Covid vaccine

[dedeottie]

Hi everyone.

I’m afraid this is a selfish question as my sense of self preservation is taking over!

I am 64 but as an AF patient I am always offered the flu jab. Does this mean that I will be included in the vulnerable under 65 group when it comes to the covid vaccine or will I have to wait till the general 60-65 group are done Does anyone know the answer to this? A shot in the dark I know!

Thanks x

[Hidden]

I think we are all in the dark on this one but as I understand it, if you have “lone” AF ie not diabetic, no heart disease, normal BP etc., then I believe you would be in the “no underlying conditions” group which means you are no more vulnerable than any other 64 year old. I think the fact you have the flu jab is irrelevant but others may have a different view.

[barbara2]

I think that is a very fair question. I searched for answers on the internet but found nothing, other than how dangerous COVID-19 can be for someone with afib. Our docs might have answers on whether or not afibbers might get the vaccination early. Afibbers must try hard to avoid covid. newsroom.heart.org/news/cov...

[CDreamer]

No, as AF doesn’t qualify as vulnerable, it’s all age related. I am 69, immune suppressed and arrythmias on the Gov Especially Vulnerable list and I’m in Tier 4 = +65 but hubbie is getting his today, about to run him down to the centre but he is 87. I expect to get mine sometime late Jan/Feb.

[baba in reply to CDreamer]

Best wishes to “hubbbie”

[CDreamer in reply to baba]

Dropped off down there - have to say looked all very well organized but he’s just rung to say the line is a bit slow.

I am so impressed at how quickly this has got up and running.

[Angel150 in reply to CDreamer]

I agree, I am over 70 and on the highly vulnerable list but only due to get the vaccine with the other over 70's - seems wrong somehow.

[CDreamer]

gov.uk/government/publicati...

This priority list is as follows:

residents in a care home for older adults and their carers

all those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers

all those 75 years of age and over

all those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals[footnote 1]

all those 65 years of age and over

all individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality

all those 60 years of age and over

all those 55 years of age and over

all those 50 years of age and over

It is estimated that taken together, these groups represent around 99% of preventable mortality from COVID-19.

Those under 50 without underlying conditions are not mentioned.

[Hidden in reply to CDreamer]

Level three for me! Can’t come soon enough! 👍

[CDreamer in reply to Hidden]

I miss it by 6 months!

[BobD Volunteer]

Most likely not. Lone AF is not considered an elevated risk as far as I can see.

[CDreamer in reply to BobD]

It’s not until you get to the under 50’s that underlying conditions become a factor.

[Hidden]

I was on our doctor's list for the flu jab ages before my hubby though, and we're the same age. I expect it will vary depending on what your own surgery considers 'vulnerable' if the jab is provided at that level.

[CDreamer in reply to Hidden]

Hiya - haven’t seen you post for ages. Hope you are well.

[CDreamer]

No Hidden - they have to go purely on Gov list whilst the supply is limited and they gain data on how it is working to stop the spread.

[Hidden in reply to CDreamer]

Wales is always weird 😀 But I am sure there'll be a logical order! I am well thank you, I hope you are?

[CDreamer in reply to Hidden]

Getting along, no worse, no better. X

[CDreamer]

Well Hubbie is home. Very efficient delivery. Given a card.

He was told that this vaccine won’t prevent you from catching COVID but will lessen danger of becoming seriously ill and we must continue to shield, wear mask, not mix with others etc etc.

This is not the end, or even the beginning of the end but it is the end of the beginning.

Heard it quoted recently somewhere and it stuck.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to CDreamer]

Winston Churchill after the victory in Africa I believe CD

[dedeottie in reply to CDreamer]

That is disappointing. I can see that it is sensible to carry on with masks, distancing etc but if we have to carry on shielding I will be very disappointed as I was at least hoping the vaccine would allow me to see my grandchildren and perhaps even give them a cuddle. X

[CDreamer in reply to dedeottie]

We are not planning anything now until Easter & I’ve only seen grandchildren on Zoom since Aug 2019.

What concerns me is that our local hospital is now on the highest alert - because of staff shortages from illness & self isolating so I worry if we do need medical help, it may not be available so I’d be really happy if people didn’t mix until we know a lot more and the infection rate falls.

We have a great-grandchild yet to meet. Stay safe X

[Hidden]

I’ve had anaphylactic shock in past and GP insists on me having an epipen, last incident was decades ago but fear I am excluded from Pfizer vaccine, Oxford AZ one not out yet, but Pfizer has (so far) better outcomes for elderly.

[Barb1]

I asked just this question yesterday when at my GP's. I am 67. The answer was no, you are not classified as vulnerable and are in tier 5.

[dedeottie]

google.com/url?sa=t&source=...

I wonder what you all think of the above official guidance for order of priority of covid vaccinations? I found it on the internet just now.

According to this, if you are 64 or under and in the vulnerable group you will be sixth on the list. Then table 3 gives a list of what classes as vulnerable and in the heart conditions box atrial fibrillation is clearly included. This looks like it only comes into play in the under 65s as if you are over that age you will have already been vaccinated. If this is correct it will have answered my question but I am of course always wary of Dr Google. You need to read past the descriptions of the vaccine candidates to get to the relevant part. X

Thank you for all your replies. X

[dedeottie in reply to dedeottie]

6th on the list would be better for me than 8th which is what I would be if not classed as vulnerable. X