"It’s not about feeling safer, it’s about not giving others Covid" - Reader's share their thoughts on a booster jab and if it would make them feel safer

The nation's most vulnerable groups will be offered a booster jab from September in an attempt to ease winter healthcare pressures ahead of time. We asked our readers’ if they felt that this would make them feel safer.
By Christopher Hallam
Published 9th Aug 2021, 15:24 BST
Updated 9th Aug 2021, 15:32 BST
CARMARTHEN, WALES - APRIL 07: A nurse prepares the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, at the West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen, on April 7, 2021 in Carmarthen, Wales. Moderna, the third vaccine to be approved for use in the UK, is to be given to patients in Wales from Wednesday. Five thousand doses of the vaccine were sent to vaccination centres in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area on Tuesday. The vaccine's approval by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was announced on January 8. The UK has bought 17 million doses of the Moderna jab enough for 8.5 million people. (Photo by Jacob King - WPA Pool/Getty Images)CARMARTHEN, WALES - APRIL 07: A nurse prepares the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, at the West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen, on April 7, 2021 in Carmarthen, Wales. Moderna, the third vaccine to be approved for use in the UK, is to be given to patients in Wales from Wednesday. Five thousand doses of the vaccine were sent to vaccination centres in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area on Tuesday. The vaccine's approval by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was announced on January 8. The UK has bought 17 million doses of the Moderna jab enough for 8.5 million people. (Photo by Jacob King - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
CARMARTHEN, WALES - APRIL 07: A nurse prepares the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, at the West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen, on April 7, 2021 in Carmarthen, Wales. Moderna, the third vaccine to be approved for use in the UK, is to be given to patients in Wales from Wednesday. Five thousand doses of the vaccine were sent to vaccination centres in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area on Tuesday. The vaccine's approval by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was announced on January 8. The UK has bought 17 million doses of the Moderna jab enough for 8.5 million people. (Photo by Jacob King - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Here are a selection of their comments on the matter:

Sandra Jane Flinders says that she “was feeling a bit safer after having 2 jabs but I will definitely have a booster as this virus will probably manifest and I think the covid jab will need to be every year like the flu jab and it will need to be tweaked every year.”

Paul Haslam replied directly to Sandra Jane, “a common sense reply at last!! I thank you. Someone that accepts the earth isn’t flat at last! We are all in this together! I also feel safer having my 2. But it was said from day one that the protection was time limited so a booster is no surprise. However, I’d be more comfortable if it was available to a much wider audience. There is time yet for things to change?”

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Another one of the commentators, Beki Bryan, said that she was “Double vaccinated but will happily have a booster no different at this point to having the flu jab. I predict the covid jab will become as commonplace as flu jab in years to come.”

Helen Lilley responded, saying that “getting both original jabs would make me feel safer, they seem to have forgotten about those of us who are housebound due to other long term illnesses meaning we are too unwell to get to vaccination centres and under 40 so not allowed to have astrazeneca.”

But like much of the topic of debate around anything related to vaccines or Covid, opinions were split or vehemently opposed.

Sammie Shelton added her thoughts, “So a flu jab can stay affective for 1 year but 2 vaccines within spaces off weeks and then a booster too all within a year? I’ll be sticking to my 2!” to which she received a reply from Eugene Solomon, who responding saying, “Covid's not flu, though, Sammie. It's not even 'like' flu, no matter what the tinfoil tools say. Different virus, different treatments needed. Owt that helps is a good thing.”

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Some people were pretty miffed, if also in some cases quite misunderstanding as to how most vaccines seem to work. But some people were just firmly of the opinion that they still felt uncomfortable with having the vaccine at all.

Wayne Bullen says that he “was under the impression that being double jabbed was meant to protect you to a certain degree. Now you have to have a booster. What an utter joke. Just a plot by the Govt to see how many folk they can control more like. 0 jabs is enough for me.”

Janice Savage Marples added her heated thoughts, “I thought having 2 jabs was supposed to keep you safe now a booster jab what a bloody joke Sick to bloody death of it all 2 steps forward and a bloody thousand back. And same with our holiday it’s one big bloody mess”

“No, not really”, said Nathan Youdan, “only getting my jabs out of respect for everyone around me. I want normality like the rest of us”

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And, Shaun Brothwell said “Booster jab or no travel, booster jab or no job, booster jab or no life, this isn't ending. Imagine there was no daily death count or constant propaganda from the media, we would all be carrying on as normal.”

Meanwhile, Julie Denman queried “Why do we need a booster if the jab supposedly works.” And Tina Fellows said, “No jabs for me thank you.” A reply that garnered a bit of a supporting response from a number of our readers.

Finally, Tina Sampson commented that she “will be having the booster when it is offered to me, it’s not about feeling safer it’s about not giving others Covid.”