This article examines data for the Spring 2024 Covid booster campaign in England to see if any progress was made to improve coverage amongst the eligible groups.
I worked as a Consultant Community Paediatrician from 1985 to 2005 and vaccine uptake was discussed with individual parents by Health Visitors and clinics were available at many GP surgeries as well as Community Clinics. Health Professionals were updated by very good Public Health presentations to both hospital and community doctors.
It is a tradgedy that the Health Visitor imput is now reduced due to reduced staffing levels and that Public Health has been downgraded. Unless we improve both these imputs vaccine acceptance is unlikely to reach satisfactory levels.
One further reason why older people have confidence in vaccines may be because they can remember childhood infectious illnesses before widespread infant vaccination covered so many diseases.
In general, I think it is difficult for the general public to understand the difference between vaccines that prevent after an initial course of injections, eg Measles, Whooping Cough and Diptheria, with those that have to be given annually because of viral mutation such as those causing Covid 19 and influenza.
Thanks for an interesting article. Vaccine confidence is indeed vital for public health and any decline is cause for concern. There are clearly many reasons for hesitancy and it is complicated. I am of an age that can remember getting chickenpox, mumps and measles in childhood and my parents being pleased that I had got them over with! Certainly measles was a particularly horrible experience which I can remember clearly. I was very ill. I also knew someone that had suffered lifelong disability following a polio infection. I studied microbiology at university. Not surprising then that I am pro vaccine and always will be. I have kept my immunisations and those of my children up to date.
However following my AZ Covid vaccines I developed new onset migraines with auras ( possibly of the hemiplegic type). I also experienced worsening long Covid ( which I developed after being infected in March 2020). I know that I am not alone in experiencing these effects. I have been a member of various long Covid support groups on social media since the early days of the pandemic. There are many similar stories. I also personally know a few people that developed long covid-like symptoms after vaccination. The neurologist that I saw also said that they were seeing quite a number of patients presenting with similar. I was advised to be cautious about getting further Covid vaccines! But I received no further guidance or investigation as to why this had happened to me. When the first booster vaccines were offered I was on my own when trying to decide what to do. I eventually opted in after much searching for information ( there wasn’t any from the medical profession) and serious deliberation. I had the Moderna booster and reacted badly. So now I AM extremely hesitant to have another. I am now a clinically vulnerable person living in a world where SARS-CoV-2 has been allowed to spread freely without mitigations and the risk of re-infection is high. Like many I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. The impression I’m getting is that more women are experiencing side effects from the vaccines than men. Maybe this is one good reason why the effectiveness and safety of vaccines in general is being questioned more by women than men. My impression is based on anecdotal evidence but there is a lot of it! It should be being taken more seriously. Vaccines always carry a small risk for the individual and it is important that people can assess these risks alongside the benefits to be able to make an informed choice. To do that they need hard scientific facts. Without these it is personal experience or google/ social media that shapes perception and assessment of risks and benefits. Which breeds misunderstanding, confusion and ultimately misinformation. There needs to be more transparency about the Covid vaccine risks and benefits and research into the side effects to restore confidence for me. I am particularly interested to know what the companies that make these vaccines are doing with the Yellow Card side effects/ injuries data. Also I wonder how many events aren’t even reported? I had to report them myself and I haven’t been followed up. Lessons need to be learned so vaccines can be fully trusted again for the sake of the next generation and the future of the planet.
I know at least three people, all sensible intelligent women, who have had Covid injections but no longer want another because of side effects.
I understand the symptoms were quite severe; I just wonder if anyone has studied this aspect, especially if they get worse after more than one booster and whether this is affecting their attitudes to vaccines in general.
I don’t think I’m going back for the second half of my shingles vaccination for that reason. My arm was red from elbow to armpit for six days. I was in bed, almost exclusively asleep for two days, and didn’t feel well for two weeks. I’m told, anecdotally, the second vaccine usually has a worse reaction. I think I’ll take my chance.
I think most of us need to trust 'somebody' when it comes to following policy advice. I think there has been a certain disenchantment over time with those who stand as 'leaders' or can be relied on as trustworthy at local level.
Although we can perhaps see the 'vaccine bounce' said to have benefitted Johnson in 2021 May local elections, people need trusted local Public Health structures, as mentioned already by Rosemary Hannah. Changes in 2012 left a huge gap.
I can remember I think it was in Blackburn, young people queing round the park for hours in the rain to slow the spread and reduce the risk for the elderly. But the inability of the vaccines to definitively halt infection was not understood (see Rosemary again) and major blow, one that was popularly denied, at least round where I was, because already people had 'gone back to normal social behaviour', and there was little if any 'official' understanding of airborne virus, and at that time, re-infection.
There is I guess more than lingering doubt about covid vaccine side-effects. I have two elderly neighbours in our lightly populated rural area who had very unpleasant reactions to a covid booster; one it seemed because he had it too soon after his 1st bout of covid. The other had a 'rare' and dangerous reaction after her 1st covid vaccine. Although the rest of us still take our boosters, covid and flu, few consider making normal social behaviour or health setting safer with for example, timely air filtration. 'Normality' is a strange condition.
PS Minorities it seems have emerged in Britain across education / class / cultures, who undermine the effectiveness of even the essential vaccine protections for infancy.
