The Extremely Vulnerable Group post vaccine

[Aladdin]

So this is a question about the extremeky vulnerable / very high risk.

Once the population is vaccinated how vulnerable will the extremely vulnerable actually be?

 

[two sheds]

Difficult to tell with the variants around I think. I'm keeping avoiding people until we find out

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Well that really depends on why they are vulnerable and in what way.
I was in the vulnerable group. I was never any more vulnerable to catching the virus, but I was told that I might well die if I did.
I'm now vaccinated so 'should' maybe not actually 'get it' if I get it, so I won't have to fight it with my shite immune system. .
The advice is to still avoid people. I'd rather not put how vulnerable I am to the test.

Short answer is I don't know.

 

[Aladdin]

I'd rather not put how vulnerable I am to the test.

This is exactly how I feel.

I'm wondering how someone classed by occ health and all doctors as Very High Risk of dying from covid can suddenly be told that a 90% effective vaccine moves them down to High risk.

The 10%chance is too high for me to take.

 

[scalyboy]

I’m still disinfecting shopping and post and indeed anything that comes in my flat but post-vaccine I feel safer on the tube / bus. Still moved the other day when someone sat next to me though

 

[StoneRoad]

Difficult question to answer.

I don't know.
As a household (with various vulnerabilities) we are still taking precautions, despite living in a low-case rate rural fringe area.

I'll ask my SIL,. As that household went into very strong measures well before the March 2020 lockdown. Her health conditions include having had a stroke (I didn't know that factoid until a couple of months ago, but it partially explains her early vaccination). My two great-sprogs also have various medical vulnerabilities - the younger has a lot of real allergies - and the elder is definitely not neuro-typical, so they are going to continue home-schooling.

 

[Aladdin]

Anyone know any more on this?
I recently did a risk assessment online and even after my 2 vaccines I came out as very high risk.
But occ health are dithering. I really want to continue to work from home if possible.

 

[Supine]

I think you need to keep an eye on the total percentage of the population vaccinated. As a vulnerable group the key to long term safety for you is herd immunity. So anything that helps convince people to get vaccinated will be a good thing for you.

Pre-covid i presume you lived an ok life without worrying too much about other respiratory diseases. With herd immunity and periodic vaccination programs you should be able to go back to how that was for you.

 

[Supine]

And I should add, being double vaccinated you should hopefully be well positioned to fight off covid. Your immune system is ready to go (obviously some vulnerable groups can’t rely on this unfortunately)

 

[StoneRoad]

Both my home area, and that for my SiL now have a rash of cases from the B.1.217.2 variant.

This has made me draw in again - not that I had gone out very much at all, even though I'm double-jabbed and should, theoretically have about the max protection I'm going to develop.
OH has been suffering from Asthma and the after-affects of some cack-handed & rough dental work [extracting a broken and deformed wisdom tooth].
So: we've continued with on-line shopping, dis-infection & sanitising deliveries and reducing external contacts to the minimum.

SiL's have done similar in general terms.
OH was just starting to tutor the older great-kid in science etc - along with several other tutors. A lot of that has now been postponed, OH has said too big a risk for visits atm, but G-K can't sit still for long enough for on-line tutoring, just walks off for something more interesting.

But, I have to make two trips to work away from home in the next three weeks. Trips that have been postponed several times already ... not happy about the prospect !

 

[scifisam]

Anyone know any more on this?
I recently did a risk assessment online and even after my 2 vaccines I came out as very high risk.
But occ health are dithering. I really want to continue to work from home if possible.

Are there any other reasons you can continue to work from home? You've already proven you can do it.

 

[Aladdin]

Are there any other reasons you can continue to work from home? You've already proven you can do it.

.

 

[scifisam]

.

 

[Aladdin]

.

 

[Reno]

...

 

[scifisam]

.

 

[BillRiver]

.

 

[Aladdin]

.. tmi

 

[Aladdin]

...

Eh?

 

[Reno]

Eh?

I deleted my post, no need to make a thing of it.

 

[Aladdin]

I deleted my post, no need to make a thing of it.

Oh.. I'm not making anything of it at all.
I just thought I missed something.

That's no problem.

