Vaccinations and GSA

[Doublef]

Flu jab today but turned down covid vaccination, I just do not trust it. I have been so I'll these past 3 years, a friend has vivid for the eighth time, my daughter 3 times myself twice. Heads or tails my mind said tails no thanks. Do you think it naive to believe everything we have been told.

[SheffieldJane]

I will have my 7 th Booster. The disease would be so much worse and there will be a lot of unvaccinated people around. It is changing and adapting all the time.

[Bcol]

Mine is booked in a couple of weeks and I have no problem with it. If you trust the flu vaccine why not the Covid one? You can still get the jab if you change your mind.

[Kendrew]

Hi Doublef,

Every vaccination comes with the risk of you experiencing a possible reaction to it, and unfortunately, because we all have our own individual set of 'health' circumstances it's impossible to predict who will & who won't react each time.

Although I had an unpleasant reaction to my last covid booster, I personally feel that contracting covid (particularly now a new strain is out there) is not a situation I would want to be in, and certainly not without having had my autumn booster!

Covid is definitely on the rise again (I know this from a nursing friend at the Royal Hallamshire hospital who's nursing a ward that's filled up very quickly with covid patients, and a doctor friend who works at a London hospital and reported similar)

Although an increasing number of people are being hospitalised due to covid, it seems the majority are not requiring ICU care and already have some other underlying pulmonary/health issues.

This being said, most of the population no longer seem to be particularly 'covid aware' anymore and have become extremely complacent with regard to handwashing, sanitising, etc, so covid is likely to spread very easily and very quickly amongst communities again.... there's already evidence of this happening!

Whether you have it or not is obviously a decision only you can make, but there are clearly some important factors to consider first before making that decision.

Good luck.....I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

It’s entirely a personal choice of course, and some people react more to vaccines than others, so have to think more seriously about accepting them, but as stated Covid is not going to disappear any time soon

I think going forward we probably have to consider it may become an annual vaccine like the flu one… with a slightly different variant each year.

But as Bcol asks why are you happy to accept flu vaccine and not Covid?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

"Do you think it naive to believe everything we have been told"

Depends what it is. When it comes from reputable scientists and medical experts it is definitely worth considering at least. When it is from conspiracy theorists - definitely not.

It is the use of vaccines that makes Covid the far lesser threat it is now than it was pre-vaccines. People get it but rarely badly unless they have pre-existing illnesses or are on medication. We have both - the vaccines are to our benefit.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Latest information from NHS England re those whose immune system means they are higher risk -

gov.uk/government/publicati...

Will ask this advice be added to Covid information in the FAQs

[Sillydogsmum]

But you are happy to be protected by the vaccine! Those of us who are vaccinated to protect ourselves, health workers and the vulnerable like yourself reduce the transmission in the community by overall decreasing the incidence and risk to others.

[Greensleeves]

I believe the flu vaccine was the straw that broke the camel’s back and caused my PMR 11 years ago .

I’ve was ill in hospital with Covid pre vaccine, every subsequent vaccine has made me feel unwell and lowered my immunity, i have said never again, but on reflection , I’d rather know I had some fighting chance.

I’ve had my 7th this morning, feeling ropey but I hope I build some antibodies.

I’m very low anyway from losing my Mum .

Each infection is probably worse than any vaccine. Think about it carefully. I wouldn’t have flu and covid together it’s too much for my immune system.

Take care

[HeaUnlocked]

The vaccine has been widely available since 2021. Studies have consistently shown that the vaccine and boosters reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from Covid, esp for the elderly and immune compromised. This is borne out by statistics in countries around the world. People who are vaccinated and boosted still get the virus, but they are less likely to get severely ill and require hospitalization. As with any vaccine there are risks, but the risk posed by a severe case of Covid are far worse.

[SnazzyD]

As PMrPro says, it depends on what you are choosing to believe of what you’ve been told. My view is all vaccines and Covid come with some down sides and risks, some bad some minor, and your personal risk of either is yours alone and can’t be based on others’. However, if people were dropping like flies in large numbers it might make one think that others’ experiences are worth taking note of. It is impossible to prove whether someone got very ill just because the vaccine was useless for them or that they didn’t have it. One can persuade oneself in any direction by what cases we choose to take note of.

I stopped at 3 jabs because I had clear evidence that the neurological side effects I was having were increasing each time, the last one taking 3 months to resolve. ‘Normal’ vaccines have always caused acute reactions in me so I was very worried about my first Covid one. I am very sad that I can’t risk it and have to hope my own immune system is up to every wave. I went on holiday recently and envied all those people going about their day feeling confident and protected whether they were or not.

Covid is also an odd one judging by the way people do or don’t suffer and also one Covid doesn’t mean the next Covid will be the same in either direction. There is also a lot still being discovered about the long term effects in the body and it doesn’t make good news and isn’t being reported in the general press, just the medical. I had long Covid pre-vacc, long Covid after hospitalisation 5 months after my 3rd jab, 3/4 mild covids in between. My latest has been a breeze but my healthy husband (50) and daughter (22) are extremely ill. As they say in the financial world, past performance is no guarantee of future performance. I live with the anxiety of not knowing what will happen to me each time.

My wish is that there would be better surveillance of variants and population spread instead of less and that I could have a conversation about the formulation of each vaccine and stats in order to better assess risk/benefit. A old Delta vaccine won’t be as easily sold to me as one with recent variants. Discussion seems to be discouraged in order to just get as many as possible to have the vaccine. It is odd mixed messaging when the government wants vaccination but not so much that they will pay for widespread take up after all the persuasion previously. It doesn’t help people feel it is important. There is next no mask wearing, shielding coughs or hand washing and the latest spree is well underway again.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to SnazzyD]

There is also a lot still being discovered about the long term effects in the body and it doesn’t make good news and isn’t being reported in the general press, just the medical.

See this posted recently by Bcol -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Hidden]

My GCA symptoms started within a week of my covid vaccination. Until then I was healthy.