Thank you Bob for an excellent article.
I worked as a Consultant Community Paediatrician from 1985 to 2005 and vaccine uptake was discussed with individual parents by Health Visitors and clinics were available at many GP surgeries as well as Community Clinics. Health Professionals were updated by very good Public Health presentations to both hospital and community doctors.
It is a tradgedy that the Health Visitor imput is now reduced due to reduced staffing levels and that Public Health has been downgraded. Unless we improve both these imputs vaccine acceptance is unlikely to reach satisfactory levels.
One further reason why older people have confidence in vaccines may be because they can remember childhood infectious illnesses before widespread infant vaccination covered so many diseases.
In general, I think it is difficult for the general public to understand the difference between vaccines that prevent after an initial course of injections, eg Measles, Whooping Cough and Diptheria, with those that have to be given annually because of viral mutation such as those causing Covid 19 and influenza.
Thanks for an interesting article. Vaccine confidence is indeed vital for public health and any decline is cause for concern. There are clearly many reasons for hesitancy and it is complicated. I am of an age that can remember getting chickenpox, mumps and measles in childhood and my parents being pleased that I had got them over with! Certainly measles was a particularly horrible experience which I can remember clearly. I was very ill. I also knew someone that had suffered lifelong disability following a polio infection. I studied microbiology at university. Not surprising then that I am pro vaccine and always will be. I have kept my immunisations and those of my children up to date.
However following my AZ Covid vaccines I developed new onset migraines with auras ( possibly of the hemiplegic type). I also experienced worsening long Covid ( which I developed after being infected in March 2020). I know that I am not alone in experiencing these effects. I have been a member of various long Covid support groups on social media since the early days of the pandemic. There are many similar stories. I also personally know a few people that developed long covid-like symptoms after vaccination. The neurologist that I saw also said that they were seeing quite a number of patients presenting with similar. I was advised to be cautious about getting further Covid vaccines! But I received no further guidance or investigation as to why this had happened to me. When the first booster vaccines were offered I was on my own when trying to decide what to do. I eventually opted in after much searching for information ( there wasn’t any from the medical profession) and serious deliberation. I had the Moderna booster and reacted badly. So now I AM extremely hesitant to have another. I am now a clinically vulnerable person living in a world where SARS-CoV-2 has been allowed to spread freely without mitigations and the risk of re-infection is high. Like many I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. The impression I’m getting is that more women are experiencing side effects from the vaccines than men. Maybe this is one good reason why the effectiveness and safety of vaccines in general is being questioned more by women than men. My impression is based on anecdotal evidence but there is a lot of it! It should be being taken more seriously. Vaccines always carry a small risk for the individual and it is important that people can assess these risks alongside the benefits to be able to make an informed choice. To do that they need hard scientific facts. Without these it is personal experience or google/ social media that shapes perception and assessment of risks and benefits. Which breeds misunderstanding, confusion and ultimately misinformation. There needs to be more transparency about the Covid vaccine risks and benefits and research into the side effects to restore confidence for me. I am particularly interested to know what the companies that make these vaccines are doing with the Yellow Card side effects/ injuries data. Also I wonder how many events aren’t even reported? I had to report them myself and I haven’t been followed up. Lessons need to be learned so vaccines can be fully trusted again for the sake of the next generation and the future of the planet.
I know at least three people, all sensible intelligent women, who have had Covid injections but no longer want another because of side effects.
I understand the symptoms were quite severe; I just wonder if anyone has studied this aspect, especially if they get worse after more than one booster and whether this is affecting their attitudes to vaccines in general.
I don’t think I’m going back for the second half of my shingles vaccination for that reason. My arm was red from elbow to armpit for six days. I was in bed, almost exclusively asleep for two days, and didn’t feel well for two weeks. I’m told, anecdotally, the second vaccine usually has a worse reaction. I think I’ll take my chance.
Thank you for covering this topic and for another clearly written piece that was pitched really well for an interested lay person such as me.
Thank you, great article
I think most of us need to trust 'somebody' when it comes to following policy advice. I think there has been a certain disenchantment over time with those who stand as 'leaders' or can be relied on as trustworthy at local level.
Although we can perhaps see the 'vaccine bounce' said to have benefitted Johnson in 2021 May local elections, people need trusted local Public Health structures, as mentioned already by Rosemary Hannah. Changes in 2012 left a huge gap.
I can remember I think it was in Blackburn, young people queing round the park for hours in the rain to slow the spread and reduce the risk for the elderly. But the inability of the vaccines to definitively halt infection was not understood (see Rosemary again) and major blow, one that was popularly denied, at least round where I was, because already people had 'gone back to normal social behaviour', and there was little if any 'official' understanding of airborne virus, and at that time, re-infection.
There is I guess more than lingering doubt about covid vaccine side-effects. I have two elderly neighbours in our lightly populated rural area who had very unpleasant reactions to a covid booster; one it seemed because he had it too soon after his 1st bout of covid. The other had a 'rare' and dangerous reaction after her 1st covid vaccine. Although the rest of us still take our boosters, covid and flu, few consider making normal social behaviour or health setting safer with for example, timely air filtration. 'Normality' is a strange condition.
PS Minorities it seems have emerged in Britain across education / class / cultures, who undermine the effectiveness of even the essential vaccine protections for infancy.