It’s the thing we’ve been pinning all our hopes on to get us all out of this fine mess we find ourselves in – the Covid vaccine. Reports are circulating that the vaccine could be ready to administer to the first tranche from as early as next month. Meanwhile, news that the Astra Zeneca vaccine may be up to 90 per cent effective feels positive on the face of things. However, this all now changes the question from when will there be a vaccine and will it work to would you have the Covid vaccine?
I am no anti-vaxxer – I have had every vaccine going – including my annual flu jabs, and have done the same for my daughter. Yet when it comes to the Covid vaccine, I admit….I’m sitting on the fence.
First up – on average vaccines take 10 years to develop. In comparison, the Covid vaccine feels like it has been developed in a blink of an eye, the race to get it out has been so phenomenal. Anyone with a bit of common sense might be feeling uneasy about the Covid vaccine at this point in time. How could they possibly have fast-forwarded a decade of testing into a year? It’s hard to believe it’s possible to know all the long term side effects in such a short amount of time.
With that said, I have no problem with the 85+ age bracket receiving the vaccines. Let’s be real about this – they probably haven’t got long enough left of this planet to be worried about side effects anyway. That, plus the fact they could pop their clogs from all manner of other things within a few months of receiving the vaccine in any case.
Obviously, that risk becomes greater with the over-65s who could very well live for another 20 years, but probably worth the punt seeing that Covid is 100 times more deadly for people over 60 than under 40.
But with people in the above categories who are the ones being really careful right now, and people under the age of 60 three times more likely to infect others, then it does make me wonder about the current UK Covid vaccine roll our policy which is focusing on the elderly.
On the face of it, it seems like a good idea – if the elderly and vulnerable all get vaccinated, then the rest of us can get on with life. But is there an argument for the super spreader age group to be prioritised?
What about people in the super spreader category that work in the public domain – hospitals, taxi drivers, hospitality workers, care workers, taxi drivers and so on? It makes you wonder whether we are shooting in the dark again, especially seeing as France has chosen to focus their vaccine campaign on the latter.
In any case, if they eventually want anyone in the under 60 age bracket to have the Covid vaccine, they are going to have to do a lot more to persuade us. So far, we don’t know much about the side effects or long term impacts – something which I am extremely wary of seeing as it has been developed at such speed, combined with all my existing health problems.
I don’t mind so much about having to have two shots three times a year – that I can handle. But although in general, I am definitely for a Covid vaccine, I am going to need to see some concrete proof that the vaccine is safe for those that fall into the younger age brackets longer term before I’ll be queuing up to have one. And that’s a whole other government PR campaign!
When my mum asked me if she should have the vaccine, I said mum, “Mum, you’re ultra-high risk and over 70. For you, it’s a no brainer.” But for me, I’m still undecided on this one.
What are your views about the Covid vaccine? Do you agree with the current rollout policy and do you feel it would make sense for you to have one? Let me know where you stand in a comment below.
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Great post Talya. I think I’m the same as you – unsure for the younger generations. Vaccines do take a while to develop and whilst we want it quick, it’s also quite scary too, not knowing if there are any unknown long term side effects.
Great post and I’m definitely with you on all of the points you mentioned. It worries me that people get excited about the vaccine forgetting that it takes years to develop one and here we have been presented with few options within months. I’m not in any of the priority groups but I wonder and worry how travel will be possible when the vaccine is widely available. Already today one of the bigger international airline announced that anyone travelling with them will need to provide a proof of being vaccinated against Covid…
I have been talking about this recently with my husband and also my mum. I need to look in to more properly and fully understand any possible long term side effects.
I echo my comment on the Facebook page. I’d have it as likely will be offered it, as work in a hospital. I think they have thrown so much into it and bypassed so much that iusually takes so long in clinical trials x
I am on the fence alongside you, I think it’s going to be a very big fence needed from what I am hearing from others.
My pharmacist uncle is wary and that’s enough for me to be doubly wary!
There is no way they can know what the long term side effects could be x
I’m the same as you. I’m not an anti vaxxer, myself and my kids have had all vaccines and boosters recommended (we lived through a measles epidemic in Berlin with a newborn too young to vaccinate which was really scary and shows you what ani vaxxer movements can lead to!) But I’m really anxious about the ten year process of vaccine development being squeezed in to ten months.
We will be taking the vaccine. The effects that this pandemic is having on people’s mental health, we need to get back to normal life.
We will be having the vaccine. People are saying oh it has been made too quickly but realistically the reason it has been made so quickly is because people put so much money behind it and so many others have been working non stop on it. Others have only taken so long due to financial and time constraints in the past.
Anything that gets us somewhere close to a normal life.