No vaccine this year

[Saj123456]

Hi

Hope everyone is well.

The covid vaccines for this autumn is recommended for over 65s. I have had the 4 jabs but this autumn there is to be no jab.

I take a preventer(morning and evening), but not on any steroid tablets etc.

My understanding is if your under 65(I am 51), and not on steroid tablets you will not get a booster jab this autumn.

Is this because covid is now milder, or is it because they decided it’s not required unless you’re 65 plus and/or immunosuppressed. Or it’s only being offered if asthma is poorly controlled.

It looks like that the vaccine offering is being limited this year, can the current strain have an impact on asthma(I guess this will be different for each person).

Should one be concerned if not being offered a jab, also is it even beneficial to still receive the vaccine and how much benefit can it have with way things are now.

Any thoughts/input/experiences will be much appreciated.

Thank you

[Pipsqueak77]

Hi

I’m sorry but I don’t know all the recommendations for the covid vac this year…

What I do know is that my surgery txt me this week to say that joint appts for the flu/covid vacs will be available to book from 18th Aug.

No one else in my family had the txt, so assuming they sent it as I qualify as an asthmatic??🤷‍♂️

Sorry can’t be of more help.

😊👍

[Saj123456 in reply to Pipsqueak77]

Thank you for your input

[Bingo88]

Hello Saj 123456.. Not heard anything about more jabs this year and I am over 66. But was reading yesterday in a report Scientists in Leeds have found a new strain of long covid. So not sure what impact this might have on the thinking for the future. Hope your as well as possible and enjoy your day. Brian

[Saj123456 in reply to Bingo88]

Thanks for your input Brian

[DannyQ]

Well i have asthma and I'm 50 and not had a single jab( the jab didn't stop you getting it or passing it on, also the process of bringing the drug to market was broken which things would have been missed which has resulted in deaths) and I got covid which wasnt to bad, I was really ill for about 12hrs cold sweats delirious and then was rough for about anothers 48hrs and not to bad after that, I will add that I had swine flu back in 2009 which was far worse, I have to add that I believe having swine flu actually gave me protection against covid as it's part of the same family.So what I'm trying to say is if you fit and healthy, and in control of your asthma and not overweight (I'm not saying overweight to often anyone, it's the biggest underlying issue with covid) then you dont need to worry about

[Saj123456 in reply to DannyQ]

Thanks for your response DannyQ, your right as far as vaccines go as they do not stop you from catching covid.

The protection offered also is for a few months then back to square one.

I guess my main concern is how it might impact one’s asthma but it seems like covid is not a chest infection, rather a sore throat, cold, fever etc.

I get the flu jab each year which I’m fine with, the vaccines for covid I’m now sitting on the fence with this one.

Thanks for your input.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Saj123456]

Hi, I'm glad you're getting the flu jab but both flu and COVID jabs are mainly designed to make you much less ill if you do catch it, not necessarily to stop you ever getting it.

COVID absolutely can be a viral 'chest infection' in that it can severely affect your lungs along with other parts of your body, though some people will only get mild symptoms. It does seem that asthma by itself isn't a major risk factor for most people for developing more severe illness with COVID, but I'd rather not take my chances even so - or risk long COVID, which can happen even if you have mild symptoms to start with. Vaccines do also help reduce long COVID (how bad it is and how long it lasts).

[Saj123456 in reply to Lysistrata]

Thank you for your input

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to DannyQ]

Hi DannyQ, COVID (or SARS-CoV-2 which is the name of the virus that causes the illness COVID) isn't part of the same family as swine flu. They are completely different viruses from different families of viruses.

The COVID jab is primarily made to stop you getting a severe infection, not to completely stop you getting it at all - this is the same idea with flu jabs. The process was based on technology which has been researched for a while, and it was quicker to come to market because the usual process includes a lot of pauses to get things like more funding, get through red tape etc. It doesn't mean safety steps were missed - the normal process is just quite slow and paperwork-driven.

