Vaccines for under 40s

[redsturgeon]

The government has recommended not giving The AZ vaccine to the under 40s but there is an issue at the moment that most vaccine centres seem to have ample supplies of the AZ vaccine with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being less available*. So I wonder what is going to happen when the under 40s turn up for their vaccines to be told that they only have AZ available...will they be given the choice of AZ today or come back when we have Pfizer or Moderna for you?

John

* This was told to me by a two vaccine workers working in different centres.

[murraypaul]

The government has recommended not giving The AZ vaccine to the under 40s

I don't believe that is correct?
I think that have said that they should be given a choice of vaccines.
That is as much about reducing people's concerns about heath issues, as actual health issues.

[murraypaul]

Halfway between the two:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi ... d-under-40

the JCVI has advised a preference for adults aged 30 to 39 without underlying health conditions to receive an alternative to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine – where available and only if this does not cause substantial delays in being vaccinated.

[Julian]

The government has recommended not giving The AZ vaccine to the under 40s but there is an issue at the moment that most vaccine centres seem to have ample supplies of the AZ vaccine with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being less available*. So I wonder what is going to happen when the under 40s turn up for their vaccines to be told that they only have AZ available...will they be given the choice of AZ today or come back when we have Pfizer or Moderna for you?

John

* This was told to me by a two vaccine workers working in different centres.

I wonder when we will see results for the clinical trials on the various AZ/Pfz + AZ/Pfz mixed dosing combos that I think are well underway now. If those results are conclusive & favourable then if there is an AZ surplus it would be quite handy to not have to always give a Pfizer 2nd dose to someone whose 1st dose was Pfizer but instead be able to use an AZ dose. Doubly helpful if the clinical trials actually showed improved efficacy vs a Pfz + Pfz regimen.

- Julian

[AleisterCrowley]

If you 'mix your drinks' it makes the side effects worse , apparently!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57075503

[Julian]

If you 'mix your drinks' it makes the side effects worse , apparently!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57075503

Oh. Thank you.

The study, led by the University of Oxford, has recruited 830 volunteers aged over 50.

It is expected to publish its first full results in June.

But preliminary data has now been published in a research letter in the medical journal the Lancet.

Grrrrr. I do wish certain news providers would enter the modern age with all of these new-fangled computer thingies and provide links to cited sources in online news articles. This appears to be the link to the Lancet letter - https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01115-6/fulltext

It looks as if, as per this bit from the Lancet letter, they are only releasing preliminary side effect data at the moment with efficacy to follow in June as mentioned in the BBC article …

Following consultation with the study trial steering committee, here we present the initial reactogenicity and safety data, ahead of the primary immunological outcome, which is projected to be available in June, 2021.

I wonder if the increased incidence of mild systemic side effects might actually be immunologically encouraging if it is because the recipients’ immune systems are being given a bigger kick on the second dose on a mixed regimen maybe resulting in a higher overall immune response. We’ll find out in June I suppose. Even if the info comes too late to inform the timely interventions re the Indian strain it will at least be good to know for the future.

- Julian

[AleisterCrowley]

Well, there was a BBC article (no,can't cite the source) that said side effects were not indicator of how well the vaccine has worked.
I felt a bit rough for about 12 hours after my AstraZeneca first jab (onset c 8-10 hours post jab) then really tired for a week
I'd like to think that's because an 'antibody app' was running in the background draining my batteries.. but possibly not.
Would happily have #2 - it was mild, and I have had many worse hangovers

[zico]

The government has recommended not giving The AZ vaccine to the under 40s but there is an issue at the moment that most vaccine centres seem to have ample supplies of the AZ vaccine with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being less available*. So I wonder what is going to happen when the under 40s turn up for their vaccines to be told that they only have AZ available...will they be given the choice of AZ today or come back when we have Pfizer or Moderna for you?

John

* This was told to me by a two vaccine workers working in different centres.

This may explain the government's decision to reduce the interval between 1st and 2nd jab from 12 weeks to 8, because most people who've had the first jab already will be having AZ for their second jab.

(There's a more pessimistic explanation, which is that the India variant is expected to circulate across the country, and the government wants to limit the number of deaths amongst the highest-risk age groups)

[UncleEbenezer]

Had my second jab this morning.

