COVID-19: Vaccine and testing procedures Megathread Part 2 [Mod Warning - Post #1]

Cork2021

igCorcaigh wrote: »

The Astra vaccine is not for the over 65s! What!

Like Stephen let’s wait until what the EMA says tomorrow. If anything it’ll free us up to do the vulnerable under 65 and use the Pfizer and moderna jabs for the over 65’s albeit it might slow down that cohorts vaccination time because of logistics

stephenjmcd

igCorcaigh wrote: »

The Astra vaccine is not for the over 65s! What!

(news just now, Irish Times)

Germany are saying they don't have enough data to recommend it.

The EMA decision is due tomorrow this is the decision that impacts us.

Marhay70

Water John wrote: »

Diff countries may opt for diff strategies, some like Germany adopting a more cautious approach. IF the EMA says it does the job, we'll take it, thanks.

BTW does MS fall into Table 8?

#

Will the people it's aimed at take it though? If you were told that the vaccine specifically designated for your age group was suspect in some way, would you take it?
As for Vitamin D, I've been taking it for a long time before Covid struck and the downside of all the hype about it is that the bottle I was buying every month went from €4.99 to €14.99 in a few months. Greed doesn't recognise pandemics.

seamus

Responder XY wrote: »

Assuming EMA recommendation is the same (and to be honest it should be if they are using the same data) - then it isn't great that large cohorts of vulnerable people  are not going to get vaccinated as quickly as we hoped.

But, it doesn't have to be a disaster. Focus the Pfizer/Moderna vaccine on the 65+ age group and use AZ to focus on other priority groups. Can still be very effective strategy to lifting restrictions. There's a perfectly sound argument that younger people first is the right stratagy. Can burn this candle from both ends.

This. It wouldn't be a complete lost cause. We could skip the AZ vaccine forward to groups 6, 7 & 8 and with the new production of Pfizer coming from Sanofi, we
could actually be quite ahead of our own plans come April / May.

AdamD

Think its pretty safe to assume the EMA recommendation will be the same

Hurrache

stephenjmcd wrote: »

Germany are saying they don't have enough data to recommend it.

The EMA decision is due tomorrow this is the decision that impacts us.

I think this is where the 8% came from isn't it, of those in the test pool, only 8% were over 65?

Anyway, sure the UK has a huge test pool now anyway. So it's going to go 2 ways, Germany looks foolish(if EMA doesn't follow through), or the UK will having rushed it through with the same data provided to them and they look foolish.

lbj666

Cork2021 wrote: »

Like Stephen let’s wait until what the EMA says tomorrow. If anything it’ll free us up to do the vulnerable under 65 and use the Pfizer and moderna jabs for the over 65’s albeit it might slow down that cohorts vaccination time because of logistics

Its going to slow things down considerably, the older groups would be dependant on the supply of pfizer/moderna. And its more awkward to administer meaning the GPs may not be involved. It may not have more impact on the ultimate end date of the roll out, but our elders are going to have to wait a few months more to be jabbed now, meaning stricter restrictions than hoped for longer. Although given the supply issues with Astra Zeneca some of that was on the cards anyway.

Its sounds like the EMA are leaving it up the the national bodies to decide whether they want to give emergency approval to Astra Zeneca for over 65s ALA the UK. Emer Cooke alluded to that the other day.

cameramonkey

Marhay70 wrote: »

#

Will the people it's aimed at take it though? If you were told that the vaccine specifically designated for your age group was suspect in some way, would you take it?
As for Vitamin D, I've been taking it for a long time before Covid struck and the downside of all the hype about it is that the bottle I was buying every month went from €4.99 to €14.99 in a few months. Greed doesn't recognise pandemics.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-3000iu-Supplements-Strength-Vitamin-Cholecalciferol/dp/B00RXIIW7K/ref=sr_1_30?crid=39MJVXDY1Z7GO&dchild=1&keywords=vitamin+d+2000iu+tablets&qid=1611843169&sprefix=vitamin+d+2%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-30

titan18

seamus wrote: »

This. It wouldn't be a complete lost cause. We could skip the AZ vaccine forward to groups 6, 7 & 8 and with the new production of Pfizer coming from Sanofi, we
could actually be quite ahead of our own plans come April / May.

That Sanofi one isn't meant to be ready until July for delivery though.

cameramonkey

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/28/belgium-launches-investigation-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-plant

Belgium sends investigators into AstraZeneca Covid vaccine plant

lbj666

seamus wrote: »

This. It wouldn't be a complete lost cause. We could skip the AZ vaccine forward to groups 6, 7 & 8 and with the new production of Pfizer coming from Sanofi, we
could actually be quite ahead of our own plans come April / May.

What are the Pfizer delivery committments 50,000 a week at the minute? Up 200,000 a week sometime in q2?
Theres 2.2million dose for over 65s to give out. Thats a long time, for the most critical groups left from a hospitalisation/ICU/Deaths POV.

