Vaccine Progress, Approval, and Deployment

[brad465]

Question Time have said that on their next episode they're asking those who've not been vaccinated to come forward to share their reasons why. This looks like a recipe for disaster, particularly in being very heated and divisive, and also demonstrates the BBC doesn't know what impartiality actually is.

 

[The Ham]

Question Time have said that on their next episode they're asking those who've not been vaccinated to come forward to share their reasons why. This looks like a recipe for disaster, particularly in being very heated and divisive, and also demonstrates the BBC doesn't know what impartiality actually is.

It depends on how it's handled, of it's effectively a stand alone program or part of a program where the individuals are effectively interviewed with little interaction with others then it could be useful in letting some explain why they aren't having the vaccine (especially those with issues with needless or other reasons why they physically can't have the vaccine along with those who rarely have positive outcomes when they have dealings with the state - this could include, as an example, those who are travelers).

If everyone who does it is on the more extreme end of the spectrum (for example someone who is also a flat earther as well as believing that Trump is still the rightful president all well as is anti 5G) then it could be bad.

Likewise if they are put in an audience then it could well be that may not end well, especially if it ends in a shouting match.

I would hope that at least a few people involved from the BBC would have enough sense to be sensitive enough for it not to end up being too much of a car crash or having to call in security to break up a fight.

 

[Bantamzen]

It depends on how it's handled, of it's effectively a stand alone program or part of a program where the individuals are effectively interviewed with little interaction with others then it could be useful in letting some explain why they aren't having the vaccine (especially those with issues with needless or other reasons why they physically can't have the vaccine along with those who rarely have positive outcomes when they have dealings with the state - this could include, as an example, those who are travelers).

If everyone who does it is on the more extreme end of the spectrum (for example someone who is also a flat earther as well as believing that Trump is still the rightful president all well as is anti 5G) then it could be bad.

Likewise if they are put in an audience then it could well be that may not end well, especially if it ends in a shouting match.

I would hope that at least a few people involved from the BBC would have enough sense to be sensitive enough for it not to end up being too much of a car crash or having to call in security to break up a fight.

Unfortunately I think we all know how Auntie Beeb will treat them. They will be thrown to the wolves.

 

[DustyBin]

It depends on how it's handled, of it's effectively a stand alone program or part of a program where the individuals are effectively interviewed with little interaction with others then it could be useful in letting some explain why they aren't having the vaccine (especially those with issues with needless or other reasons why they physically can't have the vaccine along with those who rarely have positive outcomes when they have dealings with the state - this could include, as an example, those who are travelers).

If everyone who does it is on the more extreme end of the spectrum (for example someone who is also a flat earther as well as believing that Trump is still the rightful president all well as is anti 5G) then it could be bad.

Likewise if they are put in an audience then it could well be that may not end well, especially if it ends in a shouting match.

I would hope that at least a few people involved from the BBC would have enough sense to be sensitive enough for it not to end up being too much of a car crash or having to call in security to break up a fight.

I’m confident that the participants will be carefully hand picked!

 

[Yew]

Question Time have said that on their next episode they're asking those who've not been vaccinated to come forward to share their reasons why. This looks like a recipe for disaster, particularly in being very heated and divisive, and also demonstrates the BBC doesn't know what impartiality actually is.

Doing that with some moderates that are just a little worried, with a nice smliey doctor and the right atmosphere; it could be useful and help ease peoples concerns.


However I imagine there will be some conspiriacy nutjobs brought in and they will be screamed at by politicians and members of the public.

 

[yorkie]

Natural immunity as protective as vaccine induced immunity https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/w...

Conclusion
Natural immunity with or without vaccine provided robust protection against hospitalization in the age of delta

It looks like we are going to have to re-think how we view the Sars-CoV-2 vaccines; it looks like vaccination is important to greatly reduce negative consequences of our inevitable exposure to the virus but beyond that, the benefits are not as great as previously thought.

We should start to view those who have been exposed to the full virus in a similar way to those who have been vaccinated.

 

[danm14]

It looks like we are going to have to re-think how we view the Sars-CoV-2 vaccines; it looks like vaccination is important to greatly reduce negative consequences of our inevitable exposure to the virus but beyond that, the benefits are not as great as previously thought.

We should start to view those who have been exposed to the full virus in a similar way to those who have been vaccinated.

Given that people have been actively discouraged from taking PCR tests to confirm positive lateral flow test results, and in some countries (such as Ireland with 4-39 year olds) prohibited from taking PCR tests entirely; we also need to start allowing antibody testing to be used to confirm previous infection.

