Astrazeneca vaccine suspended..... Not proven to be linked to the jab yet, but investigations are ongoing *title edited by GNHQ*

Gannygangan
why is AZ now being referred to as the British vaccine
Probably because it was developed by a British scientist in a British university.

The vaccine roll out is very slow here any way now it's almost ground to a halt unless you are over 75 or have a pre-existing condition.

If a link was found I guess it could be listed as a possible rare side effects, like for the hormonal drugs.

Paris and other big cities are flying sick people to other places for hospital treatment. There are also specially equipped trains to move patients, Limoges has taken Covid patients from Paris. It's not getting any better in areas of high population.

Germany, France, Italy and Spain (not sure if the Netherlands are still on hold or are they now happy with it?) have said they would temporarily stop administering the vaccine until the conclusion of an investigation by the European Medicines Agency, which will hold a preliminary meeting today.

I heard Dr Chris Smith on radio this morning being interviewed about the AZ vaccine. He is a consultant virologist and immunologist at Cambridge. I’ve seen him regularly for the past year on various tv programmes.

He said if there is a blood clot risk with the AZ it is absolutely “miniscule” ( He wasn’t convinced by the research that there was a risk) Whereas there is a 30% risk of blood clots and pulmonary embolism for anyone with a significant bout of covid.

I felt very reassured by what he said.

"A report by Esurance found that 77% of drivers have been in at least one accident. Your chances of getting into a car accident during a 1,000-mile trip are 1 in 366. Car insurance estimates that the average driver will file an insurance claim for an auto collision once every 17.9 years."
www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=What+%25age+of+car+users+have+accidents%3F

and "While the risk of dying in a road accident in any year in the UK approaches 1 in 20,000, the lifetime risk is 1 in 240." www.bandolier.org.uk/booth/Risk/trasnsportpop.html

The causal link between a violent collision and death is self-evident. What is reported with the 30 or so cases of blood clots in the news at the moment is that they happened a few days after a vaccination - that is a timing link, not a causal one.

The number of people having a thrombolytic event after the AZ vaccine jab seems to be about 30 in more than 17 million. My ancient calculator says that could be around one in 566,667 - one in more than half a million.

Which of these worries you more? A minute chance of a reaction to a vaccine which is LESS than the chance of the same reaction following tghe disease that the vaccine protects you from, or a risk of 1 in 240 of dying in a car accident at some point in your life?

Which have you decided to avoid - having a CoVid jab or ever setting foot in a car?

Elegran it is rather like people saying they won't visit Australia because they are terrified of being bitten by a spider, snake or crocodile whereas they are more likely to be injured or killed in a RTA.

OnwardandUpward

Scrub that ^ I just found his story (Dr Gregory Michael) and he died of Immune thrombocytopenia after the Pfizer Vaccine. It was this blood clotting failure that caused a brain haemorrhage.

It seems that reactions are rare but that they can happen.

Yes, OnwardandUpward exactly, it is ITP. It can happen after vaccines. A poster on here brushed it off as like little red spots when I mentioned it, but I was the one who saw black and blue bruises all over the baby and who accompanied him to hospital to learn about it. Then to be told he musn't play contact sports or fly. It is serious.

What you said is correct Elegran but how many people will actually think about the causal link?
Now the headlines are out there about some European countries temporarily pausing in their AZ vaccine rollout, will too many people not bother to look behind the headlines?

If too many people here and in Europe get the idea fixed in their minds that covid vaccines cause blood clots it would be a disaster.

Sadly people will be refusing the AZ and ask for the Pfizer or similar (if at all) creating huge problems. Let’s hope in some clear answers soon.

Just had a phone call from my brother in law in Germany aged
80 jab appointment 4 weeks time.

sodapop

The vaccine roll out is very slow here any way now it's almost ground to a halt unless you are over 75 or have a pre-existing condition.

A quarter of a million people were vaccinated yesterday.

OnwardandUpward

Scrub that ^ I just found his story (Dr Gregory Michael) and he died of Immune thrombocytopenia after the Pfizer Vaccine. It was this blood clotting failure that caused a brain haemorrhage.

It seems that reactions are rare but that they can happen.

Has a causal link been proven? It hadn't been in the articles I found.

I should think it’s difficult to prove a causal link if the blood clot event takes place a few days after the vaccination.

Thank you Elegran for researched and balanced post. If only the European politicians would read your post they would see the facts and the truth.

I’m not convinced that this episode isn’t political, but whether it is or it isn’t, I hope European politicians understand that many more people will die of Covid as a direct result of this pause. Are they happy to accept higher numbers of Covid deaths? Far more people will die of Covid than the tiny numbers who have died possibly as a result of the vaccine.

Surely the administration of the vaccine is the greater good.

EMA to make a statement this afternoon.

NellG

If any of you ever used/use the pill, implants, injections for birth control, or are on HRT, did you worry about the much more likely increased chance of clots? If the answer is no then don't fret too much about the vaccine. If it was worth the risk to stop a baby and a hot flush, it's worth the lesser risk to save your own life and that of others.

Quite, NellG. Two of our family members in their early 40s, with no underlying conditions, have had their jabs this week. They’re not of an age where they’re likely to have a serious outcome if they do get Covid, but didn’t hesitate.

We’re just delighted that the vaccine rollout is going so well.

Just heard on BBC news EMA meeting to discuss on Thursday, no rush then.

Sorry maddyone I live in France, didn't make that clear though.

Sorry soda I didn’t realise. Presumably you’re anxious to get your vaccine. I hope it’s soon for you.

Firstly, I've had the AZ vaccine and I trust it implicitly. Secondly AZ are supplying their vaccine at cost price whilst the other companies are making a profit. Given that the 3rd world will be a huge market for and anti Coronavirus vaccine a very great deal of money is at stake. Lobbyists have been known to influence Governments.
The WHO and many other influential scientific bodies have declared the AZ vaccine safe please do not be put off having it by scaremongering.

So if as a Brit living abroad with a British passport and an NHS number, could you get yourself over to the UK for an AZ jab?

LauraNorder

Just heard on BBC news EMA meeting to discuss on Thursday, no rush then.

Not really accurate. EMA are currently actively reviewing all the evidence and will announce their conclusions on Thursday.

European Medicines regulator spokesperson says she is convinced that benefits of using AZ vaccine far outweigh possible side effects and yet Spain have decided on a two week delay!

TBH it is on my mind as I had a DVT 40 years ago caused by the contraceptive pill and phlebitis during both pregnancies. I have an appointment for my first vaccination tomorrow and am still going.