Hi Katie -I hope all is well.

I am thinking I will take it if I can get it. And keep going with the other measures as well and stay home as much as I can. The stay healthy rituals all seem to work together and may not be 100% but do help. I take the flu shot every year and it helps boost my immune system too.

I'll also check with my doc and see what he says about it for me.

I sure hope we all get consistent messages from our medical professionals. Of course everyone's situation is different, but it's going to be unnerving if some rheumatologists are adamant that the vaccines are a bad idea for people with autoimmune issues.

Thing are going well, thank you for asking - I hope you're well, too!

It's pretty open and shut regarding any vaccine - covid, flu. etc:

If it is a LIVE vaccine, those of us on immunospuressant therepy cannot take it. If it is NOT live, then the risk of getting the illness is far greater than ANY risk of the vaccine itself.

"Inactivated vaccines use a killed (inactive) version of the germ that causes a disease. This kind of vaccine causes an immune response but not infection."

Flu vaccines have not been live for many years and from what I understand neither is the COVID vaccine.

"If Pfizer and BioNTech’s trial continues to go well, their vaccine could be the first of its kind to reach the market. Unlike many other available vaccines, it’s not a live virus that has been weakened, a virus that has been killed, nor a signature viral protein that can dupe cells into producing protective antibodies." https://qz.com/1931483/is-the-pfizer-vaccine-a-live-virus/

Check with you doctor.

I would like to take a COVID vaccine, but not enough research and testing has been done yet, IMHO.

Besides, Canada has no capacity to manufacturer a vaccine, and Trudeau is at the back of the line for buying from other countries.

Likely, the vaccine won't be given till as late as Sept. 2021. That will be time it can be tested and refined, I hope.

Meanwhile, I isolate in my home. No Christmas with the family! Sigh!

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use a technique called mRNA, which is very cool. No worry about live vaccines here.

https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/10/the-story-of-mrna-how-a-once-dismissed-idea-became-a-leading-technology-in-the-covid-vaccine-race/?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=email

Astrazeneca uses modified genetic material from the virus.

https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/23/astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-is-70-effective-on-average-early-data-show/

I'll jump at a chance for the mRNA vaccines.

I am watching how things are going with the vaccines. I am happy some people are getting it across the water . I was encouraged to see the first recipients, and I cheered along with them. But we still have to do all the other safety things to help it work even when we have it available to us. For some reason, I feel like a heavy dark weight has been lifted so I am hoping and praying for this tough chapter to close and for a brighter day ahead and that this test will never be repeated ever again.

Hope. :Let's keep looking forward to the future and don't get tired of the extra steps we have to take. Take care

Since the first shots in Britain yesterday, I have heard there were 2 people who went into anaphylactic shock. Also, someone told me their rheumatologist told them not to get it, being immuno-suppressed.

And so the misinformation starts! Oh well, Trudeau did manage to get enough vaccines for 125,000 people. I won't be one of those. But I am so tired of staying home. I need to buy socks!

I cannot imagine a rheumy saying that about an inacctive vaccine.

I was onboard and looking forward to it, until I read this:

"What Happened Other Times a Vaccine Was Rushed?"
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20201013/what-happed-other-times-a-vaccine-was-rushed

I choose to remain hopeful.

I have active RA, which has no cure, but thank God for the people who put their minds into making biologics - and helping others (me) get to a better quality of life. On balance, many people did not respond to the medicines, and many people were sickened and some died also. But most of us on this forum are now taking one of the many biologics, injectables or other affective medicines that has helped us with our condition, which without treatment, some of us would not even still be here.

Covid is much more deadly than RA and people are sick and dying all over the world because of it. I know that the vaccine is a work in progress, and not everyone will benefit from it, but it is a huge start and many people need help right now.

So I don't know how many people have gotten the vaccines but I think more people had a positive reaction than those that had a negative reaction - and we will find out more about the other effects as we go - I am sure.

In the meantime, we can ask our doctors for guidance, and in the end, it is your free choice to participate or not. I would like to participate, because both my hubby who is 68 and had a major stroke last year and my autistic son they are both diabetic and I have multiple chronic health issues but I still have to do the health care and cooking shopping and cleaning in the my home.

My position has been ordered by my circumstances.

Our chief medical doctor in BC has said absolutely no COVID vaccine for anyone on immune suppressing drugs. I guess there are so many other people who need it, that aren't immune compromised, like we are. We do have shortages of the vaccine, and I won't get into the Canadian politics going in with that one.

Meanwhile, they have found some of our meds actually stop COVID. There was a big article on how Actemra was stopping the cytokine storms, and people on Actemra were just have mild cases. Just my luck that Actemra is one of the few biologics I couldn't tolerate.

I'm glad to be living with low rates of the virus. I haven't been out in weeks, although the sun came out last week and I walked 1.2 km. I decided I have to push through the pain, unless I am making it worse.

So has anyone had the vaccine yet?

I'm in Florida and the vaccine isn't available to me yet. It is only for 65 and over and healthcare workers at this time. My county has a website that lets you sign up for an appointment so there are no huge lines. I went out to the doctor on Friday and blood tests on Thursday. I have a KN95 mask for those outings. Florida is hitting peak infection with the mutated strain also mixed in. Otherwise, I'm staying home. I take Hydroxychloroquine and Rinvoq, so I feel like I may already be on meds that would make it a lighter case. Rinvoq is a JAK and I was reading studies out of France that showed some JAKs were working, although WG is also on a JAK and got COVID.

So you are making a decision based on one person’s opinion? You realize this “vaccine “ is experimental and people are dying from it? Seriously look it up if you don’t believe me. It’s plain as day on the VEARS reporting Syst.

Seriously. Plain as day.

"The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database contains information on unverified reports of adverse events (illnesses, health problems and/or symptoms) following immunization with US-licensed vaccines. Reports are accepted from anyone and can be submitted electronically at www.vaers.hhs.gov."

I was OK wiht it once I learn it was NOT LIVE vaccine.

But now I have conflicting info. I had covid. Diagnosed 12/20. Primary says go ahead and get it but CDC to wait 90 days after having it.

I will probably wait since supplies are low and appointments are a major challenge to get where i live (NJ).

** Are you guys able to get it??

Here in New Zealand we are going to be able to be vaccinated soon, personally I think that we should allow the countries which are being devastated by covid to access it first.
I also have reservations about these vaccines being rushed through with long term effects unsure. I will hold off but then I can afford to, if I was somewhere that covid is rampant I might feel differently.