Vaccination

[Owd Jockey]

Slightly annoyed yesterday when I turned up at a new Vaccination Centre in Shrewsbury after accepting a task assignment from the Royal Voluntary Service. It really was a case of spotting the Jab recipient, and significantly oversubscribed with Volunteers. This site and one over in Telford both capable of doing 1400/day had done 240 between them. Nothing to do with vaccine supply, just a case of the strict rules within the National Booking system on which cohort can be offered a jab.
I had been volunteering for the last couple of weeks on the main hospital site some 4 miles away administering the Vacc to mainly NHS and Support workers. On Tuesday it was announced that the site was being 'moth-balled' for 2 weeks, to be used as a training facility for Vaccinators and then to re-open to the over 80's for their second jab. So on Monday/Tuesday an email had gone out to many care agencies and Contractors to turn-up. It was quite amazing, I don't think I'd ever seen so many builders in one place before - 'chippies', 'sparkies', plumbers all lined up. I think diversity was the name of the game with doctors, nurses and therapist in 'scrubs' lining joining contractors and Chaplains. I even spotted two chaps in black suits and ties from the local funeral services. However, all of trades and professions shared one thing in common, that of working on or in close proximity to Covid Wards. Although that site normally did 400/day I suspect that may have been superceded ton Tuesday.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

I would tend to agree with you, as would many relevant Experts...

Some of my friends who work in science communication and behavioural change economics do their absolute nut about the way the media as a whole tends to oversimplify to make everything into nice neat "Facts" or "Black/White Splits"; when "the truth" is a nebulous, squishy, wriggly and inconveniently incomplete thing in the real world...

It does everyone a disservice that rather than take the time to have a serious discussion with the nation about "As best we can know based on the facts at our disposal right now..." increasingly media organisations will pick a line it feels it can support (sometimes based on editorial stance rather than evidence) and run with it, rather than taking the time to explain the detail to readers/viewers.


For me the whole pandemic has brought the issue of with increasingly complex topics being reported by generalist journalists into sharp relief.

I'm now firmly in agreement with my friends who do their nut on the issue, that with how complex the world is getting, difficult topics really need to be reported on by subject matter experts who are also trained in journalism on top of understanding their brief.

That also probably explains why of all the papers, the FT is the one I tend to gravitate towards reading if I'm going to... Their opinion pieces are very clearly demarcated (as well intellectually diverse and not extreme) and the editors manage to do a good job of getting expert reporters for each relevant field, who can talk to the issues in such a way to bridge the gap between what I know, and what I need to to understand the story.

Amen to the above. As is obvious when you look at their subscription prices, good journalism costs money. The FT weekend edition is the only print paper I buy now. Most people expect to get their news 'for free' in our internet-driven world, and as a result they get what they pay for...

 

[Blackswanwood]

More than a quarter of the adult population now had their first dose and the daylight is noticeably longer. Things are definitely looking up - maybe my dovetails will be okay straight off the saw today

 

[Nigel Burden]

I had my jab on Tuesday, Pfizer Biontec. No side effect other than a slightly sore arm. One of my wifes friends had hers also on Tuesday, Astra Zeneca. She felt rough for a couple of days, nausea and generally not good at all, ok now though.

Nigel.

 

[artie]

I'm just wondering.
Have any of you checked what exactly was injected into you?

 

[Cabinetman]

This is a can of worms! I’m not going to open the lid on it, But I am very seriously researching the question. As I think everybody should, you question what you put in your mouth – you trust some companies and you avoid the ones you don’t trust so why is this different?

 

[Rorschach]

I'm just wondering.
Have any of you checked what exactly was injected into you?

The contents don't worry me, I have had dozens of vaccinations since I was a child, almost certainly containing "worse" ingredients than modern ones.

I am still doing a risk benefit analysis for myself though. I have got plenty of time before I will even be offered it though. Personally I am still not sure if they will bother offering it to the under 50's, seems like a waste of time and money to me when it could be spent giving boosters to the vulnerable ready for next winter. Glad to see promising words coming from government (finally) about learning to live with C19 and that zero covid is impossible (as I said best part of a year ago)

 

[Blackswanwood]

This is a can of worms! I’m not going to open the lid on it, But I am very seriously researching the question. As I think everybody should, you question what you put in your mouth – you trust some companies and you avoid the ones you don’t trust so why is this different?

My competence reaches it’s limit reading the ingredients on a food packaging label. As far as vaccines go I’m personally happy to rely on whatever it is having been signed off by people far better qualified to know if it’s safe or not!

 

[doctor Bob]

 

[Sandyn]

Have any of you checked what exactly was injected into you?

No, but I never actually check the ingredients of any medication I take. I could ask my wife or daughter, both are Pharmacologists, but I really don't worry about it. I trust the process absolutely. I am also aware of the accelerated process for the Covid vaccination. I always check out possible side effects. There are always long term risks in a situation like this, but when I looked at the short term alternative for me, possible death, or long term illness is more scary.
Even if some terrible side effects developed in the future, I would never regret taking the vaccine. I have volunteered for follow up research on the effects.

I think for people who do worry about getting the vaccine, they should just not have it, I don't think it would make a huge difference to the community, as long as they continue to take sensible precautions when meeting others in the future. Everyone has the absolute right to refuse the vaccine for whatever reason.

I did get a leaflet telling me what was in the Pfizer vaccine I got.

