[Aileen]

Taking the anecdotes from a single - potentially highly biased - individual is not a good way to get a true handle on what's going on.

I disagree with you because I'd rather do that than take it second hand from a third party who might or might not be biased.

A single dose of both the Pfizer and Astrazeneca vaccine infers considerable protection from infection, and even greater protection from serious disease. We know this because the trials said so, and we're also seeing the same reflected in the case data from Israel, where they've managed to vaccinate even more people than we have.

I'm not arguing about any of that.

Just fess up Aileen: you're getting nervous about your highly illogical "I won't take the vaccine" stance

You can laugh all you like, but If you knew anything at all about my circumstances, then you'd soon realise that my stance against having the vaccine is very logical.

[Aileen]

You seem in this post to being very selective of points and linking them badly.
After three weeks there is a considerable protection anticipated. There is NO relationship of the second dose timing between transmitting the virus on to others. The second dose is to provide longer lasting protection.
Consider a similar situation with another health issue mainly of this century. If I eat peanuts close to someone with a nut allergy I can initiate a violent reaction in that person that might kill them just by breathing close to them. It is similar with a virus that you are protected from as after the jab you can still pass it on to others. It is better to maximise the number protected. it is therefore an understandable concept and desirable way to proceed. Viruses are controlled by stopping spread and the process planned here with the vaccine is to get to 'herd immunity' where the spread reduces. This is when a large number of the adult population cannot end up with an infection. I repeat the view of many that our politicians will not say that this will only be when possibly 75 or 80% of the adult population is immunised. I would prefer some more honesty and for experts and politicians to emphasise that this will probably take a long time. There will likely be a need for precautions to stop spread of infections kept in place at least until that point is reached. Many of the distancing and mixing rules can be kept to assist with this. In that time cases and deaths will (we expect) diminish but new infections will be limited to those who are less likely to need hospital and less likely to die as a result. That would allow life to return slowly to a semblance of normality and eventually control the virus completely and especially the NHS can tackle other health issues better.

To increase the gap between injections in England was a medical decision not a political one. In Scotland this I think is the same. In Scotland you have prioritised those in Care Homes.  As it takes longer this is delaying injections to the others in the list of groups that it was intended to prioritise. That too is a medical decision not one made by your First Minister alone. Whilst I am not a supporter of the way this country has dealt with the pandemic threat I am really sick of the constant vilification of our UK politicians that have to announce what has been agreed as necessary. Sadly that is all too common in these posts especially from those in Scotland.

(a) I strongly object to being spoken to in such a condescending manner, (b) if you'd bothered to check before posting you'd see that I had deleted all of that post bar the opening seven words because I realised that what I had said was incorrect, and (c) I did refer initially to the UK governments, not just Westminster.

Regarding jabs you must convince yourself that your reasons are sound whether medical or for other personal issues. Whatever you must consider what is best for you AND your community.

Oh I must, must I?  Who the heck do you think you are?  However as it happens I have considered what is best for me and the community, and also it didn't take much to convince me that my reasons for not having the jab were sound.  Right, I am going to send you a PM because I don't want my private life displayed on this or any other thread, and after that I will no longer respond to any of your posts unless you moderate your attitude.

[marathonarthur]

^Aileen,

I am sorry that you failed to delete your first post in time before mine was posted. What I saw was strangely poor for you to write. Reading that, which here you admit was wrong, irritated me a lot as it was false advice to many and needed to be shown as such. My comment on the UK government was not specific to you.

Regarding your original jabs comment I accept that 'must' is too strong a response but being critical (not condescending) we all 'should' accept our individual responsibility in controlling the spread of COVID-19 in our country.

You can do what you like with warning me. I will stop commenting as I believe in facts and considered opinion not dictatorship politics and similar comments and actions.

Enjoy your life.

[Joe]

Nice data Joe. Could you keep us up to date - I'm particularly interested in how the titres change over time given the extended vaccination regime.

Will do, Phil. I and colleagues were willing volunteers for this as it’s just an in-house proof of concept that the assay does what it should (ie will pick up and quantify the antibodies in those vaccinated with no prior history of COVID infection, as well as people without a vaccine but prior infection) before possibly rolling it out in both routine clinical use and local participation in national R&D. I hope to be bled in another couple of weeks and see where I stand then.

[Joe]

Good that you had the Pfizer jab & that your antibodies are doing well.
I was wondering if you've got an appointment for your 2nd jab?  Lots of NHS nurses who I know have had their first vaccinations and they've got appointments for their  second one (in around April I think)

Yes, 28th March for mine.

[tamila]

Boogers,  They did not book my second jab but I only had the invitation for the first one the day before. They seem to be  set organised here. All the surgeries around here are working together.

[Aileen]

According to Nicola 70-79 year olds should be getting an invitation for their first vaccination either through the post or by telephone as from yesterday.  Meanwhile it looks as though people in developing countries will have to wait until 2022 before they can get theirs - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-55804788

[Mark]

My only concern regarding the jab is the environment inside the building. It would be terrible for those having shielded this long to catch Covid during the vaccination process.

Did it feel safe and organised from that perspective?