Vocal Voices

In September and October it was shouted from the rooftops that we would be free by Christmas - the vaccine would be here.

Some of us were a bit sceptical....

Well, it is now here and after the initial flurry it's all gone a little bit quiet. The UK has 'ordered' 40 million of the BioNTech version but we will only get 800,000 doses in the fist batch, and it is 'hoped' that we will get 5 million by the end of the year. So not quite the "we will all be saved" claims. Then there are the logistical challenges of storing and delivering them all, as is being admitted by the government. Other vaccines have still to be approved, but when they are they will also have logistical problems of delivery.

There are times when a reality check is a good thing and not put down as a project of fear. A cautious opening up in Spring is now being openly talked about and that is three months away. I, for one, am much happier that a more feasible timeline is now being given.

There seems to be an ongoing conundrum in that the Pfizer vaccine appears to be the most effective for older and vulnerable folk, but because of the cold storage requirements it can only be delivered through central hubs, whilst the yet to be approved Oxford vaccine is less effective but easier to transport and store. 50 hospitals nationally have been named for the first phase of the Pfizer (see link):

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/uk- ... ut-4759362

For use, as over-70's, it will mean a 50-60 mile round trip to either Dorchester or Yeovil. I am not so sure that I am that desperate to get the vaccine, TBH, and I will have to see how Mrs O feels about it. And whatever they say about safe testing, there is the always the concern of unknown side-effects.

What do y'all think?

TheOstrich wrote:For use, as over-70's, it will mean a 50-60 mile round trip to either Dorchester or Yeovil. I am not so sure that I am that desperate to get the vaccine, TBH, and I will have to see how Mrs O feels about it. And whatever they say about safe testing, there is the always the concern of unknown side-effects.

What do y'all think?

Ossie, you have just confirmed what I was saying earlier in the other thread about the hubs and ease of getting the jab. For it to be most potently effective it has to be made as easy as possible otherwise take-up could be a lot lower than is needed.

I'll be having it, as will Mick and Becky, and D is desperate for it! I have psoriasis, which is an auto-immune condition, so I do have a few concerns but on the whole IMO the positives outweigh the negatives.

Kaz, most sensible people will be getting it, but when?

D is in group 2 so she might be this year or sometime in Jan 21 - first dose of two. You are probably in group 6 with Mick and Becky in 7. Nobody can yet say for definite when you will get the call. I am in group 5 and am not expecting to hear till late Feb or March, any earlier will be a huge bonus.

My gut feeling is that it might be a quicker timescale than that, Frank, but we'll see.

I have asked Mrs O about it and she isn't fussed. It's not that we don't want the vaccination, it's just that we aren't particularly minded to jump through hoops and over barrels to get it. January or February will be fine as long as we can do it locally. And if it's not the Pfizer one, we aren't that bothered.

One local North Dorset surgery has already put up a plea on our town FB page asking their patients to STOP ringing the surgery to book a Covid vaccination! They will contact you to call you up when your turn comes around. That's all very well, but that was exactly what our surgery said over the last flu vaccinations, and quite honestly if we'd heeded that, we (and others I know) would still be waiting!

Once D has it I'll be much happier Frank, I can wait my turn.

If this vaccine is as good as they claim -why have Pfizer been given immunity from any prosecutions ?

Vic, they have all been given immunity, not just Pf/BioNTech, because of the urgency and the shortened time frame otherwise we would have had to wait the normal 7+ years or so. It also happened with Ebola. There are times when we have to act quickly but that does not mean that short cuts in the testing procedure have been made. A lot of the normal delays are down to funding and the availability of facilities as well as volunteers - these vaccines have been expedited.

Kaz, I hear you, let's hope our wait it not too long. xx

E and I will definitely get it when it's available to us. Ossie's link doesn't actually say which of the East Kent hospitals are involved, but tbh one is sure to be near enough to us.