18

I think some high profile figures need to stop calling the unvaccinated “stupid” etc. it just puts off those who aren’t generally anti-vax but are nervous of this one because it’s “new”.

The end game is to get as many vaccinated as possible, so it’s better to say “ok, you’ve not yet had it but we won’t judge you, just get it!”

gogohm · 22/12/2021 23:19

Because those who have failed to get a vaccine so far obviously aren't watching government adverts. Boris did mention getting your initial vaccines the other day if you haven't already but doubt anti vaxxers were listening. I know people who have refused vaccinations and only a loved one in hospital seriously ill is likely to make them waiver

XenoBitch · 22/12/2021 23:22

@Iggly

I think some high profile figures need to stop calling the unvaccinated “stupid” etc. it just puts off those who aren’t generally anti-vax but are nervous of this one because it’s “new”.

The end game is to get as many vaccinated as possible, so it’s better to say “ok, you’ve not yet had it but we won’t judge you, just get it!”

Yeah, it does absolutely nothing to convince anyone to have the vaccine, and further alienates people who are hesitant.
thebellagio · 22/12/2021 23:24

That’s what I can’t work out either. Especially as proportionally, very few people end up in hospital in the younger age ranges. I don’t quite get how encouraging 21 year olds with no underlying health problems to have a booster is doing anything?

thebellagio · 22/12/2021 23:26

This is my favourite “get the vaccine video”

twitter.com/aljwhite/status/1473646253493919749?s=21

boyboyboydogdog · 22/12/2021 23:35

Out of interest, and because I'd read that the area I live in was third in country for people being fully vaxxed, I looked at a map of %ages of people vaccinated by area - I was shocked that in some areas in London in particular only 50% have one jab and 40% double jabbed... and apparently London is being hardest hit 🤷‍♀️

Hazelnutbean · 22/12/2021 23:46

@thebellagio

That’s what I can’t work out either. Especially as proportionally, very few people end up in hospital in the younger age ranges. I don’t quite get how encouraging 21 year olds with no underlying health problems to have a booster is doing anything?
Because if they have the booster, they're less likely to catch it and then infect others who may be in higher risk groups.
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