Does the Astra Zeneca vaccine work?

I wish people with objections, which may be perfectly valid would say what they are and give a link to the research that validates their concerns.

There can be no vaccine that has had its effects, after effects efficacy, effectiveness etc etc more researched than the COVID vaccine, so there is bound to have been reputable research carried out somewhere in the world and fully published, so it should be possible to quote chapter and verse on almost any aspect of any of the vaccines.

Totally agree Monica. There’s so much information available from respected sources, but people still choose to believe the man down the pub. I don’t get it.

Monica and Casdon, I totally agree!

I'm happy if people want to say how they feel and what their concerns are without needing to write a full literature review to back themselves up. (I think it's good to give sources for statistics though). If I am interested enough in someone's concerns or question them, I'll look into it myself. In the end, I can only decide for myself and I expect everyone else to do the same.

CafeAuLait

That was for growstuff.

Thank you. Am I right in assuming that you're not in the UK? AZ is being given to everyone over 30 (?), I think.

The risk from blood clots is tiny, unless you have a low platelet count. Nevertheless, the data is being analysed and (quite rightly) governments are erring on the side of caution. The risk from blood clots after taking contraceptive pills is higher, but it doesn't put most women off.

The risk of blood clots and other side effects is much higher if you are infected with Covid.

growstuff, I'm not in the UK. I don't take birth control pills either and never have. No hormonal birth control for me and I only take meds when I really have to. I don't know if there is choice in the UK over which vax people receive but I do have a choice.

Fair enough! I'm just saying that the risk is minute. I compared it with contraceptive pills because there have been billions of doses prescribed and most women take them even though they know the risks.

Am I the only person who is amazed that there is this concept that we should be able to pick and choose? is this the first time that we have been in this situation? ..I get being concerned about the sinus clotting risk but previously hasn't it always been one vaccination take it or leave it?

Greenlady: In most instances there is only one vaccine. This time there is more than one so of course people want to choose the one they feel best about. It makes sense.

greenlady102

25Avalon

Alegrias it’s in all the papers. It is because some batches of the Indian manufacture have not yet been approved by the EMA.

as I understand it, the EU is only approving batches that they have received a part of. As they didn't get any part of those batches, they won't approve them. I voted to stay but I think the EU have made a spiteful dog's breakfast of the vaccine roll out.

greenlady102, me too, exactly.
And I suspect Macron of being behind much of it. French pride was bitterly wounded by the fact of their Sanofi vaccine failing to work, or to work well enough.

growstuff, I am definitely not most women. :-) I never just go with anything without making a researched decision. I'd hate to be my doctor. (Really though, I'm not that bad, I think. ;-)

Very good and comprehensive article, thank you Casdon.

There is usually valid evidenced based information if people look for it (thanks Casdon) but some search for stuff which already backs up pre formed opinions and disregard that which doesn’t. Human nature weird eh?
Personally I like to have the evidence based info before I make decisions on medical interventions.
The vaccine clearly works because although infection rates are now as high as earlier in the year, hospitals are not overwhelmed with Covid cases.

Of course it works!!!!!! Isn’t that rather obvious? Otherwise thousands of people here would be swamping the hospitals.

Damn rumours and fake news has a lot to answer for. Of course it works. Just look at how the death rates in the UK have gone down. We are finally coming out of restrictions here because of it.

Of course it works, 90% + effective, those saying it doesn’t work are too stupid to worry about, they have no genuine arguments

It was reported on the news this morning that cases are rising and hospitalisation is rising too. On 1st July 304 people admitted to hospital, 300 are on ventilation and there were over 27000 new cases in one day. Up from 7000 a few weeks ago. The R rate is also going up to between 1.1 and 1.3

Well Ive had the Astra Zeneca Vaccine along with most of the people i know in the UK, If it didnt work we would all be going down with covid. My son is a research scientist and hes had two doses. We are in the UK.

No vaccination programme can be 100% effective, mostly it's 90%, but you have the refuseniks that increase the statistics of cases. A comprehensive vscinnation program is the only way to control the spread of a pandemic quickly, otherwise the World would have to wait for natural herd immunity to build up. .I e through the natural survival of the fittest.

The last time we had 27,000 cases a day on a rising curve was in December. On that day we had 1,917 people admitted to hospital and 1,400 on ventilation.

Wilma65

It was reported on the news this morning that cases are rising and hospitalisation is rising too. On 1st July 304 people admitted to hospital, 300 are on ventilation and there were over 27000 new cases in one day. Up from 7000 a few weeks ago. The R rate is also going up to between 1.1 and 1.3

You'd also need to provide the vaccination status of those people.

It absolutely works. My 25 year old daughter is currently very sick with Covid. She had one dose of Moderna a couple of days before she caught it. Despite being in close contact with her neither myself or my husband have had any symptoms. We have both had our double dose of AZ.

Yes of course it works !

Isolating after picking grandaughters up from school on Monday ,one was positive Monday night, negative so I do think it works

Neither the medical control board, not the state immunology dept. in Denmark has said that the Astra Zeneca vaccine doesn't work.

What they and other countries have said is that they were withdrawing it because the risk of death due to coronary thrombrosis as a side effect of the vaccine was too high to be acceptable.

I realise that a lot of people do not agree with this evaluation, but that is their priveledge, but no-one has doubted that the vaccine works.

There may now be some doubt as to whether any vaccine works against the newer mutations of the virus, but again this may just be scare-mongering.