Marhay70

cameramonkey wrote: »

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-3000iu-Supplements-Strength-Vitamin-Cholecalciferol/dp/B00RXIIW7K/ref=sr_1_30?crid=39MJVXDY1Z7GO&dchild=1&keywords=vitamin+d+2000iu+tablets&qid=1611843169&sprefix=vitamin+d+2%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-30

Yeah thanks, I have been buying from Amazon for the past couple of months but I have less confidence in the products than what is recommended by my healthcare providers.

irishlad.

I think if they published how much of each vaccine we are getting per week, it would give a better idea of how our vaccination process is going.

18,500 vaccinations since Sunday is poor going, but I presume this is due to supply? At least if we had figures for vaccines arriving in, we'd know.

Melanchthon

stephenjmcd wrote: »

Germany are saying they don't have enough data to recommend it.

The EMA decision is due tomorrow this is the decision that impacts us.

I posted in the other thread this but I can't understand why the Robert Koch Institute published this today.
It's so irresponsible, if the EMA make a different call because they have a larger data set this will be used to stir up fears in the elderly about being given these doses, anti-vaxxers will be able to say, well the Robert Koch Institute doesn't recommend it.

They could have waited a day, why do this!

CIARAN_BOYLE

Hurrache wrote: »

I think this is where the 8% came from isn't it, of those in the test pool, only 8% were over 65?

I think its 8% over 56. Worse again.

stephenjmcd

irishlad. wrote: »

I think if they published how much of each vaccine we are getting per week, it would give a better idea of how our vaccination process is going.

18,500 vaccinations since Sunday is poor going, but I presume this is due to supply? At least if we had figures for vaccines arriving in, we'd know.

There were only 20 odd thousand delvieried last week( I can't remember the exact figure but it was reported recently what the shortfall would be in the Pfizer delivery). Had been flagged in advance that Pfizer delivery was reduced last week and would return to normal this week and to be increased through February.

ninebeanrows

UK is doing around 500k vaccines a day!

plodder

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I think its 8% over 56. Worse again.

.. and there was nobody aged >55 in the group that got the more successful half-dose/full dose regimen.

lbj666

plodder wrote: »

.. and there was nobody aged >55 in the group that got the more successful half-dose/full dose regimen.

Half dose/full dose has been forgotten about, it wasnt why the results were better more the length between doses.

CIARAN_BOYLE

lbj666 wrote: »

Half dose/full dose has been forgotten about, it wasnt why the results were better more the length between doses.

True but there was also no one over 55 that had the more successful longer gap between doses.

ixoy

Be interesting to see how this is perceived in the UK - will they think the EU is being too cautious or start to worry about their own vaccinations of those 65+?

stephenjmcd

Next weeks focus is on 2nd doses for healthcare staff and the long term care settings 2nd doses

https://twitter.com/PriscillaLynch/status/1354798644298395649?s=19

plodder

lbj666 wrote: »

Half dose/full dose has been forgotten about, it wasnt why the results were better more the length between doses.

Didn't know that. But, it still means the group that showed 90% efficacy didn't have anyone over 55 in it? Or is the assumed efficacy back at 62% or 70% now?

leahyl

Sigh, roll on the J&J vaccine I say!

is_that_so

Sleety_Rain wrote: »

UK is doing around 500k vaccines a day!

Sure that's easy, when you're getting all the supplies going!

CIARAN_BOYLE

plodder wrote: »

Didn't know that. But, it still means the group that showed 90% efficacy didn't have anyone over 55 in it? Or is the assumed efficacy back at 62% or 70% now?

Its either 62% or somewhere around 80% but definitely better than 62% with very little data backup.

62% is full dose wait 3 weeks full dose
Somewhere around 80% is full dose wait 12 weeks full dose. There's very little data on this and I don't understand how they came to 80% without a trial.

The 92% group were healthy people under 55 being compared against the standard control. As such they would naturally have a higher rate asymptomatic cases even without a vaccine. Also the people involved in that portion of the trial was too small. The confidence interval behind the 92% was terrible.

hynesie08

irishlad. wrote: »

I think if they published how much of each vaccine we are getting per week, it would give a better idea of how our vaccination process is going.

18,500 vaccinations since Sunday is poor going, but I presume this is due to supply? At least if we had figures for vaccines arriving in, we'd know.

That's 6000 a day, puts us bang on for 40k this week.

tfeldi

ixoy wrote: »

Be interesting to see how this is perceived in the UK - will they think the EU is being too cautious or start to worry about their own vaccinations of those 65+?

Been thinking about this too. You'll likely get both reactions. The UK government will likely state that they have full confidence in their approval process and people shouldn't worry.

IrishStuff09

Total 1st Dose Vaccines Administered
147,700

Total 2nd Dose Vaccines Administered
13,800

Total: 161,500

Le Bruise

A cynic would say Germany are announcing the over 65 news just to put the wind up the UK's vaccine plan after the perceived AZ shenanigans!