According to NHS guidance and gov.uk they note - The vaccines do not contain living organisms, and so are safe for people with disorders of the immune system. These people may not respond so well to the vaccine.
...may not respond so well? Does that mean general sideffects or that the vaccine will not protect us as much as others? Grateful if anyone has any thoughts
Thanks!
The guidance is that shielding must continue after vaccination as the immune response of those with compromised immune systems is not yet known
Note that no vaccine is 100% effective....not even the long established ones we had as kids not even the ones my kids had as babies not even the ones my grandchildren have had.
There is also a difference between efficacy and effectiveness.....efficacy is from clinical trials effectiveness only be becomes apparent once it's used in the general population.
Someone who is taking immunosuppressant medication will probably not respond as efficiently to the vaccine in terms of producing antibodies - but that applies to all vaccines, like the flu vaccine which most of us have anyway. It isn't that it doesn't work at all but we are also more vulnerable to any infection for the same reason and so it becomes more important to have the vaccines when offered so that the immune system has had a chance to practise recognising the invader (virus or bacteria) in a safe way and is better able to produce the immune response to fight it off.
As Spanielmadlady says - NO vaccine is 100% effective. Most clinical trials are looking for something better than 50% - halving the risk of developing the disease - so the figures being quoted for the Covid vaccines are very good - and means that even someone who develops a lesser response is still likely to do pretty well. No-one should say "I'm not going to catch it now I have had my jab", especially after only one - but having had the jab it seems you are much less likely to become very ill if you do contract the virus.
The best one? The one you are offered - unless there is a specific stated reason you shouldn't and so far there arevery very few such cases. It may not be perfect - but it does put you in a better place. By the time the second round of jabs comes round, they will know a great deal more and be able to say this vaccine or that vaccine performs better in this or that condition. Concentrate on getting there.
Thank you for the helpful response PMRpro !
yes l have a concern for myself about this , you could take a test for your immune system against the virus , my sister inlaw had one,. take care Rodders1941
Trust your gut feeling as I do and if it doesn't feel right, don't do it, is my motto. It was interesting on the news 2 nights ago interviewing minority groups in London who do not trust the vaccine. One asked a very pertinent question of the news interviewer - 'Do you trust everything the government and pharmaceutical companies tell you?' I know my answer - do you?
I have Mixed Connective tissue disease and Antiphospholipid Syndrome and had the Astra Zeneca vaccine first dose last Saturday. I experienced fairly full on reaction, uncontrollable chills for 2/3 hrs, very painful joints, upset tummy and full on headache plus extreme tiredness but it was all over by Tuesday and I am now fine. One thing it has taught me is that had I been unfortunate enough to catch COVID before the vaccine I think I might have been pretty unwell and I’m glad I have had the vaccine.
nonny thanks for sharing your experience with the vaccine. Glad you are feeling better!
Hi miccika1,
I was taking hydroxychloroquine 400 at first and then 200 for over 20 yrs but my digestive system gradually became unable to handle the hydroxychloroquine and became inflamed every time I used it. I take lansoprazole and ranitidine(until it was discontinued) to protect my digestion but it wasn’t enough and I finally had to give up on the hydroxychloroquine. I was offered steroids which I didn’t want to take and as I am over 70 and disease activity is meant to lessen I agreed to cope with the proviso I could go onto steroids if needed. So far I have coped but the disease activity is still there and worsens when I am unwell. I inject every day with Clexane 40 mg to help hold back the damage of the small vessel ischaemia in my brain caused by the APS.
The J&J and AstraZeneca use a weakened live virus format , similar to the pneumonia vaccine, while the MRNA do not. verywellhealth.com/astrazen...
It is really heard to compare efficiency for two were tested in the early days in areas without the new strain while J &J was studied later in Brazil and South Africa with newer strains.
All those studied are proven to prevent death so far no one who has gotten any of the vaccines has died of covid this is all that matters.
Hi Roarah ,
Your information about the AstraZeneca vaccine doesn't describe it very accurately. It does use a 'live' adenovirus vector but it is modified to be unable to replicate in humans and therefore the vaccine itself is not considered 'live' and is safe for people who are immunosuppressed.
I've not yet seen full details of the J&J vaccine, so I'm not sure whether the same is true for that one.
WELL GUYS HERE IS THE OUTCOME SO FAR
\"But you look so well, why are you on steroids?!\"
Third vaccination for the most vulnerable
Not doing so well 
But you look so well
