[fChk]

The medical community's only job is to get you vaccinated if 1-there is a vaccine and 2-you need/want one. They can't compel you to get one... Your government can!.. under whatever slogan he wants.

I've just read a Reuters news report about Indonesian government recent move to punish those who refuse COVID-19 vaccine!!?

The Reuters news report is entitled: Indonesia capital warns of big fines for refusing COVID-19 vaccine.

Well that's uncalled for really!.. But I'm aware that we have few Indonisians among P4V member base here, may be someone can confirm that for us and give us some context on why that is (if any!)

[Honey]

I've just read a Reuters news report about Indonesian government recent move to punish those who refuse COVID-19 vaccine!!?

The Reuters news report is entitled: Indonesia capital warns of big fines for refusing COVID-19 vaccine.

Well that's uncalled for really!.. But I'm aware that we have few Indonisians among P4V member base here, may be someone can confirm that for us and give us some context on why that is (if any!)

While that may sound unfair, especially because of things like "free speech" or "free will", I think It is a fair judgement because denying a vaccine is ultimately effecting the whole country...Perhaps they can delay the application of vaccines to such people so that they can see that there are no negative effects to the people who do get vaccinated.

[deanhills]

Moved above discussion from Corona Virus Where did this come from thread as it was going off topic. Moved it to the vaccines thread.

I get the feeling that each country is trying to figure out what vaccine works best subject to availability, cost, logistics, and how effective it is for the particular strain of the virus in the particular country and how their epidemiologists are dealing with it specifically.  In the end however I just get this feeling that if one wants to travel, that vaccination may feature as a condition of travel, and it may get very frustrating as each country may have different requirements.  Hopefully as we move along, we can find a standard vaccine that fits all countries.  Otherwise looks like one has to get more than one vaccination to please every one? The requirements are getting like a Tower of Babylon of vaccines and different requirements from different countries?

Wonder whether one would be able to get more than one vaccination - a different one - in any one country.  Could there be the potential for vaccines to conflict if one person should use more than one vaccine to comply with the requirements of different countries when they travel?

I personally am interested in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  Not sure if and when us mere mortals and statistics in this country will be able to get it, and how much it will cost, but I like the idea of a single shot vaccine that also seems to have been developed to be used for more than one strain of the virus, including the South African one.  Maybe it's good that I'll have to wait a while, as one can get a picture of how effective it's going to be, since it's a relatively new vaccine.

[tryp4vps]

While that may sound unfair, especially because of things like "free speech" or "free will", I think It is a fair judgement because denying a vaccine is ultimately effecting the whole country...Perhaps they can delay the application of vaccines to such people so that they can see that there are no negative effects to the people who do get vaccinated.

But... different people may have different health conditions.

It may impose risk to some people who are not so suitable for taking vaccine.

So I think it is difficult to say this kind of punishment is fair to everyone.

[tiwil]

But... different people may have different health conditions.

It may impose risk to some people who are not so suitable for taking vaccine.

So I think it is difficult to say this kind of punishment is fair to everyone.  

The punishment only apply to qualified person that doesn't take the vaccine. We do have health checkup before the vaccine here. If you don't pass the requirement, our medical person won't vaccine you since it's too dangerous. They're still testing for more people to have less strict requirement. Current requirement is so strict but I think millennials here are qualified.

[deanhills]

The punishment only apply to qualified person that doesn't take the vaccine. We do have health checkup before the vaccine here. If you don't pass the requirement, our medical person won't vaccine you since it's too dangerous. They're still testing for more people to have less strict requirement. Current requirement is so strict but I think millennials here are qualified.

I definitely solute your Government for doing a checkup before giving the vaccine.

I guess Israel, which is boasting that it has vaccinated 32% of its population with the Pfizer vaccine, and has the world's highest per capita rate of vaccination against covid-19, didn't do the same, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to do the vaccinations as fast as they had.  

