Is our BCG vaccination keeping many of us safe?

The Times today have an interesting article suggesting that the BCG vaccination may have saved THE BALKANS from the worst of the coronavirus. Although the country is close to Italy they have not had anything like the number of deaths. The population of the former Yugoslavia is 22 million, they have had 21,145 confirmed cases of the disease and 775 deaths despite the region’s close proximity to Italy and a creaking healthcare system.
Because Yugoslavia suffered endemic tuberculosis and a smallpox outbreak many years ago, they rolled out a vaccination programme. In 1949 the BCG vaccination was made mandatory for all people under the age of 25. In recent times, they have had several rounds of inoculation programmes which include Rabies vaccines.

The anti vaccine movement began in the Uk and US in the 1990’s and has arrived in The Balkans in the past few years.

Randomised controlled trials of the effects of BCG on covid 19 are now being carried out in the Netherlands and Australia, where Bill Gstes has donated $10 million to the research through his foundation.

Thought you might be interested in this update.

NB. Italy and US did not vaccinate for TB
Catalonia in Spain did but nowhere else
Portugal rolled out the vaccination as did UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia ,
Yugoslavia and others.

This was covered on another post not long ago

Yes, I posted it! But reading about the Balkans today gave me more hope that the theory is spot on. We all had our vaccinations many years ago so perhaps if confronted with covid 19, we might be able to fight it. Isn’t that what we want to believe?

A lot of people in the UK did not have the opportunity to have the BCG JAB I never had it but have had the Flu jab ever since it came out

Only thing is it's the older population in general that are harder hit and are they not the ones who had BCG,I know in Ireland all my children had it the youngest been 24.. I had in UK in the 60s.

Yes, the older genera didn’t get the vaccination unless they served in the armed forces, then they were inoculated against everything!
The programme was rolled out in 1953 both in the UK and Ireland for all people aged under 25. It was mandatory for school children to get it.

Why did you not get it JPEG?

You got a 5 needle test before they gave you the jag. If the marks didn't go away ( or it might have been if they did go away) one or the other, you didn't get the jag. But I'm sure that meant you didn't need it because you were immune.

Hi...as mentioned in the last discussion regarding BCG etc...The WHO advised that the probable immunity in regard of BGC was about 15 years...that said however maybe some residual immunity may help against Covid 19...I expect we must all have to wait and see.

I am hoping that the WHO are being over cautious! I want to believe that the theory is sound. It makes me feel safer.

I didn't get the TB jab, I was 4 in 1953.

I did however get TB when was 70 and was cleared eventually.. ... But having TB (or TB antibodies) does not mean you can't catch it again..

But if it makes you feel safer, fine.. but still don't take chances..

..