Covid booster injections

[Lutz]

The discarding of OofD vaccine is probably the same here in the UK. I have had 5 Covid vaccinations now, three different types, so I believe the vaccines are changing as is the Covid strains.
But the test kits are still the same, for all strains of Covid.

Self tests depend on the willingness of the public to cooperate by actually carrying self tests out and notifying their local health department of positive test results. As that cannot be guaranteed, health departments here set up test centres where they could maintain a better overview of the situation. Therefore no emphasis was ever placed on self tests and the test centres have since been shut down. The net result is that no-one here is monitoring the problem reliably and there is no longer any coordinated activity regarding vaccination.

 

[Dustydog]

After Lutz last post I checked. Surprisingly the development of vaccines seems not what we all thought😢

How are vaccines being adapted to meet the changing face of SARS-CoV-2?

The vaccines’ development was a miracle of modern science—but as SARS-CoV-2 adapts, how are manufacturers and researchers responding? Chris Stokel-Walker learns more It seems like a lifetime ago, but the first clinically approved vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 was given to a patient just 17 months...

www.bmj.com

 

[otherclive]

The discarding of OofD vaccine is probably the same here in the UK. I have had 5 Covid vaccinations now, three different types, so I believe the vaccines are changing as is the Covid strains.
But the test kits are still the same, for all strains of Covid.

How can you tell if the three different types of vaccine have been targeted at a specific variant of Covid. Some were in development in parallel with Oxford AZ and Pfizer but only gained their regulatory approval later. So they may all have been targeting the original covid strain, but research and experience has shown them plus OAZ and Pfizer to be effective against the variants that came afterwards.

 

[Hutch]

After Lutz last post I checked. Surprisingly the development of vaccines seems not what we all thought😢

How are vaccines being adapted to meet the changing face of SARS-CoV-2?

The vaccines’ development was a miracle of modern science—but as SARS-CoV-2 adapts, how are manufacturers and researchers responding? Chris Stokel-Walker learns more It seems like a lifetime ago, but the first clinically approved vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 was given to a patient just 17 months...

www.bmj.com

But that article appears to have been published in June 2022.
OC, I don't know if the vaccines have been improved / changed, I am just hoping they have been.

 

[otherclive]

It does seem that at least Pfizer vaccine has been modified to address original Covid and Omicron. Modena too.

pfizerbiontech-bivalent-covid-19-booster-approved-by-uk-medicines-regulator

UK approves second Covid vaccine targeting Omicron variant

Pfizer/BioNTech ‘bivalent’ booster, targeting original and Omicron variants, approved along with Moderna jab

www.theguardian.com

 

[Dustydog]

But that article appears to have been published in June 2022.
OC, I don't know if the vaccines have been improved / changed, I am just hoping they have been.

It was but in the rush I couldn’t find anything more recent?

 

[Lutz]

According to the UK Govt statistics, in the last seven days, 3963 patients were admitted to UK hospitals t be treated for Covid and 175 of them are currently on ventilators Since I have no wish to be amongst their numbers, I will continue to take Government advice and have the jabs.

PS: Sorry - I omitted the link - https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare

In Germany alone, there have been over 7000 claims based on post-vaccination syndrome and BioNTech as just one of the suppliers of the vaccine are already faced with over 850 lawsuits so I don't think the risk can simply be ignored.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Like OC I have seen somewhere the booster jabs in the UK have been modified to focus on the Omicron variety whis is the prevalent strain in the UK.

I do not know if Omicron is the dominate strain elsewhere.

Like the flu virus which continually evolves we will see Covid continually evolve, so any vaccinations will have to also be revised.

Presently, we are playing catch up with the Covids evolution, as each evolution can change the the best way to treat victims, but as the history and epidemiology of the virus is better understood we may be able at some time in the future to predict the variety or some key elements of it and prepare a suitable vaccine before the seasonal waves hit the region, much like we do with the present flu vaccines.

But we are some way off this degree or predictability, which is why Covid is still seen as a serious threat.

 

[Buckman]

In Post #22 I was quite happy to have the booster and also persuade OH to have hers, but the last couple of posts have raised doubts.

 

[otherclive]

In Germany alone, there have been over 7000 claims based on post-vaccination syndrome and BioNTech as just one of the suppliers of the vaccine are already faced with over 850 lawsuits so I don't think the risk can simply be ignored.

The number of claims against Pfizer BioNTech have to be put in the context of how many doses have been given. I don't know what the figures are for Germany but the EU has had 392 million doses of that vaccine. Also a claim does not necessarily mean it is valid as the causal effects would need to be established with a high degree of certainty. So I think 850 lawsuits may represent a very low number of actual valid claims that can be proven when compared to the millions of doses administered in Germany. Compared to the risks of covid to certain sectors of the community I suggest the risk of adverse affects of the vaccination is much lower than the risk of covid.

The EU vaccine tracker link is worth a read. Puts the small number of lawsuit claims into context.

vaccine-tracker.html

 

[ProfJohnL]

In Post #22 I was quite happy to have the booster and also persuade OH to have hers, but the last couple of posts have raised doubts.

As I pointed out earlier, don't rely on social media to inform, as it gives a wholly biased perspective to most situations.

This not the place to seek medical advice or reliable information concerning anyones specific healthcare needs or choices. Your GP will have the necessary information to understand benefits and the risks to the patients best interests.

Consult with you GP.

Take it or leave it, but the evidence from literally millions vaccinations is that provided there are no identified contraindications which should be picked up by the screening process you go through when you arrive for a Covid vaccination, the risk of coming to any harm caused by the vaccine is vanishingly small in the context of the numbers administered.