I'm glad you weren't too bad with COVID, but that doesn't mean others won't become very ill with it, or are ok to skip the vaccine. There are a variety of factors that can influence how ill someone is with it - and yes being overweight and having certain other illnesses can be significant factors, but not the only ones. Though for most people with asthma, the asthma doesn't seem to be a major risk factor for getting worse illness with COVID. Vaccines do also help reduce long COVID (how bad it is and how long it lasts).

[DannyQ in reply to Lysistrata]

Maybe I've been lucky having had swine in the past as the data shows that you have greater protection against covid, but as for rushing the vaccine to market does mean corners were cut, I worked a big pharmaceutical company so I know the processes that have to be taken to get to market, the time i was there drugs 5 and 6 years into development only to be binned due to results, although I do have another theory on this, they already knew it was about to happen and spent years developing the drug. I didnt trust the process that brought it to market, so I will always refuse a process that has cut corners, to be honest this was what I was taught at the pharmaceutical company for 14 years that everything has to be done what is written in the processes, if not then your potentially put peoples lives at risk, this is only my own personal view and I would never tell anyone not to take the vaccine because that is there decision, not mine

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to DannyQ]

True, there does seem to be some kind of protection from prior swine flu - I just looked it up. Not because they're the same family of viruses, but because the immune system is recognising a protein in both. Or possibly because another infection, even if it's not related, primes part of the immune system to be ready to react to anything.

If you worked in pharma you must know how many of the standard processes are related to waiting around for things to move to the next stage because they're in a queue to be reviewed, or some of the research needs more funding, or you're struggling to recruit patients to trials. I also work in a related industry. As you must know, there's a lot of red tape, and yes, many drugs do get canned years in because they don't work or are unsafe - there's a massive drop-off from preclinical drug candidates to approval. But that's 5-6 years with all the red tape and waiting, and the drugs not meeting the requirements to pass to the next stage.

I think the COVID vaccine showed just how fast you can move if you have access to a lot of funds to use on one product, can get it treated as a priority, and fast-track how quickly the data gets in front of someone who can thoroughly review it. It costs absolutely vast amounts to do that though, so they can't do it for everything. And it doesn't mean individual employees should be cutting corners or deciding when they can ignore a process, so it makes sense you were told not to.

And yes, they were working on various areas beforehand which ended up really speeding up the process, but not specifically for COVID, just where the science happened to be - all of it has more general applications, and would be useful for other diseases that need vaccinations.

I appreciate you aren't directly telling other people not to take it, but if you say things like people don't need to worry if they're healthy, and you were fine without the vaccine, it can be misleading and people may decide not to take it when they could be at risk from COVID.

[DannyQ in reply to Lysistrata]

Your definitely right on every process within the running of the plant takes such a long time, one batch of paperwork can sometimes take upto 3 weeks after the process has been completed with checks and reviews at every stage and then through the rest of the checks and reviews, maybe this is why I'm programmed not to trust the process they have followed as in my mind somethings will be missed.There is one person who I know who had the vaccine and the vaccine almost killed him, due to a underlying issue with a particular vaccine and blood clots hence why I said rushing things can cause information to be missed or passed on, as we know the vaccines have cost people there lives, I've just felt uneasy about the whole thing from start to finish. That's not to mention the whole way the government has dealt with it, lining there friends pockets with shady contracts, I digress sorry the line I used about being fit and healthy and the flu jab was a line I stole from my doctor and what he told me when I asked about a flu jab a few years back

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to DannyQ]

COVID is much higher risk for causing blood clots than the vaccine though, and it's cost a lot more people their lives than confirmed vaccine-related deaths.

I really hope your doctor was trying to be reassuring with that line and not saying you don't need a flu jab if you're otherwise healthy or have mild asthma - that would be very irresponsible from a doctor. Flu also kills, and it can be really dangerous in asthmatics especially, no matter how mild they think their asthma is.

In my case, swine flu turned mild asthma I barely noticed (and I was otherwise healthy and not overweight) into severe and poorly controlled asthma - still, now, 14 years on. I realise you weren't talking about the flu jab in your initial reply, but I'd urge anyone, especially with asthma, to have it no matter how healthy they think they are.

