New vaccine

[wowzz]

The technical information about the Oxford vaccine was released yesterday. 

In those people that were given two standard doses of the vaccine, its efficacy rate was only 62.1 per cent.(Good,  but not great)Yet intriguingly, in one group which was given a half dose followed by a standard dose, the vaccine had an efficacy rate of 90 per cent. The Oxford vaccine team could not explain this difference and the Lancet paper says there is ‘a possibility that chance might play a part’.
There is also the question of age. All the participants who received the half dose followed by a full dose were under 55. Given that the death rate for Covid-19 rises steeply with age, it is very unsatisfactory that any data should be limited to the under-55s – a point which the group has admitted. Further trials are now needed.

So it looks as if, for the present, the over 55s will have to stick with the Pfizer vaccine, with the associated, but not insurmountable,  temperature challenges. 

It seems to me that the government were placing a great deal of hope on the Oxford virus being cleared for use before Christmas.  This now seems unlikely.  

Edited December 9, 2020 by wowzz

[AndyMichelle]

8 hours ago, zap99 said:

Funniest post for ages. We go to that particular branch quite often, every 2 weeks or so and know the staff quite well. They can't remember Andy ever having been there.

Not in 87...would have been staggering out of nightclubs in Romford with a Kebab and a dodgy looking girl in tow... 

Andy 

[zap99]

26 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Not in 87...would have been staggering out of nightclubs in Romford with a Kebab and a dodgy looking girl in tow... 

Andy 

Andy, who lives in Windsor, nor Andy who lives In North Island, near the Isle of Wight. Pizza Express, Woking was his alibi 🤣

[cruisenewbie1976]

42 minutes ago, wowzz said:

The technical information about the Oxford vaccine was released yesterday. 

In those people that were given two standard doses of the vaccine, its efficacy rate was only 62.1 per cent.(Good,  but not great)Yet intriguingly, in one group which was given a half dose followed by a standard dose, the vaccine had an efficacy rate of 90 per cent. The Oxford vaccine team could not explain this difference and the Lancet paper says there is ‘a possibility that chance might play a part’.
There is also the question of age. All the participants who received the half dose followed by a full dose were under 55. Given that the death rate for Covid-19 rises steeply with age, it is very unsatisfactory that any data should be limited to the under-55s – a point which the group has admitted. Further trials are now needed.

So it looks as if, for the present, the over 55s will have to stick with the Pfizer vaccine, with the associated, but not insurmountable,  temperature challenges. 

It seems to me that the government were placing a great deal of hope on the Oxford virus being cleared for use before Christmas.  This now seems unlikely.  

Is the last bit your own prediction or one that you've seen somewhere?

Just interested, as all the comments I've seen suggest that the Oxford vaccine is very likely to be approved before Christmas for the UK, and possibly at the 1.5 dose regimen. The only mention I've seen of a delay is in the US, as their trial was delayed for several weeks after a SAE occurred in a participant in the UK. 

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Is the last bit your own prediction or one that you've seen somewhere?

Just interested, as all the comments I've seen suggest that the Oxford vaccine is very likely to be approved before Christmas for the UK, and possibly at the 1.5 dose regimen. The only mention I've seen of a delay is in the US, as their trial was delayed for several weeks after a SAE occurred in a participant in the UK. 

From the report on ITN last night, it was said, IIRC correctly,  that whilst approval could be given for the use of the vaccine before Christmas , approval for the  more effective 50%/ 100% dosage for over 55s would have to wait for further trials, which means that approval would be delayed .

Happy to be corrected if that is not the case.  

[cruisenewbie1976]

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

From the report on ITN last night, it was said, IIRC correctly,  that whilst approval could be given for the use of the vaccine before Christmas , approval for the  more effective 50%/ 100% dosage for over 55s would have to wait for further trials, which means that approval would be delayed .

Happy to be corrected if that is not the case.  

I know they were looking at another trial for over 55s and hoped to get enough additional data in January. But the impression I got was that, if its safe and provides some protection, there's no reason that it can't be approved. Like you say, maybe they'll just give it to under 55s for now.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

I know they were looking at another trial for over 55s and hoped to get enough additional data in January. But the impression I got was that, if its safe and provides some protection, there's no reason that it can't be approved. Like you say, maybe they'll just give it to under 55s for now.

I have no idea as to the answer, but is it better to give the full dosage to over 55s who need the vaccination, but will only have 65% protection, or the lower dose to under 55s who don't need it?

[cruisenewbie1976]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I have no idea as to the answer, but is it better to give the full dosage to over 55s who need the vaccination, but will only have 65% protection, or the lower dose to under 55s who don't need it?

I suppose, at least to start with, there's a considerable number of NHS and medical staff that need it and they'll fall into the under 55 category, in the main. 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Is the last bit your own prediction or one that you've seen somewhere?

Just interested, as all the comments I've seen suggest that the Oxford vaccine is very likely to be approved before Christmas for the UK, and possibly at the 1.5 dose regimen. The only mention I've seen of a delay is in the US, as their trial was delayed for several weeks after a SAE occurred in a participant in the UK. 

Folks could provide references to authoratitive documents, or make stuff up.🤣

[Son of Anarchy]

2 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Not in 87...would have been staggering out of nightclubs in Romford with a Kebab and a dodgy looking girl in tow... 

