In view of the new information about the O/AZ vaccine not being effective against the new dominant UK variant of the South African variant and the original South African variant, how do you feel about having that particular vaccine if you haven't already had your vaccine and how do you feel if you've already had it?
Would you prefer to carry on shielding, if possible, until there are vaccines available (later this year) that will protect against new variants, or would you just take the vaccine offered now and perhaps get an updated booster later in the year?
My personal choice would be to go ahead with the vaccine now (either one) and hopefully get an updated booster vaccine when available in the Autumn.
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Bonnie20
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I’m glad to have had it. Mutations will happen but AZ have most of them covered effectively. If I need a booster and a separate add on so be it. This covers most variants atm
I had Pfizer but would have happily had Astrazeneca. There will be new strains all the time and vaccines will evolve or be added over time. Each year the flu jab contents change so this isn't much different really.
I thought it was more that the protection it offered against that variant was limited rather than not effective. It showed no signs of protection from mild and moderate cases of infection, but apparently the experts are still hopeful it may show better results for severe infection. At least that’s what’s being reported on the BBC News/Health website this morning - unless there’s other information out there that says differently which I haven’t seen.
I tend to agree with Emma on this. Mutations are going to occur, just as they do with flu. If that’s what I’m offered when I have the jab I’ll take it. Better to have some protection than none at all.
All these vaccines are so new, and there is still so much that is not known. I am as delighted now as I was on the day to have it! And until more is known I read any new reports like that with a pinch of scepticism. And if eventually I need something else/more in addition, rather that than nothing.
Think the first point to make is that it is still better to have it than not, and it's still well worth it to protect against the original covid 19 and the UK variants – and worth pointing out the numbers in that report are a pretty small amount of people rather than a large scale trial
Also worth pointing out that some of the media headline reporting doesn't help in these situations and the devil as they say is in the detail which doesn't apepar till mid-points in the articles
Absolutely! Headlines by themselves can be misleading or at best don’t tell the full story - they are, after all, designed to catch the eye of a reader. Reading the whole article is much more informative.
Yes I agree, the media do like to panic monger, for example take snow, if we have half an inch they're telling us to stay home and don't travel unless we have to. It's all sensationalism. I also agree that to have either vaccine or any of the new ones coming along now is better than nothing at all.
I was interested to see if anyone had been put off by it or not, plus if anyone is a bit nervous it helps to have an outlet for their anxiety.
I think there might wel lbe some newfound wariness about it with the reporting this morning, caught a few minutes of Jeremy Vine just now where a bloke from South Africa was commenting and basically had taken everything from what he'd obviously read in soundbites this morning, and they would have been better served to actually have a doctor or virologist on at the same time give some informed comment about it/response to the people calling in – oddly he had their resident doctor on after 1pm but never asked her about it which just seemed odd but there you go
That's typical though isn't it. I saw a video post on Twitter from a virologist who is at Belfast Uni (and been asked to step down) spouting on about how the new RNA vaccines are going to kill people a few weeks after being vaccinated because once the vaccine gets into your body you have it for life, re-engineering your cells until it finally kills you. She was quoting from papers published in 2012 which are totally irrelevant now, things have moved on. Its not surprising the Uni has asked her to step down.But I daresay a few people will have listened to her and will be really worried about it if they've had the RNA vaccine.
One of the downsides of social media, egged on by the news channels and papers who just want to dramatise things whether they are true or not.
The BBC news at 1pm was keen to point out that it was just one small study involving a particular group, all of which is something to be wary about. How many in the study group is a really important point along with how representative they were of the population in general.
There's talk of giving 2 initial doses of the Oxford AZ vaccine, with a booster later in the year because of the various strains. I'm happy to have had my first dose and look forward to my 2nd. It's been stressed throughout that we still have to continue to shield or, if not shielding, continue to observe social distancing etc.
The media can vary in information and the way they present it. There's still reasonable sources of info but I wouldn't follow some newspapers down their rabbit hole of hyperbolic headlines. Many are now online and are geared to be sensational in order to receive more clicks. Unfortunately, the way they've flip flopped over Covid, the NHS and now the vaccine is far from helpful.
I think it is still worth getting the AstraZeneca vac. It protects against the original virus and the “Kent “ strain, which are still the dominant species here in the U.K.The SA one has reared it’s ugly head, but so far, in small numbers.
I reckon more mutations will evolve alongside new vaccines, in the meantime, I will still do everything I can to protect myself and my hubby.
I agree that highly likely we will have yearly boosters. Same as with flu jab.They are learning all the time over vaccines. Know that 12 weeks is ok between jabs. Plus trial starting where people get different “make” of 2nd jab than 1st jab. Interesting. I for one would be happy to have different one from 1st jab.
It might not be as effective however they are saying its 100% effective against death and hospitalisation..... so I will have it as it increases my odds of survival should I catch it quite considerably ..... which can't be a bad thing
As for updated vaccines I think in the end we will end up with like a flu jab having it every year and them "quessing" which ones are doing the rounds... which I don't mind.
I’m getting my vaccine tomorrow...it’s been quite a year for us all. The professor on the TV yesterday said, that we can get re-vaccinated against the new mutations later in the year, so I’d be happy to do that. If Boris would just shut the airports down completely, we’d have a better chance to eradicate all the mutants coming into the country quicker.
Shutting down the airports completely is a non starter - there are too many supplies, foodstuffs etc that are brought in by air. Stopping all non essential air travel is another matter.
As a teacher who isn't eligible for the vaccine for months (I'm on here for my son, not me), I would LOVE to have it. It is still very effective against the Kent variant which is more dominant in the UK than the SA one you said (unless I misunderstood what you meant). And it seems that it may well help prevent serious illness with SA variant, even if the mutation means it can't do do much about mild illness/ transmission.
The Oxford vaccine is effective against the UK Kent cirrus which is the dominant one in the UK ie virtually everyone bar 147 cases have the Kent. It is also effective in preventing you being seriously ill or needing hospitalisation against the new SA virus. So stop listening to the garbled, click bait messages from the press BBC etc and listen to JVT et al.
Having listened to the in-depth discussion yesterday regarding the SA variant, I shall certainly have the AZ vaccine in a few weeks if offered. It covers the dominant variants circulating at the moment and there are only a few cases of the SA version at the present time. This proportion will probably change as the original and UK versions are impeded by vaccines leaving free run to the SA variant. However, before this becomes a real problem next winter it looks as thought the AZ booster vaccine will be ready.I shall have to be careful again this summer and only meet people outside but will decide given the information at the time.
At the moment the ‘South African ‘variant is NOT the dominant one, it’s the ‘Kent one.’ Its best to take the AZ if offered in my opinion, as many of us are extremely vulnerable. Looks like we will get a tweaked booster in the autumn taking into consideration which variants are dominant at the time.
I’d suggest anyone who’s having second thoughts, don’t be silly get it into your arms as soon as you can, the boosters will come when they come at least you’ll have some immunity in the mean time Had mine 3 weeks now AZ slight side effects on Nxt day but jus aches and pains (quite common )
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