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Coronavirus

Astra Zeneca Vaccine

(228 Posts)
maddyone Tue 06-Apr-21 17:11:23

It has been reported recently that there is a link between the Astra Zeneca vaccine and blood clots in young women. The Guardian has reported that Marco Cavaleri, the EMA’s head of vaccines said ‘We can say it now, it is clear there is a link with the vaccine.....’ However Europe’s drug regulator has denied it has already established a causal connection between the AstraZeneca vaccine and a rare blood clotting syndrome.
I’m puzzled. The head of EMA says there’s a clear link, then it’s denied. What is going on?

Blossoming Thu 08-Apr-21 18:10:49

I’m not sure how you electrocute yourself in a bath, but you appear to be confusing ‘blame’ and ‘risk’.

EllanVannin Thu 08-Apr-21 18:18:27

The contraceptive pill causes more clot problems than anything but it's still taken.
Flying can cause a DVT but it doesn't stop people.

Ellianne Thu 08-Apr-21 18:20:40

Blossoming

I’m not sure how you electrocute yourself in a bath, but you appear to be confusing ‘blame’ and ‘risk’.

Charging an iPhone as an example.

PippaZ Thu 08-Apr-21 18:31:57

No, no worries about that as no one has had a problem with the second one as far as I'm aware. My second is two weeks tomorrow but I'm more focused on having my haircut on Monday grin

maddyone Sat 10-Apr-21 11:46:33

Ha ha, me too. I’m getting my hair done on Tuesday. grin

nanna8 Sat 10-Apr-21 12:48:22

They announced here a couple of days ago that from now on only people over 50 will get the Astra Zeneca vaccine because of the risk of blood clots. That means young people will have to wait ages until there are others, probably late this year or even next year.

suziewoozie Sat 10-Apr-21 12:54:23

PippaZ

No, no worries about that as no one has had a problem with the second one as far as I'm aware. My second is two weeks tomorrow but I'm more focused on having my haircut on Monday grin

Well yes but ..,

suziewoozie Sat 10-Apr-21 12:58:18

But nanna given your lack of cases, that’s not such a problem is it? And haven’t you got Pfizer on order as well ?

BlueBelle Sat 10-Apr-21 12:59:35

Had my second AZ today ...yippee
Back to work Tuesday .....yippee
Hair cut Tuesday p m ....yippee
Spring is coming

maddyone Sat 10-Apr-21 13:35:01

The Guardian are reporting that many A+E departments are ‘swamped’ (their word) with people complaining of ‘mild Covid side effects’ after having the AZ vaccine. Hospitals could well do without this whilst still managing the Covid crisis. The problem with all the publicity is that people get anxious and then A+E get overrun. The other problem could be that people will stop taking the vaccine.

Sarnia Sat 10-Apr-21 14:22:15

Just booked my 2nd vaccine for a week's time. Can't wait.

suziewoozie Sat 10-Apr-21 14:29:08

maddyone

The Guardian are reporting that many A+E departments are ‘swamped’ (their word) with people complaining of ‘mild Covid side effects’ after having the AZ vaccine. Hospitals could well do without this whilst still managing the Covid crisis. The problem with all the publicity is that people get anxious and then A+E get overrun. The other problem could be that people will stop taking the vaccine.

This was inevitable wasn’t it? It was only ethical that once a link could not be ruled out, that the information had to be made available. I think GP surgeries and A and E departments are just going to have to find a way of coping. The D of H should help with this.

maddyone Sat 10-Apr-21 14:47:06

Yes, I agree suzie. Unfortunately I think some people over react. We know the chances of getting a blood clot are very small, and the report said the side effects were mild but people are turning up at A+E with for example, a mild headache. Once the information is known by the public there will always be those, apparently rather a lot, who over react.

suziewoozie Sat 10-Apr-21 14:51:12

I agree some people will over react - but this was completely foreseeable ( the overreaction ) and so should have been planned for - that’s what is so irritating imo. Gggrrrrrr

PippaZ Sat 10-Apr-21 15:00:29

Planned - this government suziewoozie?

maddyone Sat 10-Apr-21 15:13:43

The trouble is that once again services will be overrun with ‘the worried well.’ The possible result of that is that genuinely ill people will need to wait longer to be seen. And of the risk of getting Covid increases with lots of people together in A+E. I’m not sure how it could have been ameliorated by planning. Mainly what these ‘worried well’ people need is reassurance. The problem for our medics is that they must take every case very seriously in case it’s the one case in however million who get a blood clot.
The only thing I can think of is they should ring 111 instead of going to casualty.

BlueSky Sat 10-Apr-21 17:25:45

suziewoozie

PippaZ
“No, no worries about that as no one has had a problem with the second one as far as I'm aware. My second is two weeks tomorrow but I'm more focused on having my haircut on Monday.”
Well yes but ..,
Exactly Suzie were you going to say that there haven’t been enough second doses yet to draw that conclusion? I’m hoping that it’s an “idiosyncratic reaction to first encounter with the vaccine” as I read somewhere.

suziewoozie Sat 10-Apr-21 17:34:00

Well let’s put it this way, the numbers of second doses are small cf first doses and the number of possible side effects are also very small so together not statistically significant. Intuitively I feel if it didn’t happen the first time, why would it happen the second? But intuition won’t stop my just feeling a bit anxious when I have my second one. But 3 weeks yet so may know more by then .

Casdon Sat 10-Apr-21 17:41:19

More than 5 million people in the UK have received their second dose now suziewoosie, not all Astra Zeneca obviously, but a significant proportion will be. Other countries have been giving the second dose sooner than the UK, so millions more will have had their second AZ by now. They are monitoring it so closely now they are aware of the clotting issue that it would be public knowledge if there was an issue, so I wouldn’t worry.

suziewoozie Sat 10-Apr-21 17:45:06

Casdon

More than 5 million people in the UK have received their second dose now suziewoosie, not all Astra Zeneca obviously, but a significant proportion will be. Other countries have been giving the second dose sooner than the UK, so millions more will have had their second AZ by now. They are monitoring it so closely now they are aware of the clotting issue that it would be public knowledge if there was an issue, so I wouldn’t worry.

I can’t find the figures for any of what you say so I’ll reserve judgement until I have them. I’m not worried just aware there may be an issue that can’t atm be discounted.

Casdon Sat 10-Apr-21 17:50:13

Here you are, it’s obviously more now as this is 7 days old.
www.gov.uk/government/news/5-million-people-in-the-uk-receive-second-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine

Casdon Sat 10-Apr-21 17:52:29

And here’s the worldwide data.
ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

suziewoozie Sat 10-Apr-21 17:54:01

Sorry - I wasn’t clear.What I meant was I can’t find the figures which say how many of the 5m + have had AZ.

suziewoozie Sat 10-Apr-21 17:57:35

Casdon

And here’s the worldwide data.
ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

That’s an interesting link thank you. It would be fascination to know how many have had which .

Casdon Sat 10-Apr-21 18:04:41

Theres a section on the second attachment which splits vaccines by manufacturer, but you have to look at it by country. If you look at the proportion of second doses given overall then look at the percentage of AZ vaccine compared with the other types, it’s clear that millions of second dose AZ have been given.