Friends in the UK have a full-time carer for their daughter and the carer comes from Africa. She was absolutely terrified of having the vaccine because she had been reading so much on social media and believed it would kill her. She would not have had it but for my friends’ encouragement. Afterwards, she was ill for a few days and my friends’ are pretty certain that much of it was due to her fear. She now, fortunately is very proud of herself for having had it.
If the AZ vaccination is being rubbished all the time by social media, the press and politicans it is perhaps not surprising that people look for symptoms. I realise that it does not mean the experience is any less real to the person experiencing it, but I do wonder. 
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It seems to me you’re comparing apples and elephants here, one is something someone said, with no stats to back up how likely it is, and one is stats based on current performance. Like for like would surely be that both health ministers said that by the end of summer everyone who wants the jab would have had it. Or the stats showing current predictions for both countries.
I don’t necessarily disagree with what you’re saying, but time and time again on this thread your arguments seem to fall down because they’re not actually based in facts, but rather what you think. Who is to say that there will be anymore lockdowns? Perhaps there will but perhaps the government will decide enough is enough and the country can’t take more. Whether that is a sensible move is another debate I don’t need to have, but it’s just as possible as your notion that if we don’t all have a vaccine by next week we’ll all be in lockdown for the next 5 years. I want the vaccine, and I want it quickly, but I find it bizarre that your whole view appears to be that the day after we reach critical mass everything will go back to normal. With variants and mutations that just may not be the case. We may end up finding that basing such importance on the vaccine is a bit of a folly, who knows?
Either way, contrasting the hopes someone has with statistics isn’t like for like.
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Hi Paul, I’ve been having the flu vaccine for 15 years or so and had the pneumonia one about 3 months ago and never had any kind of side effects except for soreness at the injection site. The AstraZeneca vaccine floored me for 24 hours, it was severe enough to consider calling the doctor but I took paracetamol for the high temperature (39.1 C) and aches which worked to some extent until I felt better. Had I known I would still have had the vaccine but perhaps braced myself for the side effects!
Izzy x
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The Hospital asked for a different vaccine for its staff, in order that, even though their workers are over-tired/whatever… they might continue to treat Joe Public…
and, since I know some of those hospital workers personally… I want to “shout” in their defence… but, I’ll step back instead…
I don’t think everyone has had side effects - and some have reported similar symptoms to those you describe from the Pfizer vaccination - it seems to be a bit of a lottery (somewhat like Covid itself) whether the vaccination makes you feel rough for a short period.
But it does seem to be just a short period so probably worthwhile if you get protection from more serious problems should you encounter Covid in the wild.
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Youngest daughter works in a pharmacie here and they are expecting to start administering doses of the AZ vaccine this coming week, their initial supply is… 20 doses!
I do think that how the whole vaccination programme is being communicated (marketed, if you like) is having an impact on take-up and people’s views on how they cope with side-effects when/if they happen.
The nocebo effect is a well-known phenomenon.
In the UK, doctors are talking about the fact that they are bringing hope to people. There doesn’t seem to be much language like that here in France.
A friend of mine who had hers recently has not held her grandchildren in nearly a year. One baby (in New Zealand) she has yet to see other than on Zoom. She told me she burst into tears when she had the vaccine, from relief, because this is her route to being with her family again. The doctor told her, her reaction is not that unusual.
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She’s lucky - here, it’s ten.
Stella, both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines have reactions. France just doesn’t want people to know that.
The news from UK supports this.
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And here it’s only doctors, and around 10. That’s what pharmacist said when I asked if he was going to do them…
I don’t know what is happening here in 71 because our age range 65-74 has been put down the list.
I am not hopeful that we will be vaccinated soon.
The Local said that the Minister has said March, but not when in March.
At least better progress is bing made - over 4 million given at least 1 dose and 1.1 million having had both doses.
New vaccinations running ~50k/day on weekdays, plus currently about another 100k 2nd doses - a million doses a week is pretty good but it still needs to improve.
In the UK people who have had both doses are still lagging France, but I expect that situation will change over the next 2-3 weeks.
Let us not lose sight of the fact that it is little short of amazing that the vaccination programme is being rolled out as fast as it is - even in Europe.
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The UK is shut down for lots of things, life here is relatively normal for most of us who go off to work every day. I’ll be vaccinated at some stage, not that I’m in a huge hurry as I’ve had very serious reactions to 'flu vaccination in the past.
In the mean time work and avoiding moaning and hypochondria are how most of us deal with life day to day.
No we don’t like sentimentality or go in for it as much.
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Absolutely Paul, agree wholeheartedly. So grateful to have been give my first dose so quickly, just 3 days after becoming eligible. The NHS are doing a marvellous job.
Izzy x
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Not really…UK gov are predicting on current direction of travel most of UK adults who want a vaccination will receive it by end of July.
Covidtracker.fr (well respected, independent) are forecasting on current rates the same outcome will be two years later ie in 2023.
So it seems to me am comparing apples with apples.
I admit things may well change, I’m sure in France it will be before 2023…but only if their game is upped without delay.
How can you say normal…masks, school kids not having normal experience, must be in by 6pm, no external social life, bars and restaurants shut for 4 months, can’t converse normally, some restrictions in Ehads, having to think every day before doing something.
That’s not normal to me…nor to most of our French friends (let alone fellow Brits) , who just want the vaccine to be rolled out poste haste…and are fed up with having to live with (understandable) restrictions.
However I would absolutely agree we have been fortunate here compared with UK re restrictions since late Dec’ but soon the tables will be changed.
It’s normal for my OH who hardly ever goes out. He has osteo-arthritis in his spine and finds driving hurts and he needs to be able to move around when he needs to, so not much difference for him.
I do miss our fairly low level social life and going to the village restaurant every fortnight.
Yes relatively normal, nb RELATIVELY: like many people I trundle off every day to do my job with a mask on, which makes it a pain; no coffee machine because it is a nest of covid; a packed lunch I can’t reheat because not allowed anything to reheat it with because covid; getting stopped by the police because my working day ends after the 6pm curfew; so no shopping even for essentials or socialising after work - but it is still better than lockdown and paralysis, things could be much much worse.
I’m afraid I don’t have a great deal of time for people moaning about lack of evenings en terrasse etc. You’ll get them back at some stage. If you have retired there’s lots you can do - keep busy, learn a new language online, or play an instrument, read a book if you are bored.
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My vaccinated sister in UK with its strict lockdown is far more miserable than I am. I have lots to do here that is nearly normal. OK plus masks, and cleaning the gîte is much harder work. However restaurants are doing decent take away meals, weather’s lovely so meeting friends outdoors for picnics, I miss the cinema so swapping DVDs. And of course…searching for galets.
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