General Chat

This year our surgery made jabs by appointment only. OH and I went in together, the only two in the surgery. We exited by the back door where people wait for sister etc - and only one person waiting whom we did not have to go near.

It was a very good set up - and still stringent conditions.

If we had to stand outside I probably wouldn't bother either, but we all sit in the waiting room, and when all the chairs are full we stand around. There are about a dozen nurses etc doing them, so we don't have too long to wait.

Flu jab days at our surgery are always on Saturdays and appointments are made for every 2 minutes or so, so we are spread through the morning.

An older friend has one of those surgeries where you all just turn up. If she finds out the day (no internet) she could go but got fed up with standing outside in all weathers. so she usually goes to the local chemist. They have also never contacted her about the jab - she also was not offered the shingles jab - so hasn't had it. ( now over 80).

Our GP did away with appointments several years ago. The dates are advertised and anyone who wants one turns up. We have to wait around, but usually see someone we haven't seen for ages, so time passes quite quickly.

This year all the info was on the website with a request not to ring the surgery. If we were due a jab they would ring us - which they did, back in October.

I can understand why you got a reminder, names. I think any doctor worth his salt will make an effort to ensure that his more senior patients and all with health problems have the flu jab this year .

Usually, ours rings OH to make an appointment. This year was different as, once I decided to have it and a friend told me that the jabs were in, I rang and made the appointment for OH and me.

E dry year I approach the surgery during the first week in September to see if they have started their listings for the flu jab. Sometimes they haven’t. This year my OH had a text in August telling him to make an appointment. We made the appointment for O rover, later than usual. A couple of weeks after making the appointment I got a letter telling me I really ought to have one. The first ‘reminder’ for over 10 years.

This year I chose to have the flu jab.

I have only ever had two. I suffered no effects from the first jab but after the second jab I had a runny nose right through the winter which I hated. Because of this and because the only time I have ever had the flu was almost 60 years ago, it was my decision to do without the flu jab for the last 14 years.

This year, though, because of the cv I thought I would have it. It's been about 3/4 weeks since I had it and I've had no ill effects from it. (Edit: so far!)

Jacqueline my mum has been waiting a month to get her flu jab at boots chemist. She was told on Monday, they do not have any flu vaccines and she should come back in a month as they don't know when they will get more in!

I personally will not if offered take the vaccine. I'm concerned 5 years down the line what the side effects could do. Its so new not enough will be known about the side effects for several years yet.
Some years ago, I was pressured into having the flu jab and 10 days afterwards, I ended up in hospital with pneumonia.

I'm not anti vaccine but in this case and the flu jab, I have chosen not to have it.

Florence in the hebrides

Edit; Re flu, I have only ever had it once in the 80's

A little off topic but this year we didn't receive notification for our usual winter flu jab. On ringing the surgery was told they had run out of vaccine and didn't know if they would receive any more. Asked if they had any idea where one could get a jab and was told try local chemist. Had to wait three weeks but we both went last Saturday.

If the surgery cannot even organise normal jabs what hope is there for a more complicated system of allocation.

It's going to be at least spring next year, and possibly later before you even have to think about it!!!! It will take at least that long to produce the doses required

Here in Canada, over 70s will be in the first cohort to receive a vaccine when ready, followed by health care workers, then essential workers.

There are still the results of tens of thousands more subjects to be tallied ........... I have heard more than the 30,000 or 40,000 reported this week.

Vaccine scientists here say that it is not unusual to get 90% effective in the early results, but that the %age more commonly drops, often dramatically, as the later results are tallied.

Plus we have absolutely no idea how long the vaccine will be effective ............ 1 month, 2 months, a year? ........... and no idea of side effects.

There have been some reports that quite a few of the volunteers in the trial have reports severe headaches and other symptoms during the days after vaccination.

I've had liquid nitrogen treatment at our surgery, so it can't be that difficult to store it, although perhaps not in the quantities needed by the vaccine.

Many people don't know if they've had it, and can't get an antibody test :-(

My eldest had another test today. Her illness/meds can create similar symptoms to Covid.
Like you, Kuros, I believe I had it very early on.

Until the data is released there is no informed advice.

I heard some boffin say a while ago that you shouldn't have the vaccination if you've had the virus in case of a possible adverse reaction. I'm nervous of this because I had the virus last March and had a positive antibody test. I haven't heard anyone mention it since, though.

Annie

RTR - It was the BBC .
It pays to actually read the article - or even take note of the 'bbc' element of the address before passing comment. :-\

Edit: You also failed to mention which article on the Pfizer page you gave a link to, that you gleaned your information from.
That would be handy, considering your failure to read the BBC article - maybe others' would like to read your 'superior' source.

Nitrogen freezers are necessary, as you said, Rollo. (Used my ask a bro card) :-D

If the BBC is correct, Nicola Sturgeon has ordered 20 outsize fridges to be placed in "strategic locations" around the country, in preparation. She also said that the logistics were difficult, even worse than the flu vaccine, because we apparently need two doses, three weeks apart.

If OH and I are offered it, we will definitely accept.

Joy Louise

It was said that the data was not yet available but would be shortly. The Oxford vaccine trials are due to be published next week along with the data.

RTR, so you're going back on your initial 'statement' ?

As for your following 'statement' "Dry ice is not suitable for this kind of application and is not used for it", May I draw your attention to this article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54889084

Here's the relevant paragraph:
"Pfizer has developed a special transport box the size of a suitcase, packed with dry ice and installed with GPS trackers, which can keep up to 5,000 doses of the vaccine at the right temperature for 10 days, as long as it remains unopened. The boxes are also reusable".

What I find strange is that the statement and information was released without any data. It would be good to know the age profile and health of Pfizer's 'guinea pigs' as well as other information from the trials,

Also, because I am suspicious by nature, it is interesting to see how share prices have rocketed in certain areas as speculators climb on board.

However, apparently, the Oxford trials ought to be over by next summer - or are expected to be - and I hope they eill be released with more information than we've had this week.