According to Wiki, the adverse effects are:

The adverse effect profile of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID‑19 vaccine is similar to that of other adult vaccines.[21] During clinical trials, the side effects deemed very common[a] are (in order of frequency): pain and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle aches, chills, joint pain, and fever.[4] Fever is more common after the second dose.[4] These effects are predictable and to be expected, and it is particularly important that people be aware of this to prevent vaccine hesitancy.[105]

Severe allergic reaction has been observed in approximately 11 cases per million doses of vaccine administered.[106][107] According to a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 71% of those allergic reactions happened within 15 minutes of vaccination and mostly (81%) among people with a documented history of allergies or allergic reactions.[106] The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) advised on 9 December 2020, that people who have a history of "significant" allergic reaction should not receive the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID‑19 vaccine.[108][109][110] On 12 December, the Canadian regulator followed suit, noting that: "Both individuals in the U.K. had a history of severe allergic reactions and carried adrenaline auto injectors. They both were treated and have recovered."[64]

On 28 January 2021, the European Union published a COVID-19 vaccine safety update which found that "the benefits of Comirnaty in preventing COVID‑19 continue to outweigh any risks, and there are no recommended changes regarding the use the vaccine."[107][111] No new side effects were identified.[107]

 

[pils]

Two things:
1. let's give our children to them: childrens trial list
2. False 'false positive': (and she looks like an angel to boot

 

[rwillett]

I'm just wondering.
Have any of you checked what exactly was injected into you?

This is a can of worms! I’m not going to open the lid on it, But I am very seriously researching the question. As I think everybody should, you question what you put in your mouth – you trust some companies and you avoid the ones you don’t trust so why is this different?

What exactly are you going to research? How are you going to find and validate the information? And then how do you work out what's good or bad? Do you have an inside line to AZ or Moderna?

I'm sure there's enough skills on this website to check things like stats or the tiny little things that are in the vaccine, I'm not sure what they are called, bugs, or nanotransmitters or something, but there will be a YouTube video somewhere that helps me understand it, and allows me to not have to waste my time and do a degree in microbeeologee. There's so much good information out on the intertubes thats always accurate, up to date and spot on. Its dead easy to spot the good ones from the bad ones due to the quallity of the production and the use of capitals in the captions.

I always research things before I buy them as well. We just brought a new dish washer and we checked out the energy rating, the size, various reviews, we even measured our bowl size as it's pain fitting bowls in. I think these dishwasher suppliers use flat bowls so they can get more place settings in. The same methodology would work here.

I'm really interested in what you can find out, what your conclusions are and think you should share it so we can all benefit from this. We could pool the results of this and perhaps rank the vaccines, a bit like an Amazon review or Trust Pilot. Only three stars as I had a sore arm, or perhaps four stars for the speed of the staff at your local vaccination centre.

I think you're onto something here.

Rob

 

[Jelly]

2. False 'false positive': (and she looks like an angel to boot

She is however talking about something she isn't actually qualified to comment on, and drawing misleading conclusions to support a particular viewpoint

I would seriously question if doctors who are pulling that kind of [rude word for excrement] are fit to practice, as it most definitely falls below required ethical standards.

 

[Cabinetman]

It would appear that YouTube are censoring the debate.

No sorry it was my iPad couldn’t open YouTube

 

[Spectric]

The vacine program is rolling along well but I cannot see things getting back to normal anytime soon, we are still in the early days and as yet do not really know how effective these vacines are on the masses. The government is already planing the next lockdown with their determination to send the kids back to school before many teachers get the jab and of course to end the pandemic you need to have enough people vacinated to not only stop the spread but also to prevent it mutating. Lots of kids in close proximity will be a great breeding ground for the next strain and so rushing to unlock the country will be a really bad move.

When I got the jab it felt like one of those horror films where a virus has plagued the earth and I was really not comfortable with people being anywhere nearby, almost like the days of leprosy so it will have a massive impact on social interaction for years to come. Has anyone thought about the woodworking shows, can you imagine how different they will be with suppliers hidding behind perspect screens and visitors trying to keep our social distance, but maybe on a positive note it may be a case of what you touch you have to buy!

 

[Rorschach]

The vacine program is rolling along well but I cannot see things getting back to normal anytime soon, we are still in the early days and as yet do not really know how effective these vacines are on the masses. The government is already planing the next lockdown with their determination to send the kids back to school before many teachers get the jab and of course to end the pandemic you need to have enough people vacinated to not only stop the spread but also to prevent it mutating. Lots of kids in close proximity will be a great breeding ground for the next strain and so rushing to unlock the country will be a really bad move.

When I got the jab it felt like one of those horror films where a virus has plagued the earth and I was really not comfortable with people being anywhere nearby, almost like the days of leprosy so it will have a massive impact on social interaction for years to come. Has anyone thought about the woodworking shows, can you imagine how different they will be with suppliers hidding behind perspect screens and visitors trying to keep our social distance, but maybe on a positive note it may be a case of what you touch you have to buy!

Well luckily not all of us are as miserable and pessimistic as you are. Can't wait to get back to normal and everyone I know is the same, no worries here.

 

[Spectric]

It is that attitude that has caused multiple lockdowns and over a 100K dead. People only accept danger when it is visible, many bury there head and hope it is not real, but that is the difference in a survivor and someone who kills there granny.

 

[Selwyn]

It is that attitude that has caused multiple lockdowns and over a 100K dead. People only accept danger when it is visible, many bury there head and hope it is not real, but that is the difference in a survivor and someone who kills there granny.

This is ridiculous. You have swallowed the whole line hook line and sinker!

 

[Spectric]

If everyone had accepted the situation and rigidly stuck to lockdown, and the government shut the doors into the country then do you not think that we would be in a very different place now, possibly enjoying the freedoms of New Zealand and the like.

 

[Rorschach]

If everyone had accepted the situation and rigidly stuck to lockdown, and the government shut the doors into the country then do you not think that we would be in a very different place now, possibly enjoying the freedoms of New Zealand and the like.

You missed the news this morning then, Auckland in lockdown.