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THREE QUARTERS OF people believe they are likely to accept a Covid-19 vaccine, the deputy chief medical officer said.
Ronan Glynn said the country was on the cusp of deploying two vaccines if they are authorised by the European Medicines Agency.
He said: “People should take great encouragement from these developments and we can be confident that the successful implementation of this programme will mark a significant advance in our approach to this pandemic.
However, there are still many uncertainties and barriers to be overcome.
He said people needed to be willing to be vaccinated.
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“Our research tells us that the majority have already decided that they will definitely (45%) or probably (28%) take the vaccine when it is offered to them,” he added.
He said: “I encourage every individual, those vaccine hesitant as well as those vaccine confident, to stay informed using appropriate medical sources and do not be afraid to ask your GP questions about vaccine safety.”
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He said the timeline for development of Covid-19 jabs had been significantly cut down due to:
Some clinical trials combining phases 1 and 2 to assess safety and the immune responses;
The high number of new cases of Covid-19 in many places, differences in disease risk between those who received the viral vaccine and those who received the placebo or dummy vaccine could be measured more quickly than usual;
Enormous levels of investment and scientific research, on a scale never previously seen in vaccine development;
Many of the processes which normally take place one after the other in vaccine development have been run in parallel.
Dr Glynn added: “None of these factors imply that safety, scientific or ethical integrity have been compromised, or that short-cuts have been made.”
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@Jonnie Marre: It would be nice to think that people would take it for the common good as well as for their own self interest in being safe. The vaccine will only be effective if enough of the population take it. For those who are wavering, thinking of the common good might help them over the line.
@jeanette: we wear masks because we needed to be seen to do something, even if there was no evidence of the benefit.
Also where can we draw the line on what is acceptable to save others? Wear a mask every winter? Take a vaccine for every communicable disease known? Pay 80% tax to save others….
Is there anything to be said for, I’ll take my own chances, you take yours?
@Barry C: Fine, take your own chances but don’t ever call an ambulance or fire brigade. Stay off the roads and out of the hospitals and schools, don’t claim any form of social welfare or use any government services. You know, all the things that society pays for that we don’t use all of the time because its for the greater good.
@Barry C: “No evidence of benefit of masks”. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6928e2.htm In short 2 hairdressers with covid who wore masks worked with 139 clients, none of the clients picked up the disease.
@David Horgan: thanks for that. Interesting article that I was unaware of.
It falls a bit short of a rigorous scientific study with control groups and full testing of all participants etc. It does suggest that masks might work but we have lots of things SUGGESTING that but nothing proving it. Not to a level where it is satisfactory to tell the population ” put a mask on or face prison”
@Barry C: plenty of evidence that masks not only protect others but also protect the wearer. And in the grand scheme of things wearing a mask in the middle of a pandemic is not a big ask at all. It’s an inconvenience at most and yet you still have people whinging about it. The biggest shock to me was there are people who are anti handwashing in all this . Yuck ! We cannot survive without looking out for the common good btw . Selfishness will only get you so far. Life saving measures don’t compare to other measures like paying tax btw.Especially when it’s simple measures like masks social distancing and hand washing ! It’s easy to think you will never be vulnerable and never dependent on others but the time will come and you will be . Then how you treated others will have taught others how to treat you . Remember that .
@Jonnie Marre: I’ve had Covid19 which I hope has given me some level of immunity. But if offered the vaccine I will take it because my siblings are all in their 60s and 70s and I would hate to pass something on to them. I think most younger people will be taking it out of concern for older relatives more so than themselves. I think you underestimate the goodness in the average Irish person
@Barry C: I wear a mask to protect others. It would be great if it would protect me too but evidence just shows it might protect the person wearing it.
As far as I’m concerned these vaccines can’t come fast enough. I put my faith in medicine and science to get back as close to normality as we can. The false information and scare mongering regarding covid by anti vaxxers is nothing short of criminal.
@Gavin Courtney: agree on the anti vax people, but I’m weary of the opinion that a fast vaccination will bring us back to normal. While I have hope for mRNA vaccines, especially in cancer care, they have literally just been released. There are a lot of checks and balances that have been bypassed for fast vaccination, so much so that there seems to be an arms race to vaccinate as many people as possible. Any rational scientist would err on the side of caution and long term reviews on side effects, but this is ignored because of the exact anti vax gombeens.
