Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave (Post 33216089)

Rightly or wrongly the process in the UK is that vaccination is about benefits overall, rather than "me, me, me", I tihnk the USA struggles with the first concept but can leverage the second very well. But yes, add in the booster vax then it is going to get complicated. At the moment the AZ real world data is fantastic, so I suspet MHRA will only allow J&J if we know it is just as good as AZ and Pfizer. And to be honest I don't think I've met many people who want to avoid the second jab, the take up rate for second jabs is running at something like 99%. On the other hand, having vaccinated people with multiple murder convictions I would personally quite like to see a solo vaccine offer! But from what I can make out J&J is running slightly less effective than AZ, probably due to being a single dose. The whole 2 dose issue is mired in immunological complexity, if we had had the time we probably would have done this differently and only given 1 dose to younger people, regardless of vaccine brand. AZ isn't going away: it's cheap, the side effects are low for most people, it transports well and can be re-transported too, the real world data is very good, and the longer term immune response looks good. I frankly had a choice, and I had no hesitation in going for AZ, though genuinely I would have been happy to have Pfizer or Moderna.

Originally Posted by VSLover (Post 33216190)

that would be my boss who got his letter to book yesterday...in jersey. lol. they still kept tabs on him despite moving to london 20 years ago, but luckily he managed to snag an apopintment today having just turned 40.

i did share HB7s frustration seeing friends and colleagues in their mid and young 30s with no pre-existing conditions being invited in mid-march on...it really is just a mixed situation in london...but now things seem to be back in motion so hopefully it isnt long for you!

Originally Posted by ahmetdouas (Post 33216263)

Yeah I am looking at it from a Vaccine Passport perspective as it looks like I would never get a vaccine passport in time for this summer if I have to do 2 jabs given I haven't gotten jabbed yet or invited to do so.

Originally Posted by 13901 (Post 33216400)

My time for a vaccine hasn't come yet but more and more people in my family and circle of friends are getting their jabs. The question I had was this: if and when it eventually comes to me, should I mention that my maternal grandfather died of CVST and my mother was treated for DVT (although, admittedly, this was due to a side effect of the anti-cancer treatment she was under)?

I haven't followed the debate on AstraZeneca/J&J and I'm not a medical expert and thus I rely blindly on those who are, so this might be a rather daft question especially if there's no correlation to developing thrombosis and having had a history of such issues in one's family.

Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave (Post 33216434)

The DVT I wouldn't bother about. But the CVST you must mention, and if the screener - the person after you check in - is not a GP (or above) make sure they raise it with one. My suspicion is that they will then check the other risk factors with you, such as sinus problems, blood disorders, sickle cell anaemia. If you don't appear to have anything else then they will probably allow AZ, but make sure you read the shiny leaflet, particularly the pink panel on the back.

https://assets.publishing.service.go...tion_guide.pdf

Originally Posted by alex67500 (Post 33216836)

Good news announced today that Twickenham will be open for 10,000 fans for the final of the champions and challenge cups on 21st and 22nd May. Signs of life getting slowly back to normal. Lockdowns are being lifted :)

Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave (Post 33215855)

The evidence about how vaccines are so powerful has only become clear and hit pre-prints fairly recently. So the 50% cut in transmission was in pre-print only this week, even though I leaked the result here about a month ago. So part of it is that the key decision makers have only realised quite recently that we have now (hoptefully) reached the point that those vaccinated are able to go about their lives more freely now. In fact for all my delving into data I think it was only last week that I posted my feeling that vaccination is a full answer to the pandemic in its current form, subject to the significant rider that it is conditional on keeping some other measures in place, I'm not convinced you can vaccinate your way out of a surge, but you can vaccinate yourself to head off a future surge. So it's all very well being wise about it now, but actually it's only just dawning on UK decision makers how amazing these vaccines are, along with the implications of that, we are incredibly fortunate to have them.

The equity point you make is a very good one. In a way the sacrifices made by younger people, essentially to protect those over 50 years old, has been huge. Disrupted education, social and sexual development, employment hits, poverty, the death of spontaneity, the list goes on and on, so yes, it would be a bit tough to say officially that those with both vaccines (I'm in this category) can meet friends and reduce some precautions, but JV-T perhaps overdid his correct assessment of the situation. It's incredibly unlikely, as things stand, that two vaccinated people can meet and one would kill the other. If one drove to see the other, the driving is a lot more risky. In fact one vaccine is enough, on the data I'm seeing. But it would be outrageous to say only those over 50 can go to Glastonbury, for example.

I can see the vaccine supply isses are going away in the UK. By the end of May we should be vaccinating those in their 20s. I've just done 8 continuous days of vaccinating, some of them extended days, compared to 2 or 3 during the weak weeks. And the supply for May has been confirmed, with a huge amount forecast for the final week in May, we may hit our vaccination delivery capacity that particular week, for the first time.

We are getting there.

Originally Posted by flashware (Post 33217016)

Should be interesting, I'm waiting for my 2nd Pfizer Jan and it's a real lottery. I'm off on a work trip soon for 4-6 weeks that will land me back well after 12 weeks from my first jab. May end up having to mix with AZ?

Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave (Post 33217035)

Yes, that is a risk. If you are past 8 weeks then you could contact your GP now and explain the situation, they may be able to assist. When you come back you need to get a second dose ASAP but you will be prescribed AZ rather than waiting more than a day or two for Pfizer. The usual problem is that we are often unsure when Pfizer will come in, but now we are well into second doses we can see that the supply is now more reliable than it used to be. Even if you are a lot longer than 12 weeks then your second dose will be considered adequate, you won't be restarting the treatment. In immunological terms this isn't necessarily a bad outcome (though AZ as dose 1 would be better at this), particularly if would be in the frame for the autumn booster vax in say November 2021.