[Aunt Sally]

That won’t necessarily take us back to normal, John.

You need about 80% of people to be successfully vaccinated to give herd immunity.  Lots of people including anti vaxxers and a lot of younger people just won’t have it done or be bothered enough about others.

[mumofstig]

Selfish, I know, but at least if I myself have been vaccinated, I'll be fairly safe resuming my normal life-style.

[James frond]

I think we should remember that the important thing is to avoid being infected or infecting. Being on the wrong side of 50 (by a larger margin than I wish) -

I won't consider myself old until i can no longer use my spade, mind you I've got a stainless one now so it should give me a few extra years!.. A vaccination would be nice, but until then I'll talk to my neighbouring plot holders from the otherside of the patch.
They all get it, but it can be easy to forget when one of them comes up to you waggling a courgette. 

[Aunt Sally]

Selfish, I know, but at least if I myself have been vaccinated, I'll be fairly safe resuming my normal life-style.

Probably. No vaccine is totally effective as we know from flu vaccination, I’ve had a jab for years but still caught flu in 2018.  But whatever it’s efficacy it will be safer than not being vaccinated !

[mumofstig]

They don't always put the right 'strains' of flu in the vaccine, do they? Perhaps you caught it the year they got it totally wrong   
My theory, for what it's worth, for Boris trying to get everyone to have a flu jab this year - is that some of the previous cold/flu strains were coronavirus-types and could help give some immunity (some being better than none  )

[Aunt Sally]

I think your right there, mum. 

I think it’s the ‘can’t be bothereds’ and the ‘not on your nellies’ that will cause the renewed spikes.

I have my name down on a COVID-19 vaccine trial, if I’m needed (demographically).

[Mr Dog]

They don't always put the right 'strains' of flu in the vaccine, do they? Perhaps you caught it the year they got it totally wrong   
My theory, for what it's worth, for Boris trying to get everyone to have a flu jab this year - is that some of the previous cold/flu strains were coronavirus-types and could help give some immunity (some being better than none  )

Flu's not caused by a coronavirus mum. Some common colds (and other respiratory diseases) are but it's worth rembering there is, as yet, no vaccine for any of the coronaviruses that infect humans. A flu jab will offer no protection against catching CV-19 at all. The idea of a wider flu vaccination effort is to help free up NHS resources to deal with an expected CV surge during the flu season and try to minimise the number of folk getting a double whammy of flu and CV at the same time.

[mumofstig]

They don't always put the right 'strains' of flu in the vaccine, do they? Perhaps you caught it the year they got it totally wrong   
My theory, for what it's worth, for Boris trying to get everyone to have a flu jab this year - is that some of the previous cold/flu strains were coronavirus-types and could help give some immunity (some being better than none  )

Flu's not caused by a coronavirus mum. Some common colds (and other respiratory diseases) are but it's worth rembering there is, as yet, no vaccine for any of the coronaviruses that infect humans. A flu jab will offer no protection against catching CV-19 at all. The idea of a wider flu vaccination effort is to help free up NHS resources to deal with an expected CV surge during the flu season and try to minimise the number of folk getting a double whammy of flu and CV at the same time.

Mmm..... my comment about previous colds/flu type illnesses, giving some immunity still stands, though   

[Mr Dog]

They don't always put the right 'strains' of flu in the vaccine, do they? Perhaps you caught it the year they got it totally wrong   
My theory, for what it's worth, for Boris trying to get everyone to have a flu jab this year - is that some of the previous cold/flu strains were coronavirus-types and could help give some immunity (some being better than none  )

Flu's not caused by a coronavirus mum. Some common colds (and other respiratory diseases) are but it's worth rembering there is, as yet, no vaccine for any of the coronaviruses that infect humans. A flu jab will offer no protection against catching CV-19 at all. The idea of a wider flu vaccination effort is to help free up NHS resources to deal with an expected CV surge during the flu season and try to minimise the number of folk getting a double whammy of flu and CV at the same time.

Mmm..... my comment about previous colds/flu type illnesses, giving some immunity still stands, though   

You do keep some flu immunity for the different strains although they do mutate slowing the body's response - vaccination helps remind the body so it can get to work quicker. Some recently published research on immunity to other coronaviruses suggests that natural immunity starts to drop off around 3 months after the infection and after around 3 years you're likely to be fully susceptible again! I'd imagine that if/when vaccines are available we'll need regular boosters and possibly a couple of different flavours to boot.

[James frond]

A flu jab this winter could avoid the 'double wammy' as previously mentioned.
It would be asking a lot from a persons body, to have to recover from flu AND CV19 in the same year .
The flu jab is a no brainer this time round.

[mumofstig]

You do keep some flu immunity for the different strains although they do mutate slowing the body's response - vaccination helps remind the body so it can get to work quicker. Some recently published research on immunity to other coronaviruses suggests that natural immunity starts to drop off around 3 months after the infection and after around 3 years you're likely to be fully susceptible again! I'd imagine that if/when vaccines are available we'll need regular boosters and possibly a couple of different flavours to boot.

It seems from published papers that it is actually the body's T-cells that 'remember' past Coronavirus 'cold' infections, and respond very quickly to this new Coronavirus, rather than needing actual antibodies to respond, which could explain those people who are getting only mild symptoms.

[John]

It seems from published papers that it is actually the body's T-cells that 'remember' past Coronavirus 'cold' infections, and respond very quickly to this new Coronavirus, rather than needing actual antibodies to respond, which could explain those people who are getting only mild symptoms.

With the amount of tea I drink, I should be immune!
Sorry, I'll get me coat...

[Subversive_plot]

Flu's not caused by a coronavirus mum. Some common colds (and other respiratory diseases) are but it's worth rembering there is, as yet, no vaccine for any of the coronaviruses that infect humans. A flu jab will offer no protection against catching CV-19 at all. The idea of a wider flu vaccination effort is to help free up NHS resources to deal with an expected CV surge during the flu season and try to minimise the number of folk getting a double whammy of flu and CV at the same time.

The way that I have heard it explained agrees 100% with what you said.  It is all about staying as healthy as possible so that flu patients and COVID patients are not competing for resources.  Also, at least some of the symptoms overlap, if you are sick with the flu, you might be more inclined to need testing to be certain it is not COVID.  And yes - the double whammy option is possible (AFAIK), and would be very bad.

The beauty of observing social distancing, wearing a mask, hand washing, etc. is that you are less likely to transmit (or conversely become infected by) either virus.

[snowdrops]

They don't always put the right 'strains' of flu in the vaccine, do they? Perhaps you caught it the year they got it totally wrong   
My theory, for what it's worth, for Boris trying to get everyone to have a flu jab this year - is that some of the previous cold/flu strains were coronavirus-types and could help give some immunity (some being better than none  )

It’s not that the right strains of flu aren’t “put into the the vaccine “ it’s that the “flu” virus mutates at a truly amazing speed. This is what they’re hoping the Covid 19 won’t do as then we’ll never get on top of it. I wouldn’t be surprised if vaccination for it will become mandatory! It is certainly a possibility, not that I will need any persuasion.

[Aunt Sally]

The anti vaxxers would raise hell if it was mandatory.  I don't think it could be enforced.