As a country, we should observe trials elsewhere and keep lockdowns for another few months. Unfortunately, people are literally begging for this to be injected into them at a time when caution is needed.
@James Ward: So 22,000 people hit the vaccine . The side effects are minimal . Chances for most people of getting severe Covid 500 to one . I’ll take my chances with the vaccine thanks
@Gavin Courtney: Absolutely true. I have done some research on the Pfizer vaccine and it is a medical marvel I would have complete confidence in its safety.
It’s Depressing watching the vaccine being rolled out in the UK, US,and now Canada while we are told the EU regulator might be approving one or two by the end of the month and once voted on by the 27 EU countries they will start to distribute .Our Taoiseach says we will get limited supplies in January or February and more in March , April, and May.
FFS hurry up willya !
The top of the page says 32 comments. There are 19 in the comments section. Never let it be said that this is an open forum or that the journal do not censor any comments that go even remotely against their narrative.
@Michael Philips: Different narratives are fine . Lies and misinformation aren’t different narratives though . They are just lies and misinformation . The journal are most likely removing anti vaxx misinformation posts . The journal have led the way on countering lies and misinformation during this pandemic with their fact check articles . Anti vaxxers always cry censorship when they aren’t allowed spread their lies and misinformation . You should know that. It’s a common tactic .
@Michael Philips: in fairness to the journal, and I say this as someone who has been edited by them several times, they don’t claim to be an “open forum” and have Ts&Cs regarding what can and can’t be posted. Do you know what comments were deleted and what “narrative” they went against?
@Purplepickle: will you stop their fact checked articles were a stretch at best in most. I’m all for the vaccine but don’t be fooled by cheap media. They used the Pfizer press release as part of their fact check rather than the published papers which came later. Bit of sense is needed in all this too you know
@Gearóid Ó Tuama: I hear you’ve a 12 inch tongue and can breather through your ears. The ladies love you I’d say and the bottoms of the boys behind the shed
Reposting due to the journal’s censorship policy of deleting any comments they don’t align with their narrative. It is not known if the vaccine reduces transmission or provides immunity – Albert Bourla – CEO Pfizer. Many medical experts have said the same. The vaccine is claimed to suppress symptoms and so will create asymtomatic spreaders. The vaccine cannot have a statistically significant impact in saving lives in under 70’s due to the death rate being so low. Apart from that it’s what we’ve all been waiting for.
@Michael Philips: It’s not known YET if it reduces transmission but at the moment the belief is it is . They are just waiting on more data. The vaccine will likely provide full protection in the vast majority of people taking it and for the rest the severe complications will be removed . There are people behind all those statistics . Just because you don’t think you will die doesn’t mean it’s ok if others die. There is 32% of the population of Ireland with underlying conditions . Death rates aren’t higher because of shielding and cocooning by the vast majority of them. These people want very much to get back to work college school and their lives . So this is what we are waiting for .
are they really vaccines ? they dont stop you catching covid but reduce symptoms. that sounds like treatmenter to me. yo still have to isolate and social distance everywhere as far as I can see.
@Fabio Dillon: why this is what I’m reading in scientific papers that the Pfizer vaccine reduces symptoms it doesnt prevent infection ? or did I read that wrong ?
What is keeping the role out of vacationing when thousands are dead?
Who is responsible?
Why and how many more will die because of the delay?
Please someone ask the question.
@Hubert Morris MIPAV: try following the news a bit more closely instead of demanding answers here. All your answers can be found there. There’s no delay.
@Paul Furey: not a delay because the regulators for EU have not approved it yet but certainly very slow and no word until 29 th December . everyone will have a nice peaceful christmas with all the work done and hold back the approval til 29th . how convenient . of course it was for safety concerns but I would bet it’s ready for approval and it should be approved and rolling out by now… to save lives I imagine.
it would have been better to vaccinate one whole country first to see if it works, say a small country eg iceland has a population of approx half a million or estonia 1 million.
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