 

[DelayRepay]

Given that people have been actively discouraged from taking PCR tests to confirm positive lateral flow test results, and in some countries (such as Ireland with 4-39 year olds) prohibited from taking PCR tests entirely; we also need to start allowing antibody testing to be used to confirm previous infection.

It only matters if we keep restrictive measures such as covid 'certification'. If such measures are scrapped, then it matters not whether someone has been vaccinated and/or has immunity from a previous infection.

We must be close to 100% of the population having either vaccines or a previous infection (and many will have had both), so trying to single out the very small number who have no Covid immunity to subject them to different rules doesn't really make sense.

If people want an anti-body test for curiosity, then they can pay for one. But we shouldn't waste public money on these tests.

 

[island]

It looks like we are going to have to re-think how we view the Sars-CoV-2 vaccines; it looks like vaccination is important to greatly reduce negative consequences of our inevitable exposure to the virus but beyond that, the benefits are not as great as previously thought.

We should start to view those who have been exposed to the full virus in a similar way to those who have been vaccinated.

France recognised this quite some time ago and whilst I know many have strong views about their vaccine pass rules, they operate a "1 infection is equivalent to 1 injection" policy in this respect.

 

[Bantamzen]

It looks like we are going to have to re-think how we view the Sars-CoV-2 vaccines; it looks like vaccination is important to greatly reduce negative consequences of our inevitable exposure to the virus but beyond that, the benefits are not as great as previously thought.

We should start to view those who have been exposed to the full virus in a similar way to those who have been vaccinated.

This is what some of us have been saying for some time, that exposure to only the virus should offer at least as much protection as the vaccine, if not more. And this is logical because the vaccines don't contain all of the the proteins that the virus has, and so being exposed to the whole virus will give the immune system a much broader spectrum to work with and develop the necessary B cells & T cells to allow successful antibody & infected cell shutdowns on the next infection.

Of course it is still preferable to be vaccinated first to reduce the risk of serious illness, but nonetheless being unvaccinated does not necessarily mean higher risk to others or themselves. Its time to blow that myth out of the water for once and for all.

It only matters if we keep restrictive measures such as covid 'certification'. If such measures are scrapped, then it matters not whether someone has been vaccinated and/or has immunity from a previous infection.

We must be close to 100% of the population having either vaccines or a previous infection (and many will have had both), so trying to single out the very small number who have no Covid immunity to subject them to different rules doesn't really make sense.

If people want an anti-body test for curiosity, then they can pay for one. But we shouldn't waste public money on these tests.

Indeed, we need to break the obsessive cycle of tests and vaccination status. In the middle of last year the ONS predicted that 96% of the population had some exposure to vaccines, the virus or both. And with nearly 16 million people having been recorded has having at least one infection, I think its safe to safe that there are very few people left in the country with no exposure to either the virus or the vaccine. We really don't need to keep micromanaging this any more, as the government are starting to show.

What we need now are mechanisms in place to ensure people feeling ill to be able to stay at home and not be financially impacted, in order to keep future transmission lower.

 

[DelayRepay]

What we need now are mechanisms in place to ensure people feeling ill to be able to stay at home and not be financially impacted, in order to keep future transmission lower.

I completely agree, and this isn't just a Covid issue. People who are ill should be able to stay at home without having to worry about how they are going to pay the bills, or worse whether they will still have a job when they recover. It should not matter whether their illness is Covid, flu or something else.

On the other hand, people who are not ill should be able to go about their business without worrying about whether they've done the right test or are holding the correct paperwork. If people want to voluntarily do a LFT before meeting a vulnerable person (e.g. visiting a care home) then that seems sensible while Covid infection rates are high, but testing should be the exception rather than the norm.

 

[kristiang85]

I think New Zealand is going to be an interesting test case of a population with high vaccination immunity but next to no natural immunity. If their omicron outcomes are worse than elsewhere, then that will tell us a lot.

 

[Snow1964]

Britain has now reached 91% for first vaccine (of 12 years and
older)

For record, second jabs now at 84.1%, third at 64.8%

Vaccination rates seem to be closer to 100,000 per day (total across first, second, third)

 

[BackOnTheTrain]

If anyone eligible is waiting on a fourth vaccine dose, they can now be booked (as opposed to just walking-in) on the national website. In England anyway.

 

[Dent]

Another vaccine has been approved. Whether anyone who hasn't already been vaccinated will want it remains to be seen.

