COVID-19: Vaccine and testing procedures Megathread Part 3 - Read OP

KrustyUCC

namloc1980 wrote: »

Mary Lou on the bandwagon now. This is going to get messy and they'll rile up the unions.

.

Mary Lou can go away

NIAC changed advice

She'd be on about the government not following health advice if they didn't go with NIAC

Hmmzis

greenheep wrote: »

While I wouldn't be too concerned with the risk of getting the Astra Zeneca vaccine one of the big issues would be that you need to wait the 12 weeks for the second dose to be fully vaccinated. That means a longer time to wait before you can avail of the vaccine "bonus" in terms of restrictions.

For example if I get my first does in June, the second dose + 2 week wait would mean I',m not fully vaccinated until Sept\Oct. Where as if I get the J&J in June then i'm good to go that same month in terms of travel (if vaccine passports come in), and meeting other vaccinated people indoors. I'll take it if no other option but will prefer J&J or mRNA, I think a lot of people will be the same.

In my humble opinion the rule should be something around the likes of 4 weeks after 1st dose as that's where you start getting a good level of protection and reduction in transmission from any vaccine deployed so far. I do see how this might get messy by some people 'forgetting' their 2nd dose appointments though.

lbj666

greenheep wrote: »

While I wouldn't be too concerned with the risk of getting the Astra Zeneca vaccine one of the big issues would be that you need to wait the 12 weeks for the second dose to be fully vaccinated. That means a longer time to wait before you can avail of the vaccine "bonus" in terms of restrictions.

For example if I get my first does in June, the second dose + 2 week wait would mean I',m not fully vaccinated until Sept\Oct. Where as if I get the J&J in June then i'm good to go that same month in terms of travel (if vaccine passports come in), and meeting other vaccinated people indoors. I'll take it if no other option but will prefer J&J or mRNA, I think a lot of people will be the same.

The vacine bonus is likely to be a short term guideline.

Once enough people have their first dose the epidemiological picture as whole will be very different and that policy will likely change so i wouldnt be too concerned.

Economics101

Looking at latest vaccination numbers, 325,000 first doses have been given to "frontline healthcare workers". There are about 125,000 wholetime equivalents on the HSE payroll or indirectly funded by the HSE. Even if you add in private hospitals, GP clinics, pharmacists, dentists etc, it seems that there is a very elastic definition of "frontline", especially as there must be loads of HSE administrators working form home and in no way a priority group.

Of course they are not "private" so no indignation as in the case of the Beacon-20.

josip

hmmm wrote: »

As someone mentioned earlier, groups like meat factory workers are probably higher at risk. Either way the government is in a no-win situation with every group trying to get to the front of the line, and they can only rely on the medical advice.

I don't think opposition TDs should be using this to try and whip up social division as they know full well the problem the government faces.

But whereas the teachers have ASTI, INTO, TUI, IPPN, NABMSE, NAPD, NCSE and more to lobby on their behalf, the meat factory workers have Larry Goodman.

cameramonkey

Economics101 wrote: »

Looking at latest vaccination numbers, 325,000 first doses have been given to "frontline healthcare workers". There are about 125,000 wholetime equivalents on the HSE payroll or indirectly funded by the HSE. Even if you add in private hospitals, GP clinics, pharmacists, dentists etc, it seems that there is a very elastic definition of "frontline", especially as there must be loads of HSE administrators working form home and in no way a priority group.

Of course they are not "private" so no indignation as in the case of the Beacon-20.

Are the " beacon 20" not paid out of tax payers money by the dept of education?

Cluedo Monopoly

The secondary school teachers have 6-7 weeks work left.
I don't see why the unions are getting so worked up about the new simplified vaccination prioritisation plan.
By September most people should be vaccinated.

noplacehere

On a positive news story my nan of 96 is now fully protected. She has serious hearing loss and even the visits through the plexiglass were a waste of time and upset her because she couldn’t hear properly. She got her first proper visit with her eldest son today without plexiglass and just mask for him with social distancing. Her hearing aid earphones/microphone has also arrived and she was so delighted it was amazing to see

She made it!!

eoinbn

Cluedo Monopoly wrote: »

The secondary school teachers have 6-7 weeks work left.
I don't see why the unions are getting so worked up about the new simplified vaccination prioritisation plan.
By September most people should be vaccinated.

