To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm even going for a vaccine. Here in my state (Sao Paulo, Brazil), they are most likely going for the chinese vaccine, and there's a lot of controverse going on.

I've been following the development of covid vaccines since it began early last year, in particular the two that my country will be using, the Oxford and Pfizer vaccines. Given the choice I'd go with Pfizer but I'm more likely to get the Oxford shot as Australia has ordered more of Oxford's shot due to cost and ease of distribution.

I'll still be more than happy to get either, in fact I am really looking forward to getting my shot. So far, reports of side effects seem well within the acceptable range and almost all minor. Given the risk of death and long lasting damage from covid itself, I'd much rather take the vaccine.

Brazil has ordered millions of shots from CoronaVac, the chinese vaccine, and there's a lot of outrage from people that don't trust it. But it looks like we're going to get some of Oxford too.

The CoronaVac is also being made by Butantan, a brazilian institute, so it makes things easier. Still, I'm not sure if I would take this vaccine.

Well, the """"""outrage"""""" is only stemming from the president and his followers, and only because it comes from China; they're paranoid that China is trying to implant a microchip or something like that. You know, typical red scare conspiracy bullshit.

I'm also pretty sure that the vaccines will be mandatory in São Paulo for those with no history of allergies to previous vaccines, so you'll probably not have much of a choice. The only way you'll skip it is for a time while the government struggles trying to buy syringes.

I'll be the first to criticize Dória, governor of São Paulo, but at least he's doing something to try and save lives. Even if he's just doing it to try and get elected president in the next elections, at least he's doing something. Our genocidal sitting president is actively trying to prevent anyone from doing something against covid, in the name of hydroxychloroquine. ffs

I trust health regulatory agencies enough to take any vaccine approved by them. But I don't know of any place that will give you the choice of which vaccine to take, so anyone's answer to that is kinda irrelevant.

I'm probably gonna be able to get my vaccine a bit earlier than others, maybe as soon as March. I don't really care which one I get. I trust the EMA and German authorities in their approval of whatever gets put into my body. There is no point in letting a layman choose anyway. This isn't the US where every moron can recommend specific prescription drug to their doctor because he saw it on TV.

The Chinese vaccine's "fifty percent" claims apply to the whole spectrum. The vaccine actually affected symptomatic patients with little issue and eliminated the disease altogether, so if anything, it seems to simply make the patients asymptomatic instead of immune. 

This may actually be the way to go: herd immunity could actually be achieved if the disease is allowed to propagate but is essentially devoid of teeth and cannot harm anyone. 

I mean, it's certainly already better than the horror that is the Pfizer vaccine applications. They've made a circus out of those. Even then, best is what I like to call the "Brexit vaccine" that doesn't need freezing and works with one shot. Also, no big pharma involved. 

Pfizer shot is 94% effective, but must be stored at very low temperatures.
Oxford shot is only 62% effective and can be stored and transported at room temperature.

In trails Oxford showed 62% in one dosing regimen and 90% in another, the two averaged out to 70%.

Weekly update, stagnation (good)

Sadly some macabre milestones were reached as well, over 2 million total reported deaths, Europe now over 600K, USA over 400K and close to 100K more deaths in a single week.

Last week a total of 4.95 million new cases were reported (slightly down from 4.98 million) to a total of 94,284,069
Also a record 95,718 more deaths were reported (up from 86,430) to a total of 2,016,632

Europe and USA are pretty much doing the same, growth slowed, USA down a bit, hopefully peaks reached.

The continents

North America reported 1.85 million new cases (down from 2.02 million) and 32,521 more deaths (up from 28,763)
Europe reported 1.63 million new cases (slightly down from 1.65 million) and 37,220 more deaths (up from 34,230)
South America reported 665K new cases (up from 551K) and 11,590 more deaths (up from 10,174)
Asia reported 577K new cases (slightly up from 558K) and 8,192 more deaths (up from 7,920)
Africa reported 222K new cases (up from 201K) and 6,191 more deaths (up from 5,335)
Oceania reported 571 new cases and 4 deaths

Corners of the world

USA reported 1.65 million new cases (down from 1.84 million) and 23,707 more deaths (up from 21,704)
Brazil reported 378K new cases (up from 315K) and 6,749 more deaths (up from 6,101)
India reported 111K new cases (down from 129K) and 1,295 more deaths (down from 1,630)
South Africa reported 119K new cases (slightly up from 119K) and 4,042 more deaths (up from 3,538)

Canada reported 51.4K new cases (down from 61.7K) and 1,022 deaths (1,101 last week)
Iran reported 43.8K new cases (up from 43.1K) and 603 deaths (681 last week)
Japan reported 43.9K new cases (up from 30.9K) and 458 deaths (397 last week)
South Korea reported 3.88K new cases (down from 5.59K) and 136 deaths (164 last week)

Australia reported 94 new cases, no deaths
China locked down another city and is counting the damage

Europe in detail

We could have finally reached the actual 2nd peak, or it just appears so due to inflated post holiday numbers last week.
One to look out for is Spain, suddenly posting very high numbers (yet they keep adjusting them into the past like Sweden, hence not up to date) Today Spain posted just over 40K cases, in 4th after USA, Brazil and UK.