According to
World Data .Org
"69.9% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
13.37 billion doses have been administered globally, "

If we say 100,000 people (and I suspect that is an overestimation) have had a bad reaction to a vaccine globally that is still only 0.0000074% risk.

 

[Lutz]

Having experienced Covid in a critical condition at a time when it was rampant I have no regrets about being vaccinated back then. However, I am very sceptical about any form of vaccination for whatever reason, and only resort to vaccination in extreme circumstances and they were present then, but that is no longer the case.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Having experienced Covid in a critical condition at a time when it was rampant I have no regrets about being vaccinated back then. However, I am very sceptical about any form of vaccination for whatever reason, and only resort to vaccination in extreme circumstances and they were present then, but that is no longer the case.

I disagree with your decision and reasoning on this matter, but it's your choice to make.

 

[Dustydog]

Looking at HMG stats for last week I’d say Covid is well present, indeed during February /March it was on the increase. For me it’s a no brainer and I shall continue supporting the vaccine programme.

UKHSA data dashboard

Overall summary of the respiratory viruses in circulation within the UK

coronavirus.data.gov.uk

 

[Jcloughie]

Looking at HMG stats for last week I’d say Covid is well present, indeed during February /March it was on the increase. For me it’s a no brainer and I shall continue supporting the vaccine programme.

UKHSA data dashboard

Overall summary of the respiratory viruses in circulation within the UK

coronavirus.data.gov.uk

There is plenty going around that is for sure. But I don't know if the severity is as it was. My sister in Melbourne tells me they keep on having waves.

John

 

[Mel]

My view is that the risks of having the vaccine are very very small for the majority of people ( with certain medical exceptions) whereas the risk of looking very very stupid if you end up in hospital because of Covid and you haven’t been vaccinated is much higher 😀
Mel

 

[Hutch]

I am booked in for my next Covid jab for 2nd May.
The UK gov website states the three vaccines being used are updated ones, from the original ones and target different Covid-19 variants.

 

[Lutz]

I'm not getting any reports that Covid, unlike during the initial months of the outbreak, is currently any more severe than the common cold. Of course, people with flu have also been admitted to hospital, but then one would have be vaccinated against that, too, but if one follows that up as well, where is it all going to end? Maybe that's something for high risk patients, but surely not across the board or else one would never have a chance to build up one's own immunity.

 

[Hutch]

I'm not getting any reports that Covid, unlike during the initial months of the outbreak, is currently any more severe than the common cold. Of course, people with flu have also been admitted to hospital, but then one would have be vaccinated against that, too, but if one follows that up as well, where is it all going to end? Maybe that's something for high risk patients, but surely not across the board or else one would never have a chance to build up one's own immunity.

Lutz, In the UK, most of the on going immunisations are for people older than 75 yr old or like myself have or had a low immune system.
The text message I received from the NHS today invites to go for the , latest vaccines which I will .
A friend of mine does NOT believe in the Vaccinations and has hardly been out of his house in Almost 2 1/2 years for the fear of ( getting Covid but he has had his flu jabs.

 

[Hutch]

I get out out as often as we can. To see places and carry on as before Covid. When I say Covid I really mean after the last UK lockdown. I have maybe have 15 year to go , less if the car drivers can't see me in iVis Motorcycle gear. .
In my thoughts , have the latest Covid immunisations and hopefully have no reactions.

 

[Lutz]

A friend of mine does NOT believe in the Vaccinations and has hardly been out of his house in Almost 2 1/2 years for the fear of ( getting Covid but he has had his flu jabs.

I can't quite understand his logic. If he is against vaccinations why does he bother with having a flu jab?

While a year or two ago hardly anyone in my circle of friends and relatives got by without being tested positive for Covid at some time or another, whether they had been vaccinated or not, (my wife's nephew in the UK had it three times, in fact) I haven't heard of anyone suffering from it lately. That doesn't mean that nobody has had it any more. It just means that nobody is bothering to test it.

 

[Dustydog]

I get out out as often as we can. To see places and carry on as before Covid. When I say Covid I really mean after the last UK lockdown. I have maybe have 15 year to go , less if the car drivers can't see me in iVis Motorcycle gear. .
In my thoughts , have the latest Covid immunisations and hopefully have no reactions.

Only 15? With all that super high octane from the Local flowing around your arteries you should last another 30 at least👏👏

 

[Hutch]

I fully agree with your statement, I think it is similar here in the UK, The UK government has never mentioned to NOT report any findings of Covid to the National Data Base. And there is no need NOT to go to work if you prove positive on a Covid 19 test.
The latest version of Covid is Arcturus. India Australia and just hitting the UK.

 

[Jaydug]

To my knowledge the manufacturers have not done much work to adapt their vaccines to suit.
Most of the vaccines that are in stock in my part of the world are now being disposed of because their use by date has been exceeded and little or nothing new is being ordered.

Fortunately, for us, the UK NHS seems to be more on the ball. This is from their current website:-


It was the Sanofi version that I received 10 days ago.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I'm not getting any reports that Covid, unlike during the initial months of the outbreak, is currently any more severe than the common cold. Of course, people with flu have also been admitted to hospital, but then one would have be vaccinated against that, too, but if one follows that up as well, where is it all going to end? Maybe that's something for high risk patients, but surely not across the board or else one would never have a chance to build up one's own immunity.

Is it possible the reason the recent infections are have less serious impacts becasue most people (in the UK & Europe) have had some immunisation from earlier rounds of vaccines or actually having been infected in the past?