Covid Vaccine

[maplenpg]

With a vaccine supposedly on the horizon, I thought it warranted its own thread to discuss the positives and negatives, and to discuss the logistics of getting the world vaccinated. Personally, my big reservation is the use of shark livers from some of the vaccine producers, but even I concede that they've good reason to be trialling it. I will do everything within my power to try and get a vaccine without it though.

There seems to be a fairly sizeable amount of anti-vaxxers out there and I've been trying to understand the logic. I understand it's rushed through, but if too many people don't get it then it won't work, and I really really want life to get back to some sort of normality. I understand that a healthy 20 something might not view Covid as a threat, but what about their visits to their grandparents etc...? Strangely the anti-vaxxers seem to be anti-lockdown too, which doesn't make sense to me, they can't have it both ways, in my view they are just anti-authority and don't like being told what to do.

Anyway, what do you all think?

Why a COVID-19 vaccine could further imperil deep-sea sharks

Shark liver oil can make vaccines more effective, but increased demand could harm critically endangered species. Pfizer and Moderna's promising vaccine candidates do not contain the substance.

www.nationalgeographic.com

 

[poppy]

Shark livers?? I need to get to reading.

As far as the anti-vaxxers, many of them were vaccinated as children (as I was), which is why they didn't get polio, rheumatic fever, etc etc. Some of them are on disability (like DJ), or Medicare ( 65 or older), which is - gasp - Socialized Medicine delivered by the Feds (not states). So agree, it is mostly misplaced freedumb crap. I will be getting a vaccination and I never run to the doctor.

People are so stupid too, they don't realize it only works if enough people get it, so you have "celebrities" on TV talk shows doing more harm than good. Flipping channels the other day, every host of "The Talk" (all women) said they would wait and see. FACE PALM.

 

[maplenpg]

Shark livers?? I need to get to reading.

As far as the anti-vaxxers, many of them were vaccinated as children (as I was), which is why they didn't get polio, rheumatic fever, etc etc. Some of them are on disability (like DJ), or Medicare ( 65 or older), which is - gasp - Socialized Medicine delivered by the Feds (not states). So agree, it is mostly misplaced freedumb crap. I will be getting a vaccination and I never run to the doctor.

People are so stupid too, they don't realize it only works if enough people get it, so you have "celebrities" on TV talk shows doing more harm than good. Flipping channels the other day, every host of "The Talk" (all women) said they would wait and see. FACE PALM.

The link I posted is pretty balanced. It shows that currently only a small amount of shark liver oil (squalene) goes towards vaccines, but that if Covid vaccines have to be given repeatedly, and if some of the companies using squalene get bigger worldwide contracts then, alongside other products that squalene is used in, sharks could be in trouble.

The celebrities turned experts really get my goat at the moment too. Making out that they know better than the scientists etc... Everyone suddenly seems to be an expert ATM, esp on social media.

 

[poppy]

The link I posted is pretty balanced. It shows that currently only a small amount of shark liver oil (squalene) goes towards vaccines, but that if Covid vaccines have to be given repeatedly, and if some of the companies using squalene get bigger worldwide contracts then, alongside other products that squalene is used in, sharks could be in trouble.

The celebrities turned experts really get my goat at the moment too. Making out that they know better than the scientists etc... Everyone suddenly seems to be an expert ATM, esp on social media.

James Corden called it human retweets, we nonchalantly repeat new terms we just heard yesterday like we all knew what it meant forever.

 

[poppy]

Yup, the dean of Brown Univ Public Health Dept just TV splained it. Even if you get the vax, you still have to wear a mask and distance, after the second shot too. Until enough people get the vax, there is still enough Covid around to do damage.

 

[Squirrel Meat]

I’ll get it the minute I can. I don’t even care to read about it at this point; trusted experts say it’s safe, I’m rolling up my sleeve. I’d eat lutefisk every day if they told me it might help. I have an 82 year old mom I’ve completely changed my life, my career for to keep her as safe as I can. I’ve got denier fatigue more than pandemic fatigue I think.

 

[maplenpg]

According to the news, our vaccine has been approved and is due to start rolling out next week. Is it awful that the cynic in me thinks this story has been put out to cover up the huge Brexit mess? Anyhow, it's good news, even if I'm not holding out too much hope of it actually happening before Christmas.

Covid-19: Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine judged safe for use in UK

The UK is the first country to approve the Pfizer vaccine - with 800,000 doses due to arrive soon.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[poppy]

According to the news, our vaccine has been approved and is due to start rolling out next week. Is it awful that the cynic in me thinks this story has been put out to cover up the huge Brexit mess? Anyhow, it's good news, even if I'm not holding out too much hope of it actually happening before Christmas.

Covid-19: Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine judged safe for use in UK

The UK is the first country to approve the Pfizer vaccine - with 800,000 doses due to arrive soon.

www.bbc.co.uk

Your rollout is all over the news here. It seems good, one of your experts said they will be comparing notes with other countries and so will have lots of data to look at. Told we need about 70% participation to reach immunity. Good luck w/that 'Murica - sigh.

 

[maplenpg]

Your rollout is all over the news here. It seems good, one of your experts said they will be comparing notes with other countries and so will have lots of data to look at. Told we need about 70% participation to reach immunity. Good luck w/that 'Murica - sigh.

