Most people have had their first vaccine. Apart from teachers under 55 of course. Angry is far too small a word to describe how I feel about that.
I was offered my vaccine last week. A lovely lady from my GP rang me and asked if I’d be OK to come in at 10 o’clock on Saturday morning.
But of course, it’s not as simple as that. I’ve been taking part in clinical trials for a Covid vaccine since last November.
These are double-blind trials, which means I don’t know whether I’ve been given the real thing or a placebo, and neither does the team administering it. I go to the trial centre every two months for a blood test, so last time I was there I asked what I should do if I was invited for the ‘normal’ vaccine. They said I should call them, and they would unblind me and then advise me accordingly.
So that’s what I did. I called them, and they asked me to go over for a blood test, then they would process the paperwork and then they’d be able to tell me if I’d had the real thing or not.
I drove over to Lancashire the following morning, answered the usual questions about side effects and whether I’d had any Covid symptoms, and had the blood test.
And it turns out – I’ve had the real thing. Two injections, three weeks apart.
Which was the standard regime for all the Covid vaccines until someone arbitrarily decided that the gap could be longer. There is of course no evidence to suggest that a longer gap won’t be effective. Equally, there’s no evidence to suggest that a longer gap will be effective. That’s because there is no evidence AT ALL – a longer gap has never been trialled. Someone somewhere is taking a huge gamble.
Once I’d been unblinded and it was confirmed that I’d had the vaccine, their advice was that I shouldn’t now have the normal vaccine because, and I quote, ‘We don’t know how the two vaccines will react to each other’.
Remember that, if they try to give you the ‘other’ vaccine for your second dose. Again – no evidence to say they will react badly, simply no evidence at all. Someone somewhere is in a Government meeting with fingers firmly crossed behind their back saying, ‘Oh, it’ll be fine, I’m sure it’ll be fine.’
Yes, I’m pleased I’ve already had it. It feels odd to think that I’ve been immune since December without realising. I have my card that says I’ve had the full vaccine, which is good. I was able to call the GP back and cancel my appointment, so someone else will have had theirs instead. But it also feels odd. It feels like somehow I’ve inadvertently pushed myself to the front of the queue.
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