The UK approves the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by AstraZeneca
It is considered a game-changer as it does not have to be stored at very low temperatures
The first immunisations of the jab will start on 4 January, says the UK's health secretary
It is the second jab to be deemed safe in the UK, following the Pfizer-BioNTech roll-out earlier in December
The news comes the day after the UK announced another 53,135 cases - a record daily figure
It comes as millions more people in England wait to hear if they will move into a higher tier of restrictions
A major incident is declared Essex in south-east England amid fears Covid cases could overwhelm its health services
The Health Minister is reported as saying "We’re going to be able to inject a lot of people with one dose very quickly and provide them with a reasonably good level of protection until they get the second dose two to three months later"
The new variant and the rapidly increasing numbers of cases has meant that, personally, I have felt more worried with this wave of the virus than back in the Spring. I nearly cried with relief when I heard this news, at last, hopefully a way out of this awful pandemic for everyone.
Jackie
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This is the one I have been hoping for - so pleased, Jackie. Now this vaccine can be provided by local health centres we should see a reduction in cases (fingers crossed of course).Chris - hoping my 85 year old husband will soon be vaccinated (and me, of course 😉).
Hi yes good news however do you think there is enough data, yet, for a CLL sufferer to be able to make an informed / considered decision insofar as putting them selves forward for the O/AZ vaccine ?
I'm definitely having it as soon as I can. It would have been unethical to have tested it on immunocompromised people first and, like other treatments, real world data will provide the answers over time.
Here is my concern. It appears there is no long term knowledge of just how long these vaccines last. I have heard it could be as short as 3 months. Since there haven't been long enough trial times to tell will these vaccines really change anything anytime soon? I am much more interested in the J&J and Astrazeneca vaccines. I still have my reservations about the Moderna and Pfizer. I prefer my body make its own RNA antibodies instead of injecting foreign ones. But if the immunity does not last long, do we need to get vaccines twice a year? This is a conundrum.
Are you saying you don't want the vaccine and would prefer to catch covid to make your own RNA antibodies?For me, even if the immunity doesn't last long, I will take it. Tests have shown a good response to both vaccines that the UK have approved so there is no good reason to believe it won't last at least as long as a flu vaccine.
Excellent news! Is the time scale between doses because of getting more people injected or is that the general rule for the Oxford (as opposed to weeks for the Pfizer)?
The time between doses appears to be more flexible, allowing for a longer period between doses. This might perhaps allow for lots of people to have the first dose quite quickly.Jackie
Peggy I believe the extended timescale is to vaccinate more people quickly, but I am slightly confused because they are proposing two full doses and not the reduced first vaccine that had better trial results. I just hope us immune compromised will be able to get tested at some stage to find out how effective it has been for us.Colette
I can see the rational for reduced first shot and full dosage second shot. My wife had the Pfizer and has 21 day wait for second shot which is supposed to have stronger side effects. Happy New Year.
This is great news, just hope we in Wales are able to access it pretty swiftly. People ask me whether I’d have the vaccine, my reply “in a heartbeat”. I wish there was knocking on my door right now. All the best to everyone for a better year next year. Personally I don’t think it could be any worse than this year has been for our family but at the same time appreciate there is always someone worse off than us. X
Lots of scaremongering being bandied around about people getting Covid AFTER the vaccine. Surely though, people WILL get it just that hopefully most people (fingers crossed for us) will then have the antibodies to fight it? Problem is we would still be contagious for that short time I assume until they kicked in? Plus these people affected may have already had it. I read of a vaccine clinic in Cardiff where 9 staff tested positive!I try not to let my imagination run away with me......most of the time!
Just put my name forward for a trial on immuno-compromised, past the pre screen now waiting a call to see if I have been accepted, will keep you posted.
Interesting that the MHRA approved two full doses rather than the apparently more efficacious half dose plus full dose.
So there's plenty of vaccine on order (with Pfizer, enough for 70 million people). But when can we expect to get it? The majority of UK CLL patients will be in group 4 of 9, about 8 million people down the pecking order. At the government's target vaccination rate of 2 million patients per week (which past form suggests really means doses per week) that puts most of us in the second half of February?
They’ve just predicted that to vaccinate the care home residents, health and care staff, over 65’s and the clinically extremely vulnerable will require 2 million inoculations a week to achieve this by Easter.
Let’s hope they can keep up both the pace and importantly, the supply.
In the UK we need to ramp up pretty smartly to at least 2 million doses per week, an imperative according to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine:
“We found that regardless of control measures simulated, all NHS regions are projected to experience a subsequent wave of Covid-19 cases and deaths, peaking in spring 2021 for London, South East and East of England, and in summer 2021 for the rest of England. In the absence of substantial vaccine roll-out, cases, hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths in 2021 may exceed those in 2020.
“The most stringent intervention scenario with tier 4 England-wide and schools closed during January and 2 million individuals vaccinated per week, is the only scenario we considered which reduces peak ICU burden below the levels seen during the first wave”.
It should be possible if we can manage a half a million tests a day. Trouble is, there’s already immense pressures on health staff who are also trying to maintain a semblance of normal service (especially in primary care). I’d like to see medics from the Armed Services to be deployed because the logistics seem to be the issue.
The main issue of course, as they discussed in tonight’s briefing, is sheer availability of vaccine and getting it into those little bottles!
Good news, especially if they cock up the dosage like last time 🤣🤣 - saying that 70% is still good when you consider the flu vaccine is just over 50% effective ( approx)
I hope it's not the cunning plan whereby you sign a bullet, which you keep in your pocket so as to avoid being hit by the bullet with your name on it (Blackadder Goes Forth).
But yes, everyone please give their vaccination experience! I'm keen to know if anyone manages to have an antibody titre done at an appropriate time after the second dose.
I personally regard having an anti-Covid vaccine as a bit of a leap into the unknown in terms of its effectiveness.
However, I am more than willing to take this leap, and would gratefully accept any vaccine offered to me. But I am very unsure as to what extent having the vaccine would actually change my behaviour , i.e. reduce taking precautions.
But overall the AZ vaccine approval surely a very positive step for the UK as a whole.
People waiting for advice about restrictions is the sad part. Don't they realize the gravity of the situation? Restrict movement to the maximum extent possible. Only go where you have to go and always wear an FFP2 respirator and keep as far from others as possible. Is that too hard to understand? Have most people lost their survival instinct or what? If so then there's no help for us. But on the other hand, those that survive will be better off. All those rich heirs in the newly inherited condos and houses... All that money left behind by the diseased... All the pensions and Healthcare costs not having to be paid to them. Yeah, once this is over society will be younger, healthier and richer. Anybody who wants to keep his possessions for somewhat longer and not hand them over yet, should take good care not to get the virus. I'll definitely try not to.
This is great news, our medical centre started vaccinations last week and a number of our neighbour have been had it (over the eighties have been vaccinated)and have had no side effects. We will definitely have the vaccine whichever one comes first. If I thought standing outside in a bucket of horse manure would help I would do it.jenny uk
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Anyone had the 3rd vaccine for covid in the UK?
Not allowed to have the RSV Vaccine
Hi everyone I am wondering when I should have a pneumonia jab? Would it be the same time as flu vaccine? I am on watch and wait and have bee
