Previous vaccinations may be less effective to combat new mutations but, going by my basic studies in a Uni course in biology, I thought that a vaccine against the original virus would give you more of a fighting chance than no vaccine at all.
The way I think of it is if vaccination has primed your immune system to recognise the original threat, it already has the basic defence system and that enables it to identify the threat and assemble the extra defences needed more quickly to defend against the specific mutated version.
I have a small but very useful screw driver in my toolkit - the basic handle is needed for all tasks - and it has a selection of different blades to fit whichever screw heads I need to tackle.
That is how I I think of vaccines - the ideal combo is having the screwdriver handle plus the correct driver head for an exact fit - but if the immune system already has the basic tool handle, it can develop the exact tool head fit to lock onto the virus more quickly - if you have not got the basic tool handle, you’re stuffed.
I absolutely agree. However its effectiveness does reduce over time. And there are multiple other variations which have an effect on the severity of any Covid case. This includes virus dose, existing health, Covid variant, etc.
My main point was that some posts seemed to be saying that the vaccine is not effective as people who have been vaccinated in the past are still getting Covid - and some seriously. That is a gross misunderstanding of the vaccine and Covid. It is also misleading as it implies that people should have been vaccinated and should not get the vaccine in the future. That is pure anti-vax rubbish.
Well errr…Actually, the covid jab is not really a vaccination as such Boot…The old system of vaccine (which simply means cow) were dead cultures extracted from the blood of a cow and injected into a human so the body could recognise and (as you said) muster defences to defeat the virus in future…Probably Annie can describe in more detail what these new ‘vaccines’ actually do to make make the virus less effective. I believe it’s something to do with restricting your immune system so it doesn’t over react to the virus…Fluid in the lungs caused by your own bodies response to the virus…
Quote:- The word vaccine comes from the cowpox virus vaccinia which derives from the Latin word vacca for cow . The inoculation with cowpox vaccine was done to prevent humans from contracting smallpox. Smallpox was a devasting disease.
Yes Linc and Boots, I agree - covid vaccines do wear off over time and new variants may not have been covered by older strains - obviously hence the recomendation for boosters ,especially for at risk groups
However old covid vaccines (and natural antibodies from previous covid disease) will give some protection against current covid.
the current thread debate as I understand it ,although really not sure, has become rather muddied - was somebody saying Covid disease occurs more in vaccinated people (therefore no point in getting vaccinated) - well yes of course since around 90% of populations are vaccinated at least once
Most covid disease does seem reducing in severity - I would think that is due to several factors: most people having at least some Covid immunity from vaccines and/or natural disease, effects of anti virals in at risk groups and different strains becoming less virulent
The information is in black and white, shows the information clearly but for some reason it can’t seem to be used correctly. Not sure why the information can’t be relayed correctly.
But, what am I thinking. If the professionals can get information right, why should I expect others to get information correct.
My faults for expecting this. Normally I don’t take politicians or professionals opinions on anything and should keep everything on a level playing field.
Not for a very long time. Vaccines are now manufactured using a man made antigen and mixing it with stablisers and preservatives. One way to make the antigen is “kill” the toxic element using chemicals (so it can’t reproduce) but retaining the profile so the recipient of the vaccine still reacts against the intruding antigen.
It is true that the development of mRNA based vaccines is different - someone else might explain the process. But the result is the same - a mimicked virus to produce the same reaction in the body.
Vaccines have saved millions of lives. Then along comes some idiot anti-vaxxers and the next thing you have are outbreaks of measles or chicken pox or mumps. Most countries came close to completely removing these illnesses. Now thanks to anti-vaxxers our children get to endure, and in some cases not endure, them again. Cheers.
Outbreak of measles in Sydney atm. Hopefully contained before it spreads further, especially not to Byron Bay, country town in NSW, north of Sydney and the anti vaccine capital of Australia - lots of people there living hippie alternative lifestyles - which i have nothing against but a high proportion also dont believe in vaccines.
An outbreak of measles in a community with low herd immunity would be disasterous
I didn’t know that. Actually I don’t care I have had Measles, Mumps, Chicken Pox etc when I was a child.
When a child got any of those diseases they would hold a party so all the local kids got it. The only one that sent fear through the neighbourhood was Polio and every child was kept indoors when there was an outbreak of that.
I had Measles and Mumps together so I was fat and spotty.
Ive had mumps and chickenpox too, still have some scars from the CP.
I guess I am bit younger than you as i had measles vaccine.
Measles is by far the most serious, ca n cause blindness and deafness in survivors
I have read of this as a cause for Helen Keller ( although other sources suggest scarlet fever)
Your fortunate to have had the measles vaccine. I was young when I had it but remember a seriously bad fever and a horrible, spotty recovery. But my dose of mumps almost killed me. It developed into meningitis and was so serious I was isolated in hospital for two weeks. Perhaps that is one of the things that make me really dislike anti-vaxxers. Its not that I disagree with their views, its that their ignorant selfishness can cause serious harm.