 

[Aladdin]

I think you need to keep an eye on the total percentage of the population vaccinated. As a vulnerable group the key to long term safety for you is herd immunity. So anything that helps convince people to get vaccinated will be a good thing for you.

Pre-covid i presume you lived an ok life without worrying too much about other respiratory diseases. With herd immunity and periodic vaccination programs you should be able to go back to how that was for you.

Pre covid I was medically immunosuppressed and regularly picked up every bug going as I work with children.
Have had multiple pneumonias and pleurisies and a common cold could have me out sick for at least 2 weeks and on abtibiotics regularly.

This past year working from home has been ironically infection free. No opportunistic infections at all. I've had over a year without needing antibiotics. Its been great in some ways.

I really don't think my status will change significantly. The vaccine I got will need a booster in late October / early Nov just in time to coincide with the flu vaccine.

 

[elbows]

I stuck this in a different thread yesterday but should probably have put it here.

Covid vaccines do work well in clinically vulnerable

A study of more than a million people shows those with other conditions get high protection from two doses.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[BillRiver]

I stuck this in a different thread yesterday but should probably have put it here.

Covid vaccines do work well in clinically vulnerable

A study of more than a million people shows those with other conditions get high protection from two doses.

www.bbc.co.uk

Although...

Public Health England accused of misleading cancer patients on Covid jab

 

[Aladdin]

Impact of immunosuppressants on COVID-19 vaccine response - PharmaTimes

Dr Daniel Streetman considers whether immunosuppressants can reduce the response to COVID-19 vaccines

www.pharmatimes.com

Looks like patients who take immunosuppression meds have a poorer response to the vaccines.

Azathioprine for example...

"Mycophenolate, Azathioprine

Mycophenolate inhibits de novo guanosine nucleotide synthesis, on which T- and B-lymphocytes are dependent. Azathioprine also blocks purine synthesis, though not with the same specificity for lymphocytes. Antibody response after the mRNA vaccine series was particularly low in solid organ transplant recipients who were receiving a regimen containing mycophenolate or azathioprine (32% vs. 82% in patients not receiving these agents). Similarly, several small studies have shown poor antibody response or vaccine response in both solid organ transplant and RMD patients receiving mycophenolate and/or azathioprine, sometimes as low as 27%.

Rheumatology guidelines recommend holding mycophenolate for one week after each vaccine dose when possible. This is specific to use of mycophenolate for CID/RMD, as temporarily holding mycophenolate may not be recommended in transplant recipients. No specific recommendations have been issued for adjustments to azathioprine."

 

[Aladdin]

Went and had an antibody test.
Result being very low antibodies after 2 vaccines.

So it took me some time to get someone to interpret this but basically its a very low response for a doubly vacc patient. Influenced by immunosuppressants.
And that among immunocompromised patients I am in the 7% that hit around the same mark.
Among non immunocompromised patients I'm in a 1% group.

So I'm still waiting for occ health to tell me what will happen as regards work.
Have to say....its bloody stressful waiting ..

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

What does this mean for people who already have neutropenia (a low neutrophil count)?
I don't take any immunosuppressants, but have a weak immune system anyway.
Is the vaccine efficiency effected by the immunosuppressants or is it just not as effective due to a low immune response?

 

[TopCat]

My physical health is quite good but I am still as lean as a picked bone and still avoid people indoors as much as possible.

I’m working from home a lot. Twice weekly testing.

My nephew and sister have it. My son recently got over it. Scary times.

 

[Aladdin]

What does this mean for people who already have neutropenia (a low neutrophil count)?
I don't take any immunosuppressants, but have a weak immune system anyway.
Is the vaccine efficiency effected by the immunosuppressants or is it just not as effective due to a low immune response?

I am afraid that I dont know.
I think it depends on how your immune system responded to vaccination. The only way to know is to have an antibody test. And then have your dr assess your own situation.

 

[Aladdin]

What does this mean for people who already have neutropenia (a low neutrophil count)?
I don't take any immunosuppressants, but have a weak immune system anyway.
Is the vaccine efficiency effected by the immunosuppressants or is it just not as effective due to a low immune response?

I had my recent blood test result.
My neutrophils are 0.8 which is below normal range.
Am wondering if its the result of the covid vaccine.