Novavax Covid jab approved by UK drugs regulator

UK regulator the MHRA says Nuvaxovid is safe as a first and second dose in adults.

www.bbc.co.uk

The jab, a protein adjuvant vaccine, is based on technology used for decades to protect people from diseases such as hepatitis and shingles.
It delivers copies of the spike protein on the surface of the virus directly into a person's cells, stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies and T-cells.
An extra ingredient, an adjuvant, then helps boost the immune response.
Scientists say this approach makes it simpler to produce than some other vaccines and means it can be stored in a refrigerator.

 

[brad465]

Scientists are apparently blaming the massive slowdown in rolling out boosters to declining trust in Johnson. While I can see that bearing some responsibility, I also think a lack of clear purpose to get one is also involved, as Plan B has been lifted, we avoided further Christmas restrictions, and waning effectiveness as a result of Omicron will have led some to question if the benefit is really worth the risk.

Booster campaign stalls as ‘partygate’ undermines trust in official advice

Hundreds still dying from Covid each day in the UK as fear of the virus wanes

www.theguardian.com

The Covid booster campaign has stalled, and declining trust in the prime minister is part of the problem, say scientists.

Only 26,875 people in England had a third dose or booster on 1 February, the latest complete figures available, and 6 million people are at least six weeks overdue for their shot.

Behavioural scientists, including government advisers, and public health leaders say the huge drop in take-up in just one month is fuelled by the widespread belief that Boris Johnson flouted his own Covid rules.

Although Omicron is less deadly than previous variants, it remains a significant health risk to the estimated 5.1 million unvaccinated people aged over 12 in the UK, and the rolling seven-day average of deaths in Britain is above 240.

Double-jabbed people have a substantially lower risk of dying. But they remain more vulnerable to infection that can lead to long-term health problems and being taken to hospital, as well as death, in some cases.

The perception that Omicron is less dangerous is a major reason why only 64.6% of over-12s in England have had their booster, according to behavioural scientists. The winter surge in infections has also had an impact, since people have to wait 28 days after their infection has cleared before they can be boosted.

“Worry about infection has fallen to 52% of adults,” said John Drury, professor of social psychology at the University of Sussex, referring to ONS data published last week. “You can trace that to 27 January when the government announced that we didn’t need to have any measures. That communicates something about risk, that infection is OK because it’s not associated very strongly with death.”

 

[yorksrob]

Scientists are apparently blaming the massive slowdown in rolling out boosters to declining trust in Johnson. While I can see that bearing some responsibility, I also think a lack of clear purpose to get one is also involved, as Plan B has been lifted, we avoided further Christmas restrictions, and waning effectiveness as a result of Omicron will have led some to question if the benefit is really worth the risk.

Booster campaign stalls as ‘partygate’ undermines trust in official advice

Hundreds still dying from Covid each day in the UK as fear of the virus wanes

www.theguardian.com

I think that's assuming too much credulity to the British population. I suspect it's more the case that anyone who wanted a booster will have had one when it was offered.

I include myself in that as I had one and didn't hang about for a month before getting one.

 

[bramling]

Scientists are apparently blaming the massive slowdown in rolling out boosters to declining trust in Johnson. While I can see that bearing some responsibility, I also think a lack of clear purpose to get one is also involved, as Plan B has been lifted, we avoided further Christmas restrictions, and waning effectiveness as a result of Omicron will have led some to question if the benefit is really worth the risk.

Booster campaign stalls as ‘partygate’ undermines trust in official advice

Hundreds still dying from Covid each day in the UK as fear of the virus wanes

www.theguardian.com

A lot of younger adults are likely to be taking the view that two doses is good enough, so either don’t want the third, or aren’t in any particular rush to get it - especially if they had side effects or had to queue for ages when they had their first or second.

 

[Eyersey468]

A lot of younger adults are likely to be taking the view that two doses is good enough, so either don’t want the third, or aren’t in any particular rush to get it - especially if they had side effects or had to queue for ages when they had their first or second.

To be honest I am in that category, just turned 35 and in no rush to get a booster.

 

[greyman42]

To be honest I am in that category, just turned 35 and in no rush to get a booster.

What does "in no rush" mean. Do you simply mean you are not going to get one?

 

[Eyersey468]

What does "in no rush" mean. Do you simply mean you are not going to get one?

In no rush means I will get one if I have to for travel abroad but I don't consider there is any real benefit to me having it