Fuckwits over here can't resist a PR opportunity, even if it is a completely false one. Rees-Mogg, Hancock, Dorries and Julia Fuckface Brewster (or whatever she's called), now all claiming Brexit enabled them to approve the vaccine early, that we couldn't have done it if we were still in the EU yada yada. Thankfully lots of highly qualified people have disproved this almost as quickly as the lie exited their cold, hardened lips. Here's one of them (a thread if you click on it):

 

[poppy]

Fuckwits over here can't resist a PR opportunity, even if it is a completely false one. Rees-Mogg, Hancock, Dorries and Julia Fuckface Brewster (or whatever she's called), now all claiming Brexit enabled them to approve the vaccine early, that we couldn't have done it if we were still in the EU yada yada. Thankfully lots of highly qualified people have disproved this almost as quickly as the lie exited their cold, hardened lips. Here's one of them (a thread if you click on it):

Not one bit surprised tho

I do get some pleasure that Trashy will think Boris beat him.

 

[maplenpg]

Not one bit surprised tho

I do get some pleasure that Trashy will think Boris beat him.

Truth is we're only the first to approve it. We haven't designed it, manufactured it, or given a single dose out yet (outside trials). In fact, I'll be honest and say I probably got swept up a bit yesterday, I needed some optimism, but the more I think about it, I find the triumphalism quite distasteful, especially given that we have a huge death toll (esp per capita), our economy is getting the double blow of Covid and Brexit, our hospitals can't cope, we've huge swathes of unemployed growing each day, and we've a government that lies about practically everything, probably including this vaccine. Boris has little to brag about so he took out the gong for this one yesterday. We'll have to wait and see if he banged it prematurely.

 

[maplenpg]

Dr Fauci saying that our vaccine analysis 'less deep' than it would be in the US. The Daily Mail ran a similar article yesterday with the EU saying similar (I didn't read it cause, well it's the Daily Mail, but it was all over social media). Looks like the UK is going to be the test pilot for this thing.

 

[DiminutiveRocker]

Dr Fauci saying that our vaccine analysis 'less deep' than it would be in the US. The Daily Mail ran a similar article yesterday with the EU saying similar (I didn't read it cause, well it's the Daily Mail, but it was all over social media). Looks like the UK is going to be the test pilot for this thing.

That's a bit scary, but it might also be groundbreaking. We are all so fatigued and wanting this to just be over - but I hope we do not jump the gun and dive into the water before we test the temperature. Still, the U.S. isn't far behind in approvals - so I am going to be optimistic that the UK will be the first to begin recovering from the blows this virus has dealt, health-wise and economically. FINGERS CROSSED for SUCCESS!

 

[maplenpg]

That's a bit scary, but it might also be groundbreaking. We are all so fatigued and wanting this to just be over - but I hope we do not jump the gun and dive into the water before we test the temperature. Still, the U.S. isn't far behind in approvals - so I am going to be optimistic that the UK will be the first to begin recovering from the blows this virus has dealt, health-wise and economically. FINGERS CROSSED for SUCCESS!

Hopefully. There doesn't seem to be a reason that it shouldn't succeed. I'm not sure about us being the first to recover though, there's many countries who have done a lot better than us throughout and who are living normal lives now, they've had a lot less to recover from and many have pretty much recovered even without a vaccine. Undoubtedly the vaccine is good news, but I will never ever forget what an absolute hash our government made when dealing with this.

 

[maplenpg]

These were the tiers for how our vaccine rollout will work. They have changed already though. Currently we are not doing tier 1 as the vaccines cannot travel from the hospital due to storage conditions so I guess we have tier 0 - Elderly people (over 85 I think) who are staying in hospital, or who are lucky enough to book an appointment are going to be the first to get the vaccines (rightly so). Tiers 1 & 2 on the chart may well end up blurring unless they can sort out the storage conditions problem.
.

 

[maplenpg]

I put this in the other thread, but I guess it warrants a mention here. This is Margaret Keenan, 90, the first non-trial participant to get the vaccine worldwide (followed closely behind by William Shakespeare, which has caused a lot of mirth on social media today)..

 

[maplenpg]

People with a history of allergic reactions have been told not to get the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine following two NHS workers who had allergic reactions to the vaccine yesterday.

Covid-19 vaccine: Allergy warning over new jab

People with history of significant allergic reactions told not to have Pfizer/BioNTech jab.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Lili]

This is the provisional list for eligibility in Ireland

1	People aged 65 years and older who are residents of long-term care facilities (likely to include all staff and residents on site)
2	Frontline healthcare workers
3	People aged 70 and older
4	Other healthcare workers not in direct patient contact
5	People aged 65-69
6	Key workers
7	People aged 18-64 with certain medical conditions
8	Residents of long-term care facilities aged 18-64
9	People aged 18-64 living or working in crowded settings
10	Key workers in essential jobs who cannot avoid a high risk of exposure
11	People working in education sector
12	People aged 55-64
13	Other workers in occupations important to the functioning of society
14	Other people aged 18-54
15	People aged under 18 and pregnant women

 

[maplenpg]

This is the provisional list for eligibility in Ireland

1	People aged 65 years and older who are residents of long-term care facilities (likely to include all staff and residents on site)
2	Frontline healthcare workers
3	People aged 70 and older
4	Other healthcare workers not in direct patient contact
5	People aged 65-69
6	Key workers
7	People aged 18-64 with certain medical conditions
8	Residents of long-term care facilities aged 18-64
9	People aged 18-64 living or working in crowded settings
10	Key workers in essential jobs who cannot avoid a high risk of exposure
11	People working in education sector
12	People aged 55-64
13	Other workers in occupations important to the functioning of society
14	Other people aged 18-54
15	People aged under 18 and pregnant women

What's the difference between the sort of key workers in 6 and the key workers in 10 (as in the types of jobs they do)?

 

[Lili]

What's the difference between the sort of key workers in 6 and the key workers in 10 (as in the types of jobs they do)?

It's all to be further refined but I believe keywords in number 6 are key workers who will directly be involved in the vaccination process (e.g. people in shipping) while those in 10 are key workers more generally.