Coronavirus.

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
So why all the fuss?
Because there is a reason to be cautious - there have been serious reactions that might be as a consequence of vaccination.

It would serve no one to suppress this information.

That it is known is an indication that ongoing surveillance is working, and that fears that 'it hasn't been properly tested' are allayed.

It is a truism that Continental Europe is not quite so hot on vaccine uptake - look at France's uptake for seasonal flu jabs for context- so it is quite possible that a quick break now, to enforce its bona fides, could result in a much higher uptake down the line.

It will be interesting to see how 'our' program proceeds from here.

Wakefield published in 1998 - so it would be reasonable to assume that his influence would have been strongest on those in their late Teens, 20's and early 30's . That's the cohort we can expect to come through next.
 

rudie111

Well-Known Forumite
With any luck, this could be the last week with any excess mortality of this current wave. For the last week it was only 2% higher than historical average, down from 8% the week previous.

Data also shows that 50,400 of the total 111,200 (that's almost a very satisfying number!) excess deaths came in the second wave.

https://twitter.com/COVID19actuary/status/1371830741659750402

Fingers crossed yesterdays 'catch up day' numbers will be the last triple digit death we ever see for this horrible virus!
 

SketchyMagpie

Well-Known Forumite
Oh god that would be nice.

Heard an interview this morning that shed some light on why certain EU countries have gone to the extreme of pausing use of the AZ vaccine (and largely reflects what Withnail said above). They were saying how, particularly in France, there's generally a lot more hesitancy in the general public than in the UK and so the idea is that they want to show that any vaccine approved for use is thoroughly tested for safety. And because of that hesitancy, there's less urgency to get everyone vaccinated like there has been over here because they know that uptake would only be at around 50% anyway and so the view is that they can hopefully increase that uptake by absolutely assuring that it's safe to use.

Of course, that's not a nuance that has really been reflected in the headlines so it's probably had the opposite effect for now, at least until it's (presumably) approved for use again.
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
Wakefield published in 1998 - so it would be reasonable to assume that his influence would have been strongest on those in their late Teens, 20's and early 30's . That's the cohort we can expect to come through next.

On the contrary, Millennials and Gen Z are far more likely to question an authority and think critically as we’ve had a lifetime of being lied to and the media and such never really earned our trust, the anti-vaccine movement is more prevalent among the Gen X and Boomer generations.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
On the contrary, Millennials and Gen Z are far more likely to question an authority and think critically as we’ve had a lifetime of being lied to and the media and such never really earned our trust, the anti-vaccine movement is more prevalent among the Gen X and Boomer generations.
A brief survey of my own "vaccine interactions" would seem to support this view. Nobody under 40 has even mentioned the subject. The bulk of objectors I've had to deal with are in their 40s. There is one who is mid-60s, but he's so bonkers that he hardly counts, not even believing that the virus exists. Nobody over 65 has raised the safety issue, either.

I hope it is true.

People who are 65+ will have caught the tail end of kids in their class disappearing - those that did come back having leg irons and hearing aids, etc.
 

SketchyMagpie

Well-Known Forumite
Same. The people I know who have shown any hesitancy have all been between 40 and 50. I don't know anyone my age who has been against it, though that is of course just my social bubble and we know how accurate those are...
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
On the contrary, Millennials and Gen Z are far more likely to question an authority and think critically as we’ve had a lifetime of being lied to and the media and such never really earned our trust, the anti-vaccine movement is more prevalent among the Gen X and Boomer generations.
So... the people who would have been in their late teens and 20s in 1998? The cohort that is coming through next?
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
I spoke to my cousin on the phone yesterday who related a conversation that she’d had with a neighbour while putting the bins out.

She said that her normally sensible intelligent neighbour has refused the vaccine and when she questioned him on the reasons why he replied “Well it’s not been properly tested and who knows how it’s going to affect us in later years”

She said to me “I wouldn’t mind but he’s 95”.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
More Sabre rattling from the EU about withholding vaccine exports to countries that have a higher vaccination rate. Maybe they could use the effing vaccines they've got rather than banning them and letting them go to waste before behaving even more like playground bullies.

I'm very much pro EU, before anyone starts but there's no denying their vaccination programming and attitude has been a cluster-feck of monumental incompetence.
 

EasMid

Well-Known Forumite
I saw that earlier & I really thought that were actually better out of it. The tone of van set Lyen’s speech was really confrontational, implying that UK & Astra Zeneca were the cause of their crap attempts at vaccinations. I note that more of the mardy bastard member states have joined in boycotting the AZ vaccine.
(P. S. Until now I’ve always been very pro EU, the way they’ve acted since Brexit has been shocking & for the first time I’m thinking we just might have made the right choice )
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
Because those over 50 are getting done earlier than originally intended it's not going to cause massive delays is it?

They could do with signing off the Novax one...
 

SketchyMagpie

Well-Known Forumite
Because those over 50 are getting done earlier than originally intended it's not going to cause massive delays is it?

They could do with signing off the Novax one...

From what I've read, it's also because they're focusing on giving over 50s and cohorts 1-9 first AND second jabs as a priority. The report I read said no under 50's without health condition are to be offered the vaccine, now before May 1st.
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
So in that case it's still going to be 2 or 300k a day which is the supply we've been used to.
 
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