Holidays. The sooner they can get vaccinated they sooner they can go abroad.

Strazdas

RavenBea17b wrote: »

Any updates about vaccine deliveries up and coming ? Need some good news, - please...

There's talk of a big ramp up of AZ deliveries this week and next. RTE suggested on Saturday that it could be in the region of 200,000 doses.

History Queen

eoinbn wrote: »

Holidays. The sooner they can get vaccinated they sooner they can go abroad.

Do you actually believe that?

VG31

greenheep wrote: »

While I wouldn't be too concerned with the risk of getting the Astra Zeneca vaccine one of the big issues would be that you need to wait the 12 weeks for the second dose to be fully vaccinated. That means a longer time to wait before you can avail of the vaccine "bonus" in terms of restrictions.

For example if I get my first does in June, the second dose + 2 week wait would mean I',m not fully vaccinated until Sept\Oct. Where as if I get the J&J in June then i'm good to go that same month in terms of travel (if vaccine passports come in), and meeting other vaccinated people indoors. I'll take it if no other option but will prefer J&J or mRNA, I think a lot of people will be the same.

I made this exact point a few pages back. People who get AZ should be regarded as fully vaccinated 2-4 weeks after their first dose. It would be quite unfair if you are restricted for 2 months longer than others just because you received a different vaccine.

Van.Bosch

Economics101 wrote: »

Looking at latest vaccination numbers, 325,000 first doses have been given to "frontline healthcare workers". There are about 125,000 wholetime equivalents on the HSE payroll or indirectly funded by the HSE. Even if you add in private hospitals, GP clinics, pharmacists, dentists etc, it seems that there is a very elastic definition of "frontline", especially as there must be loads of HSE administrators working form home and in no way a priority group.

Of course they are not "private" so no indignation as in the case of the Beacon-20.

No, it’s 325,000 total doses, 223,000 first doses.

Point still stands though - who are these people?? Think this is part of why they are streamlining the remaining cohorts

is_that_so

is_that_so wrote: »

How do you know you've switched groups? 6 weeks is not an unreasonable guess for Group 7 but all down to supplies.

To be honest with you, I'm just totally confused right now and don't know what group I fit into anymore.

I'm over 50 but under 65 and have uncontrolled diabetes (confirmed by a blood test last week) and 2 respiratory conditions, plus high BMI.

According to the last set of guidelines I was firmly in group 4, but it now looks if I'm back down to group 7.

I'll be happy to be corrected, if I'm wrong.

eoinbn

History Queen wrote: »

Do you actually believe that?

Yes. For secondary teachers the vaccine would have little to no effect for this school year, so why the uproar? Primary and SNA's a have a point(more close contact required) but the usual nonsense from the union's makes it hard to listen to them.

I think teachers often overestimate the public support they'll get.

Wolf359f

Strazdas wrote: »

There's talk of a big ramp up of AZ deliveries this week and next. RTE suggested on Saturday that it could be in the region of 200,000 doses.

Probably just making up for the pittyful deliveries the past 2 weeks. You can't deliver 20k over 2 weeks and then deliver 200k and say it's a bumper delivery. It's just making up the shortfall.

Hopefully other EU countries report their delivery amount so we can work out what we could have/will get

KrustyUCC

Karina Butler excellent on the news

Very clear

is_that_so

Deleted User wrote: »

To be honest with you, I'm just totally confused right now and don't know what group I fit into anymore.

I'm over 50 but under 65 and have uncontrolled diabetes (confirmed by a blood test last week) and 2 respiratory conditions, plus high BMI.

According to the last set of guidelines I was firmly in group 4, but it now looks if I'm back down to group 7.

I'll be happy to be corrected, if I'm wrong.

All I think we can say about a lot of the groups now is that they won't be notified until there are supplies. If they do arrive in the quantities claimed, things will move way faster than now. It looks like they hope to finish all the at risk groups by the end of May.

is_that_so

Micheál Martin has told the Dáil that a national portal for people to register for a vaccine is set to be up and running by the third week in April.

Economics101

Van Bosch:

No, it’s 325,000 total doses, 223,000 first doses.

Thanks for the correction. The Covid dashboard has the 325,000 in huge font, with the 223,000 smaller. The latter number is of course the important one: the 325,000 on its own tells us very little, without knowing the breakdown into 1st, 2nd or in future ( the case of Johnson and Johnson) sole doses.

