@Goth_Girl, you can certainly choose not to have it. But do your own risk assessment. Do you think you’ve already had COVID-19? You may have some existing level of immunity if so (We don’t know how long that lasts, but antibody studies suggest it will be less than a year). If your personal level of risk is low (age under 50, no other risk factors), is there anyone at increased risk in your family that you need to protect? Given that when you catch it you will be infectious for 3 days before developing any symptoms, and indeed might not develop any symptoms at all, is your job or other circumstances such that you are likely to transmit the virus to at-risk people?
If you’re comfortable with all of that, stay unvaccinated. After all, you can change your mind at any time.
I think you may have to factor in that a lot of the choices this government has made during the last year were not the best ones.
I don’t envy the government and the decisions they’ve had to make.
While I may not agree with all of them, trying to balance risk of infection with the economy and people’s mental health can’t be easy and they’re never going to please everyone 
So sorry to hear that @Goth_Girl, I’m glad you got to spend time with her 
I’m not sure it’s meant to be about pleasing people. But realising that the government hasn’t perhaps risen to the occasion may explain a lot of the points @Cupc8kes raised.
Like mixing over Christmas. Was it okay because the virus isn’t that deadly after all, or was it just a bad idea? Same for international travel, Eat Out to Help Out, out patients in care homes, football matches, and so on.
@Cupc8kes this virus wasn’t ‘produced’. Viruses jump from animals to humans (and vice versa) all the time. It’s what they do.
@Ian_Chimp has it right - decisions made by politicians are just that, political. They don’t always make scientific sense. I agree many of the restrictions were not well thought out, but
what they did was slow transmission just enough to buy us the time to develop treatments and vaccines. The lockdowns and masks weren’t ever going to ‘prevent’ the disease. That’s nonsense.
I’m so sorry to hear about your mum @Goth_Girl, 
So sorry about your Mum @Goth_Girl , I think we can all definitely agree cancer sucks. I’m glad you got to spend some time with her despite 2020.
Those are excellent questions 
I wish they were asked more often. We don’t yet have definitive answers to some of them as the actual research has yet to be done, but this is what I would expect:
Being vaccinated won’t stop you from passively transmitting virus. That is, if an infected person coughs or sneezes on their hand and shakes hands with you, and you then shake hands with someone else, virus on your hands could still be passed to that other person.
Whether being vaccinated will completely prevent you from being infected or will only reduce the severity of the infection depends on the strength of your own immune response, how long since you were vaccinated, and how many doses you had. Research is still ongoing but so far one dose produces a strong and highly specific response in most people that lasts 3-5 months. The second dose provides much longer lasting immunity, we think for up to a year (because the immune system remembers the previous exposure). Do you need a booster every year to maintain an adequate level of immunity to prevent infection? We don’t know yet. Maybe.
I accidentally hit reply here so I’ll continue in another post.
I am old enough to have had Measles before there was a vaccine, it was no picnic for me or my brother.
For all you doubters just look at India.
My birthday discount was 20% not 40% is that right? And how long do I have to use it? Sorry/Thanks 
(Didn’t want to derail the happy birthday thread)
@Very-Ape from memory I think it depends if you’re an unlimited member or not; or it used to - I’m happy to be corrected though!
EDIT: Also from memory I think it’s a month. It’s been nearly a year since I got mine 
Aaah yeah I thought that might be the case, I’m just not in the cool gang 
ooooh a month is good thank youuu
We also do not yet know how effective or long-lasting natural immunity is (the sort you get after recovering from a COVID-19 infection). Best guess at the moment is that this natural protection lasts about 5 months, although it could be longer. Vaccination is extremely effective at preventing viremia (live COVID-19 virus particles in the blood). However, some vaccinated people can still carry low levels of live virus in their nasal cavity or airways, even though it doesn’t make them sick. The levels of virus are much lower than in nonvaccinated infected people, but there could still be a (small) risk of passing the infection on.
In this context, halting community transmission of COVID-19 will require 25-50% of the population to be immune at any time.
Yes @WillC people have forgotten just how dangerous measles was - they think the mild infection a few people can still get after being vaccinated is the real thing. Full-blown measles caused permanent deafness, blindness, encephalitis and brain damage in a proportion of the children who became infected. it’s a terrible disease. I am old enough to remember that, too.
@Silkyhat you evidently know a great deal about viruses ect. I have had both jabs and feel very pleased to have had them. I know I could still get the virus but hopefully with less problems. I watched the programme last night about the jab and although some money has been wasted I think the experts have managed things very well.
Lots of serious talk today but if anyone fancies a cocktail 
the Bar is open. 3 drink limit I’m afraid as it is a school day but all welcome and place your orders!
@Peitho
Tropical Orgasm sounds 
I thought so too - my top choice! Thankfully this is a Bar where the bar staff get to drink as well 
I know what I’ve said might upset some people and that’s generally why I normally keep my opinions to myself! Wasn’t my intention to upset anyone so I apologise. I wasn’t intentionally trying to upset anyone! It’s the reason I do wear a mask in shops etc as I’m not selfish and would never want anyone to feel at unease around me should I not wear a mask! I’ve deleted a few friends on social media through preaching about it all being a hoax and a means to control us! That’s not my belief at all!
Oooh can I please have a Tropical Orgasm leading to Death by Sex under a Full Moon please @Peitho?
Mmmm and cheers!