Andy 

Faces? or was that the 90's?  Bit of a blur

[showingdiva]

Just thought I would mention I had my 1st dose of the Pfizer vaccine (frontline NHS) this morning.  I am completely fine so far.   The jag stung a little, compared to the flu vaccine anyway, and my arm was a little sore for a couple of hours afterwards but otherwise no problems.   Just for completeness, I am <55, have a bit of a past medical history but no serious allergies.   To have a vaccine is absolutely down to individual choice, but I wanted to help start the process of a return to a much more normal life - at work, working on / with cruise ships, as a cruise passenger and generally.

[kalos]

2 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

Just thought I would mention I had my 1st dose of the Pfizer vaccine (frontline NHS) this morning.  I am completely fine so far.   The jag stung a little, compared to the flu vaccine anyway, and my arm was a little sore for a couple of hours afterwards but otherwise no problems.   Just for completeness, I am <55, have a bit of a past medical history but no serious allergies.   To have a vaccine is absolutely down to individual choice, but I wanted to help start the process of a return to a much more normal life - at work, working on / with cruise ships, as a cruise passenger and generally.

 

It's an early Christmas for you and a wish that will soon come true for a lot of us in 

the very near future 

Thanks for all your efforts on the frontline and for sharing your good news with us .

To think back to last March .. we have come a very long way .

Take care and best wishes 

[Ardennais]

13 hours ago, zap99 said:

Funniest post for ages. We go to that particular branch quite often, every 2 weeks or so and know the staff quite well. They can't remember Andy ever having been there.

But which Andy? Our Andy or THE Andy?

[Eddie99]

Great to have had it already.

Hands/Face/Space still necessary according to Prof Whitty but how reassuring for you that you are so much safer now

 

Our GP rang my OH this morning (whilst we were in the middle of a field with the dog!) on an ongoing issue but during the conversation said “ ... when you’ve had the Covid jab, in 3 months time ...”

Sounds hopeful

(We’re group 4 on the current priority list)

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, wowzz said:

From the report on ITN last night, it was said, IIRC correctly,  that whilst approval could be given for the use of the vaccine before Christmas , approval for the  more effective 50%/ 100% dosage for over 55s would have to wait for further trials, which means that approval would be delayed .

Happy to be corrected if that is not the case.  

The evening standard thinks the Oxford vaccine could be approved by the MRHS by Xmas. Really unless you are in charge of the MRHS, everyone else is just guessing.

[terrierjohn]

42 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

Just thought I would mention I had my 1st dose of the Pfizer vaccine (frontline NHS) this morning.  I am completely fine so far.   The jag stung a little, compared to the flu vaccine anyway, and my arm was a little sore for a couple of hours afterwards but otherwise no problems.   Just for completeness, I am <55, have a bit of a past medical history but no serious allergies.   To have a vaccine is absolutely down to individual choice, but I wanted to help start the process of a return to a much more normal life - at work, working on / with cruise ships, as a cruise passenger and generally.

Thanks for sharing your experience, and I hope your initial minor symptoms are the worst you get.

[lincslady]

Having various moderately serious allergies, including to the flu vaccine, I was disappointed to hear the news this morning.  Now hoping the Oxford/Astra one,  or one of the others, does not cause any bad reactions.  It is no doubt a good thing that this problem was discovered so quickly.

[wowzz]

39 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

The evening standard thinks the Oxford vaccine could be approved by the MRHS by Xmas. Really unless you are in charge of the MRHS, everyone else is just guessing.

Which is what I think I said. It is the 50% /100% dosage for the over 55s that may not be approved.

[showingdiva]

43 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

The evening standard thinks the Oxford vaccine could be approved by the MRHS by Xmas. Really unless you are in charge of the MRHS, everyone else is just guessing.

 

I've always had the impression that the Oxford vaccine would be more practical for the general public, as it doesn't require freezing at -80 like the Pfizer one does, and which is more suitable for NHS / care home workers who are in a static setting with easier access to such extreme storage.

[wowzz]

11 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

 

I've always had the impression that the Oxford vaccine would be more practical for the general public, as it doesn't require freezing at -80 like the Pfizer one does, and which is more suitable for NHS / care home workers who are in a static setting with easier access to such extreme storage.

Much more practical, and a fraction of the price. 

[Zombatar]

All through this thread everybody seems quite put off by the Oxford vaccine only having 65% efficiency. But are you not aware that the yearly flu vaccine that we all have is only 50% efficient? To me that puts thing in a different light!!

 

Peter

[wowzz]

17 minutes ago, Zombatar said:

All through this thread everybody seems quite put off by the Oxford vaccine only having 65% efficiency. But are you not aware that the yearly flu vaccine that we all have is only 50% efficient? To me that puts thing in a different light!!

 

Peter

I'm  not put off by 65% at all. It's far better than nothing.

[yorkshirephil]

4 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I'm  not put off by 65% at all. It's far better than nothing.

I would take the 65% today. I would prefer the 95%. It will be a while before we know whether these figures are accurate or how long immunity will last.

[AndyMichelle]

4 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Faces? or was that the 90's?  Bit of a blur

Faeces was Gants Hill, 80s and 90s..

We used to see a lot of Spurs players in there. 

Hollywoods was our Romford haunt.. 

Andy 

[yorkshirephil]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Faeces was Gants Hill, 80s and 90s..

Andy 

That bad then?