So I fully understand why a Government that has gone to the expense of a checkup and recommended a vaccine, would make such a vaccination compulsory. @tiwil, if I then understand it correctly, the checkup is not compulsory. But once a person has done the checkup and the verdict is to get the vaccine, then it's compulsory to get the vaccine.

What is interesting is that it's been proven that a single shot is enough to start the immune response, and that some countries have as a result been delaying the booster shot by weeks.  Johnson & Johnson which only requires one shot, is now in the process of developing a booster shot as well.

Looks like these pharmaceutical companies are about to make a killing and I guess having a booster shot lined up, must mean more shots are needed and paid for.

[fChk]

On a personal note, we got this one(/Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine) already in deployment over here and curiously enough we've started with the elderly (70+ of age) along side the front-line workers... We'll see how it goes...

I got my appointment for this morning and I did get my first AstraZeneca jab; second dose in 4 weeks!..

[tiwil]

@tiwil, if I then understand it correctly, the checkup is not compulsory.  But once a person has done the checkup and the verdict is to get the vaccine, then it's compulsory to get the vaccine.

The checkup is mandatory. If one didn't pass the prerequisites to get the vaccine (such as (very) high blood pressure, have diabetes, etc) then they will not get one. These prerequisites are according to test that they've conducted earlier at phase 3. Our government (and med team) doesn't want to have people that doesn't pass the prerequisites to get the vaccine since it may cause more side effect on them.

[deanhills]

I got my appointment for this morning and I did get my first AstraZeneca jab; second dose in 4 weeks!..

Congratulations!  Well done.  Did you experience any side effects?

Vaccination only started a week ago in South Africa and there are 60 million people here.  Future supply of vaccines is also slow, but at least it's moving along. Healthcare workers are first in line - rightfully so of course.  Together with persons of strategic importance in Government.  Then the elderly.  I think it will be a very long time before my turn comes.  Medical researchers are expecting a third wave of the virus to strike any time soon, so hope I will be able to survive this one too.

I heard on the news that in addition to Johnson & Johnson, the Government is negotiating with Pfizer as well.  This is the vaccine that had good results in Israel. Unfortunately though Pfizer has not been tested in South Africa yet, only in laboratory probably by Pfizer. It requires 2 doses and deep freeze refrigeration under specific conditions - not sure whether that is good for a third world country with a great shortage of medical equipment in rural and poorer city areas.  So am wondering whether this is wise.  Any way, by the time the backup vaccine Pfizer reaches my community, possibly there will be more information available about its efficacy for the South African 501Y.V2 strain of the virus.

[fChk]

@deanhills
Thanks!

Did you experience any side effects?

Nothing to report on that front as of now!..

Actually, because we're still un-sensitized to the COVID-19 Spike protein antigens (ie our immune system doesn't still have the adhoc antibodies and T-Cells), it is expected that a normal individual should not have any meaningfull reaction to the 1st contact (ie 1st vaccine dose.) It's to the second jab that the response is more noteworthy, i.e. when our immune system start to be aware to the COVID-19 Spike protein antigens as a foreign body that should be destroyed on-sight...

This being said, I should also mention that on rare ocasions, there are a few percentage among us that develop an aggressive reaction at the first dose administration as a form of allergy(/hypersensitivity.) And those are the ones that should not take the vaccine in the first place; they should be filtered out because the allergic reaction is always lethal!

I heard on the news that in addition to Johnson & Johnson, the Government is negotiating with Pfizer as well.  This is the vaccine that had good results in Israel. Unfortunately though Pfizer has not been tested in South Africa yet, only in laboratory probably by Pfizer.  It requires 2 doses and deep freeze refrigeration under specific conditions - not sure whether that is good for a third world country with a great shortage of medical equipment in rural and poorer city areas.  So am wondering whether this is wise.  Any way, by the time the backup vaccine Pfizer reaches my community, possibly there will be more information available about its efficacy for the South African 501Y.V2 strain of the virus.

I've read that both Moderna and Pfizer are working on 'Upgrades' that should not need deep-freeze distribution conditions as well as being more targeted to the SARS-CoV-2 various variants, including the South African form... But their availability is still unknown...