Astra Zeneca Vaccine

Thanks everyone for putting risk into perspective.

Absolutely foxie, there's no question of opting out for the majority of us, but once a group is singled out like "young women" or people with "blood disorders" they cannot help but be concerned.
As someone said on this thread they want to avoid another potential episode or problem. That is understandable.
I speak as someone who saw ITP come on with a child's routine vaccination.

No pre testing? There were thousands of tests carried out on the AZ vaccine. Equally literally millions of people have no had the vaccine globally. The risks of Covid are much greater as has been pointed out. Then there's long Covid which is a real issue for many.

I think the poster who mentioned no pre testing was thinking along the same lines as I was on another thread. Meaning no pre testing of the patient to be vaccinated to ascertain if they had a low platelet count. I know that would of course be impossible across the entire population.
I guess if we have a condition we need to seek medical advice from a doctor or specialist as in the ITP report I posted.

Just listened to an interview on LBC with a member of JCVI.( paeds) He said there will be a statement from MHRA in next day or two. Re the Pfizer vaccine, he said there had been fewer blood clots and they had not generally been accompanied by the low platelet count. He also said, which I think has been said on here, that for older age groups the balance of risk is overwhelmingly in favour of having the vaccine. With younger age groups I don’t think the decision is so simple. And all decisions like this have political dimensions whether we like it or not.

30 odd cases (and I believe only seven fatalities) out of 18 million doses given.
That’s pretty good odds isn’t it?

It certainly won’t deter me from having my second jab at the end of this month.

It would be a great shame if this puts people off having the AZ vaccine, and unfortunately of course some people will now be suspicious of all covid vaccines.

JenniferEccles

30 odd cases (and I believe only seven fatalities) out of 18 million doses given.
That’s pretty good odds isn’t it?

It certainly won’t deter me from having my second jab at the end of this month.

It would be a great shame if this puts people off having the AZ vaccine, and unfortunately of course some people will now be suspicious of all covid vaccines.

The issue isn’t with the older age groups though is it ? They are looking at the under 30s I thought? And that’s why the balance of risk is different as we all know that the younger you are, the less the risk of death/ severe illness/ hospitalisation. The problem is, as you say, is that this may put off people who should not be. I have to say that I’m not sure that members of JCVI should be going round giving interviews atm - apparently one has spoken to the Telegraph and is reported as saying maybe there should be a pause. I don’t think this is helpful really

The risk of death and hospitalization for younger people is one thing, but can they suffer long covid if they get the virus?

I meant the low risk of death.

twitter.com/telegraph/status/1379547806906650626?s=21

This is the front page of tomorrow’s Telegraph - apparently she’s speaking in a personal capacity. Hummm

Ellianne

The risk of death and hospitalization for younger people is one thing, but can they suffer long covid if they get the virus?

I guess that’s all part of the risk analysis. Moderna’s now available isn’t it? But I think JE’s point is very apposite - will this ‘scare’ put people off all vaccines?

Good points Suzie. I see complete panic in Europe. Such a shame!

Of course it’s right and proper that the MHRA is investigating but once Oxford hit the pause button on the children’s trial, it was bound to cause a wobble. I think it’s now being handled poorly with individual JCVI members giving interviews ‘in a personal capacity’.

On the news programme it said the Childrens Trials for the Astra Zeneca jab are being halted as scientists want to look at some issues surrounding the 30 cases of blood clots and the 7 deaths associated with the covid jab also blood clots.
How can the issues be with 30 to 40 year olds as that rollout
has not yet been done.? I think it was an older age group.
One of the overseas countries has already halted the roll out
of the jabs due to this also.
I know many of you say that you do not care but there must be something going on when all these new things keep coming up. It certainly does not fill me with confidence.

I’m guessing it’s amongst all the health and social care workers who were vaccinated in the top priority groups. Lots of them

I will be having my second dose of the AZ in two weeks time.

For me the risk of being very ill or dying from Covid is more worrying than the risk from the vaccine,

suziewoozie

I’m guessing it’s amongst all the health and social care workers who were vaccinated in the top priority groups. Lots of them

Some younger people with very serious underlying health issues have been vaccinated too.

heath480

I will be having my second dose of the AZ in two weeks time.

For me the risk of being very ill or dying from Covid is more worrying than the risk from the vaccine,

What we don’t know is the age and sex of the people who suffered the blood clots. Without that information, you can’t calculate the risk. But clearly the messages being sent are that it’s younger age groups. We’re all OK ?

Ah yes grow that group as well.

suziewoozie

heath480

I will be having my second dose of the AZ in two weeks time.

For me the risk of being very ill or dying from Covid is more worrying than the risk from the vaccine,

What we don’t know is the age and sex of the people who suffered the blood clots. Without that information, you can’t calculate the risk. But clearly the messages being sent are that it’s younger age groups. We’re all OK ?

I'm not so sure that it's only younger people who have suffered clots. I think the issue is that older people are more likely to have Covid badly and to die and that risk is greater than the risk of having a blood clot. For younger people the risk is reversed.

3nanny6

On the news programme it said the Childrens Trials for the Astra Zeneca jab are being halted as scientists want to look at some issues surrounding the 30 cases of blood clots and the 7 deaths associated with the covid jab also blood clots.
How can the issues be with 30 to 40 year olds as that rollout
has not yet been done.? I think it was an older age group.
One of the overseas countries has already halted the roll out
of the jabs due to this also.
I know many of you say that you do not care but there must be something going on when all these new things keep coming up. It certainly does not fill me with confidence.

The number of identified cases of blood clots is miniscule. It could be that they are not related, but I think it's a good thing to err on the side of caution and shows that potential problems are being taken seriously. I care very much, but it actually makes me more confident to know that side effects are being closely monitored and action is being taken.

Some young people have had their first AZ jab. My 16 year old GS for a start. There were a number of young people in the vaccine centre. He recognised others from his GCSE year.

I am concerned, and I hope that my DD gets the available information before his next one is due in May.

I don’t think the risk is in our age group, and I hope that the risk is minuscule in the younger age group. Keeping everything crossed.

I know several in their 60s that have had blood clots, which is not usual, and coincided with Covid jabs, I have no idea what the association is, all I can say is there were none before vaccination started.

Although blood clots are associated with coronavirus there is probably a problem with getting a mild infection around the time you get vaccinated.

Whitewavemark2

The AZ is not being given to under 18’s in the UK. It’s only the Pfizer-BioNTech.

Had my scond vaccination. All ok, risk is so incredibly small, so no problem for me, age 75.