Do they publish a spreadsheet with comprehensive daily data going back to January?

trellheim

Last day of the quarter lads will we get over the million delivered .... who the fk knows .

Minister for health on his feet in the Dail answering question on this at ten bells tomorrow so we'll find out then

is_that_so

is_that_so wrote: »

All I think we can say about a lot of the groups now is that they won't be notified until there are supplies. If they do arrive in the quantities claimed, things will move way faster than now. It looks like they hope to finish all the at risk groups by the end of May.

Heres what i am confused about though, how are they identifiying the "at risk" groups in the under 65s?

If priority is now going to be based on age, will my age (51) be looked at and my vaccination appointment given based on that, or will they also check for any underlying conditions?

I don't think they will, as I was last seen by the Diabetes Clinic in the hospital in Nov 2017 (I checked with them this morning) and my GP is clueless.

Sorry for being a moan, but its all very frustrating, and I'm not the only one in this position.

Bellmeister

Do you need to be registered with a GP in Ireland to get invited to get the vaccine or are they inviting based on PPS registration, or allowing people to book their own based on mygiv id once they get through the high risk groups? I've never got round to registering with a GP.

After the priority changes last night I'm further up the queue.

Russman

KrustyUCC wrote: »

Karina Butler excellent on the news

Very clear

Yeah, she's usually very good and always seems to be well on top of her brief.

JPup

greenheep wrote: »

While I wouldn't be too concerned with the risk of getting the Astra Zeneca vaccine one of the big issues would be that you need to wait the 12 weeks for the second dose to be fully vaccinated. That means a longer time to wait before you can avail of the vaccine "bonus" in terms of restrictions.

For example if I get my first does in June, the second dose + 2 week wait would mean I',m not fully vaccinated until Sept\Oct. Where as if I get the J&J in June then i'm good to go that same month in terms of travel (if vaccine passports come in), and meeting other vaccinated people indoors. I'll take it if no other option but will prefer J&J or mRNA, I think a lot of people will be the same.

I wonder how long that will persist for. One dose of J&J doesn't seem to give better protection than a single dose of any of the other approved vaccines, and the UK has been spreading out the second dose of the BioNTech vaccine to good outcomes.

Seems like once we get to the stage where we are vaccinating anyone under the age of 65, they should spread all second doses out to 12 weeks so that every adult can get one dose by July. I also suspect that anyone taking the J&J vaccine who hasn't already had Covid will ultimately be recommended to get a second shot.

History Queen

eoinbn wrote: »

Yes. For secondary teachers the vaccine would have little to no effect for this school year, so why the uproar? Primary and SNA's a have a point(more close contact required) but the usual nonsense from the union's makes it hard to listen to them.

Oh I actually agree about secondary not needing priority (once vaccinated by September)except in cases of SNAs and special class teachers.

I think it's rotten you think teachers want to be prioritised becasue they want a foreign holiday.

is_that_so

RocDoc has set up an antibody testing service at Shannon.

Irish healthcare company RocDoc has launched an antibody testing service at Shannon Airport.

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021/0331/1207221-rocdoc-offer-covid-19-antibody-tests-at-shannon-airport/

irishlad.

Economics101 wrote: »

Van Bosch:

Thanks for the correction. The Covid dashboard has the 325,000 in huge font, with the 223,000 smaller. The latter number is of course the important one: the 325,000 on its own tells us very little, without knowing the breakdown into 1st, 2nd or in future ( the case of Johnson and Johnson) sole doses.

Do they publish a spreadsheet with comprehensive daily data going back to January?

Here's the daily data from the HSE
https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/integrated-information-service-vaccination-programme-dashboard.html

CIARAN_BOYLE

Deleted User wrote: »

Heres what i am confused about though, how are they identifiying the "at risk" groups in the under 65s?

If priority is now going to be based on age, will my age (51) be looked at and my vaccination appointment given based on that, or will they also check for any underlying conditions?

I don't think they will, as I was last seen by the Diabetes Clinic in the hospital in Nov 2017 (I checked with them this morning) and my GP is clueless.

Sorry for being a moan, but its all very frustrating, and I'm not the only one in this position.

I believe you are either at very high risk (Diabetes and HbA1C ≥58mmol/mol) or done by age.