[DannyQ in reply to Lysistrata]

No the data for the particular vaccine has caused blood clots with people with low platelets not the virus causing blood clots this happened with the person I know.No my doctor was being serious when he said this to me, but as we know asthma is not treated as a serious health condition. Sorry to here swine flu affected you so badly, my asthma came to the surface when I was 23 and it was triggered when using chemicals to mix inks, but I think I always had it because I regularly gets stitches when playing football I always put it down to not being fit enough, after getting my asthma under control I never got a stitch again whilst playing football

I would like to say to yourself especially and everyone else I think this page is amazing how we help each other with our worries and issues about our asthma so a big thank you to everyone

[Saj123456 in reply to DannyQ]

I agree, it’s great to hear people’s experiences especially around vaccines etc.

Having asthma is different for each one of us, it’s never been clear to me if covid make’s asthma more poorly(I guess for some it may well do especially if you get a chesty cough).

There has been concerns around vaccines for some people, I have had 4 vaccines and each time felt tired a couple of days.

Does anyone know how long the protection lasts for? It’s been 12 months since my last jab(approx).

Thanks again and each and every input is much appreciated.

[teddyd in reply to DannyQ]

Is this your view or do you have scientific evidence.,?

[DannyQ in reply to teddyd]

I'm not sure which part of the thread you are asking about, could you please elaborate

[Mandevilla in reply to DannyQ]

I'm really glad that you didn't have Covid very badly, but please remember that not everyone was so fortunate.

I was extremely fit and healthy when I got Covid at the start of the pandemic. I have never felt so ill in my life, took weeks before I was able to stand for more than a few minutes and months to be able to return to 'normal' life. I've never returned to my pre-Covid level of health and fitness - and it left me with asthma too. But I know I'm fortunate compared to some people I know who didn't survive. So when you are talking about how Covid wasn't 'too bad' for you, please remember that this was your experience and for others, Covid has been much, much worse.

[DannyQ in reply to Mandevilla]

I totally appreciate that and no was to offend anyone, I was just giving people my experience of covid and I knew customers that passed away and a friend with long covid so I understand people did suffer but the vast majority were ok, I just didnt like the way the media and the government dealt with it as were all suffering now as we now know lockdowns and masks were unnecessary especially with the vast majority of people wearing masks that were completely inadequate.I hope your getting stronger and closer back to full health

[Mandevilla in reply to DannyQ]

Your original comment did state "if you fit and healthy, and in control of your asthma and not overweight (I'm not saying overweight to often anyone, it's the biggest underlying issue with covid) then you dont need to worry about"

While I'm sure this is intended to be reassuring, it's not actually accurate - I realise that my experience is only anecdotal, but everyone I know who was seriously ill with Covid (and the vast majority of those who died from it) were previously fit, healthy people. So being fit doesn't guarantee you won't become poorly.

My personal view is that no one should be 'worrying 'about ANY illness, because worry isn't going to stop you getting it! But that's a very different thing from saying 'don't worry about it because you won't be seriously ill with it.'

[DannyQ in reply to Mandevilla]

You definitely make a good point and you making me think as there is conflicting data out the and I was only going off what I've read and with a it being a respiratory virus then weight definitely will play apart but your points are also valid about it striking the healthy like yourself and the person I knew who got long covid had for about 9 months and she was super fit going to the gym 7 days a week sometimes twice a day, but the vast majority of deaths were people with unlying health issues and the elderly I hope you get back your fitness and i will add it's a pain having asthma isnt it

[DannyQ]

After about 6 months your down to about 14% cover then down to 9% after 9 months this is current data, k hope this helps

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to DannyQ]

Just to add, that's protection against developing a symptomatic infection (any symptom) that's waning to those numbers, and it doesn't include data from the newer bivalent vaccinations which include Omicron variant protection (I looked up the paper). In general the response to the original vaccines has been lower for the Omicron variant because they weren't made for Omicron, so that could be improved. The bivalent vaccines do include protection against Omicron as well, but I don't think there's published data yet on how those act over time.

Another study around the same time found that protection against severe outcomes like being hospitalised is better (still mostly with the original vaccinations) - around 71% after 4 months and later for boosters. Again could be improved, but will be interesting to see what the vaccines actually targeting Omicron strains do.