Lots of people on the conveyor belt. Most of them around my age, but some outliers, including those I'd've put at around and probably under 40. Either those underlying health conditions, or they're mixing first and second jabs in a session.

[redsturgeon]

Had my second jab this morning.

Lots of people on the conveyor belt. Most of them around my age, but some outliers, including those I'd've put at around and probably under 40. Either those underlying health conditions, or they're mixing first and second jabs in a session.

AZ or other?

John

[murraypaul]

...or they're mixing first and second jabs in a session.

They definitely were when I had my first jab, there were others having their second.

[UncleEbenezer]

Had my second jab this morning.

Lots of people on the conveyor belt. Most of them around my age, but some outliers, including those I'd've put at around and probably under 40. Either those underlying health conditions, or they're mixing first and second jabs in a session.

AZ or other?

John

The Turkish/German/American flavour.

BTW, 'twas when I had the first jab that I posted the straw poll.

They definitely were when I had my first jab, there were others having their second.

Are you going to tell us how long ago that was? Put it in the context of vaccine policy at the time.

For example, whether it was under the no-AZ regime if you're one of those newly-eligible healthy under-40s.

[murraypaul]

Are you going to tell us how long ago that was? Put it in the context of vaccine policy at the time.

For example, whether it was under the no-AZ regime if you're one of those newly-eligible healthy under-40s.

About three weeks ago.
The impression I had was that AZ was the only jab they had.
This was a GP-led centre, rather than a centrally managed NHS one.

[Gersemi]

So the latest government wheeze is that they're going to shorten the time between the first & second vaccines for over 50s to 8 weeks. How is that going to work then? I was vaccinated in the 50-54 cohort and my first vaccine was 8 weeks ago. I don't seem to have a message about getting my second vaccination yet . . .

[AleisterCrowley]

So the latest government wheeze is that they're going to shorten the time between the first & second vaccines for over 50s to 8 weeks. How is that going to work then? I was vaccinated in the 50-54 cohort and my first vaccine was 8 weeks ago. I don't seem to have a message about getting my second vaccination yet . . .

No, me neither - 55, vaccinated (AZN) just over 8 weeks ago. GP led , up at Pangbourne

[XFool]

So the latest government wheeze is that they're going to shorten the time between the first & second vaccines for over 50s to 8 weeks.

I heard that too, from the previous "12 weeks". Yet, when I had my second vaccination (AZN - over 70) it was in fact 8 weeks after the first, not twelve weeks.

[jfgw]

I am now due to have my second jab two weeks ago.

Julian F. G. W.

[redsturgeon]

I am now due to have my second jab two weeks ago.

Julian F. G. W.

Are you thinking of doing anything about this?

John

[Mike4]

Now the under-40s are being invited to be vaccinated a hot new debate has opened up over in "The Combustion Chamber" (forum for gas bods).

Basically someone asked "I had covid six months ago, confirmed by PCR test at the time and subsequently confirmed by antibody test. Why should I have the vaccine, given I now have natural immunity?"

So, should he get vaccinated? And if so, why?

[tjh290633]

So the latest government wheeze is that they're going to shorten the time between the first & second vaccines for over 50s to 8 weeks. How is that going to work then? I was vaccinated in the 50-54 cohort and my first vaccine was 8 weeks ago. I don't seem to have a message about getting my second vaccination yet . . .

Our Health Centre has said that they have only just received that information, and it will not be immediate, as they need more supplies of vaccine to do it.

Hello everyone.

We wanted to comment on last night's COVID press briefing announcement that the government vaccine committee (the JCVI) is recommending that second dose vaccines for over fifty-year olds is given at eight weeks and not at 10-12 weeks.
It is important to note that we received no advanced warning of this significant change in guidance and are only now able to work out how we can accommodate this change.

In effect we need to generate another two or three weeks’ worth of additional vaccination capacity into our existing programme – this will allow us to vaccinate all those people who have already waited 10 or more weeks to receive their second vaccine as well as to start to bring in everyone else at the 8 week point. This will not be something we will be able to do overnight. Please bear with us.

I hope you feel the that the vaccine programme has gone well so far and as such I hope that you will trust us and allow us time to adapt to the new target times. As such we respectfully ask that you do not contact the surgery to enquire when your vaccination will be. We will get your vaccination done as soon as we can.

Thank you for all of your patience and support.

That says it all.

TJH