Vaccine- who will have it?

[Banker]

Germany considering mandatory vaccinations 

[Roger Mexico]

6 hours ago, Flyingfemme said:

This whole thing is another dog’s breakfast. You must isolate for 10 days if you are “in contact” with somebody “suspected” of having the omicron variant. How would one “suspect” since PCR tests are either +ve or -ve and do not state variant? Is it my suspicion? Your suspicion? 

This just-published piece on the BBC suggests that it's possible to get an idea from the PCR test itself:

The Omicron variant has lots of different mutations that haven't been seen before, and many that have.

A large number of them are on the spike protein of the virus, which is the target of most vaccines, and that's the main concern.

In standard tests, Omicron has what's known as an "S-gene dropout" (which Delta, in most cases, hasn't), and that gives a clue that it could be the new variant.

But not all "S-gene dropouts" will necessarily be Omicron - full genomic sequencing is needed to be sure.

Which ties in with comments I've seen elsewhere, eg in the FT.  Of course that would require for those doing the PCR tests on the Island to know what they were looking for and there to be a system for informing those tested of the suspicions.

[Zarley]

2 hours ago, Roger Mexico said:

This just-published piece on the BBC suggests that it's possible to get an idea from the PCR test itself:

The Omicron variant has lots of different mutations that haven't been seen before, and many that have.

A large number of them are on the spike protein of the virus, which is the target of most vaccines, and that's the main concern.

In standard tests, Omicron has what's known as an "S-gene dropout" (which Delta, in most cases, hasn't), and that gives a clue that it could be the new variant.

But not all "S-gene dropouts" will necessarily be Omicron - full genomic sequencing is needed to be sure.

Which ties in with comments I've seen elsewhere, eg in the FT.  Of course that would require for those doing the PCR tests on the Island to know what they were looking for and there to be a system for informing those tested of the suspicions.

According to Dr Glover - Dr Doom as some inaccurately and therefore disrespectfully call her - has said that the test we're using doesn't show s-gene target failure, SGTF, so won't give this clue regarding variant. She explains more, but that's it in a very small nutshell. I'm not going to screenshot her tweets because her tweets are protected and it's not my place to make them public.

 

If you want to know why tests that show SGTF are important for omicron suspicion, Google it, there're plenty accessible articles explaining it. Only a third (iirc) of the covid pcr testing labs in the UK are using the pcr test that can show SGTF and thus point to omicron, so at least we're not alone in not having this capability.

[Banker]

1 hour ago, Zarley said:

According to Dr Glover - Dr Doom as some inaccurately and therefore disrespectfully call her - has said that the test we're using doesn't show s-gene target failure, SGTF, so won't give this clue regarding variant. She explains more, but that's it in a very small nutshell. I'm not going to screenshot her tweets because her tweets are protected and it's not my place to make them public.

 

If you want to know why tests that show SGTF are important for omicron suspicion, Google it, there're plenty accessible articles explaining it. Only a third (iirc) of the covid pcr testing labs in the UK are using the pcr test that can show SGTF and thus point to omicron, so at least we're not alone in not having this capability.

Well at least the whole household won’t have to isolate them as we can’t identify the variants 😀

[Raffles]

I suspect that anyone recently returned from SA or their close contacts would be "suspected" of having the omicron variant.

Are boosters being brought forward for over 30s? If not, which age groups, anyone know offhand?

[Andy Onchan]

44 minutes ago, Raffles said:

I suspect that anyone recently returned from SA or their close contacts would be "suspected" of having the omicron variant.

Are boosters being brought forward for over 30s? If not, which age groups, anyone know offhand?

Here's the latest info: https://covid19.gov.im/news-releases-statements/first-step-for-online-booking-of-covid-19-vaccination-boosters/

[DragonS]

5 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

Here's the latest info: https://covid19.gov.im/news-releases-statements/first-step-for-online-booking-of-covid-19-vaccination-boosters/

sorry Andy. Didn't see this and have posted similar info on the covid  restrictions thread

[Zarley]

Had my booster today, took a half hour including the 15 minute wait afterwards. 

What really impressed me was that they also offered a flu jab. I politely declined as I've already had one this year, but I thought others might be interested to know it's on offer. 

[quilp]

I declined the offer too, had a mild paranoia about having them both at the same time. Probably completely irrational. Haven't had a flu jab in decades, and actually don't have a lot of faith in it. Probably had real 'flu 3 times in my life. Had the pneumonia jab, just as covid appeared, for the first time.

Any side-effects..? 

[wrighty]

1 minute ago, quilp said:

I declined the offer too, had a mild paranoia about having them both at the same time. Probably completely irrational. Haven't had a flu jab in decades, and actually don't have a lot of faith in it. Probably had real 'flu 3 times in my life. Had the pneumonia jab, just as covid appeared, for the first time.

Any side-effects..? 

I had the covid booster and the flu jab at the same time. Felt very rough starting about 12 hours later for 36 hours or so. 

[finlo]

2 minutes ago, quilp said:

I declined the offer too, had a mild paranoia about having them both at the same time. Probably completely irrational. Haven't had a flu jab in decades, and actually don't have a lot of faith in it. Probably had real 'flu 3 times in my life. Had the pneumonia jab, just as covid appeared, for the first time.

Any side-effects..? 

Don't know but I know someone who died the day after his booster jab and I'm sure you would know him too!

[quilp]

2 minutes ago, wrighty said:

I had the covid booster and the flu jab at the same time. Felt very rough starting about 12 hours later for 36 hours or so. 

So that Comirnaty (Pfizer) jab is what would have been the first dose administered to those having both Pfizer jabs initially when the program kicked-off, was it not?

I think we'll be having the other dose before April '22.

[quilp]

@wrighty Any views on aspiration when giving the jab? Theory goes that a bit of vaccine entering a capillary in the muscle is one thing, but the "whoosh" into a vein is another and some scientists are linking it to the CVST phenomenon, particularly with the Oxford. 

[hampsterkahn]

I had the flu vacc and  Covid booster  same time.

Afterwards - a (barely noticeable)   slight tenderness at the injection sites for a day or so , otherwise nothing at all.

 

[kevster]

1 hour ago, finlo said:

Don't know but I know someone who died the day after his booster jab and I'm sure you would know him too!

I know someone who died the day after shopping at Tesco which is why I avoid the place