Had the AZ jab on Friday. A dull ache in the arm aside all has been fine. I’m 60 btw. Like others I found it very well organised and straightforward the whole thing took about 10 minutes.
More than 20 million Brits have had a AZ jab (not all 25 million todate will have been AZ) and not a dicky bird about blood clots (and let’s face it, if there was even a sniff of it social media would have gone into overdrive) but as soon as its starts rolling out in the EU a couple of reports about blood clots and governments across the continent start pulling it.
The numbers involved per 100k per population are completely normal prevalence. No idea why it’s being made a meal of. Mischievous perhaps. The U.K. has vaccinated 20 million people of all ages with AZ and is the largest worldwide in vivo study. Not reported here of anything unexpected. It’s really a non story from a medical perspective.
The numbers involved per 100k per population are completely normal prevalence. No idea why it’s being made a meal of. Mischievous perhaps. The U.K. has vaccinated 20 million people of all ages with AZ and is the largest worldwide in vivo study. Not reported here of anything unexpected. It’s really a non story from a medical perspective.
Just to give you a little background of what happened in Austria. The first things seen were headlines in the newspapers saying: "One nurse dies from thromboses after taking AstraZeneca another seriously ill. Both from the same hospital". Most people don't go any further than that. Next day in the supermarket you hear people talking (with masks on ), saying "Have you heard, I'm not taking that shite even if it's the only thing they have left".
That evening you watch the news on TV and they put on a grey haired professor of medical statistics, who explains that 130,000 people have had the AZ vaccine, and two cases have been reported of thromboses. He then said that in normal times in any group of 130,000 Austrians, statistically speaking, 3.7 people would have these problems (Why can't they say something like "3 or 4"?). In addition, the batch of vaccines that went to that hospital have been withdrawn and are being tested to see if the doses were faulty.
That kind of explanation appeals to me, given my background, but the vast majority are thinking the German equivalent of "Lies, damned lies and statistics", as well as, "But I bet that the Herr Professor got Pfizer and didn't have to take this shite!".
The government has to deal with this situation, and the vast group of "vaccine doubters", in some way. Here, and also in Germany, the whole vaccination strategy depends on AZ. That is where the large quantities are coming from. If they stop using AZ the whole strategy falls apart and puts it back by months. The government has also made clear that if they did stop using AZ, many, many more people would die from Covid than MIGHT die from thromboses. Neither Germany, nor Austria, can afford to stop using AZ.
As far as I'm aware, Denmark, Norway, and now Ireland, have paused with AZ. They might be in the happy position of having enough alternative sources of vaccine, so that they don't have to worry about delays. I don't know whether that is the case, or not. Austria and Germany have to carry on, but how they will win "hearts and minds", I do not know. Perhaps they will show Kurz, the Chancellor, being vaccinated with AZ on TV, who knows? Then, of course, there would be complaints that he is extremely young and is using his position to jump the queue. I can't see a way to win this one.
More than 20 million Brits have had a AZ jab (not all 25 million todate will have been AZ) and not a dicky bird about blood clots (and let’s face it, if there was even a sniff of it social media would have gone into overdrive) but as soon as its starts rolling out in the EU a couple of reports about blood clots and governments across the continent start pulling it.
Get your point, but actually it is 11 million not 20 million who have had the AZ here. There is talk about particular batches with which the blood clots have been associated, all of which have been administered in European countries not here. Since per head of the population there would be a number of people suffering blood clots anyway, it's reasonable to suggest that some of the AZ recipients over here will have had blood clots but that has gone unreported or, at least, not linked to the vaccine.
I'm a few years shy don't you know young Clive... but I do keep checking the years.
@Curb_it it’s worth trying to book even though the website may specify a higher age range - that’s what we did. I guess they just want to fill any vacant slots.
The UK has given over 10 million doses of both the Oxford and Pfizer vaccine.
Number of blood clot related events:
Oxford = 13
Pfizer = 15
These numbers are no higher than what is seen in the general population (no increased risk).
What is this 'coronavirus good news' site? Who runs it? How authoritative is it? The fact that they report that only "over 10 million" doses have been administered when over 24 million have received the vaccine, suggests that their figures are to be taken with a pinch of salt. I can't imagine that all these countries who are suspending use of the AZ vaccine are doing it lightly, so they must have genuine concerns. Having had the AZ vaccine myself and anticipating having the second dose soon, I very much hope that these concerns are put to rest. Merely putting fingers in ears and going 'nanananana it's just those silly Europeans' doesn't suit me, I want authoritative figures and, as with much of the information about the AZ vaccine from the very beginning, they are not forthcoming.
The UK has given over 10 million doses of both the Oxford and Pfizer vaccine.
Number of blood clot related events:
Oxford = 13
Pfizer = 15
These numbers are no higher than what is seen in the general population (no increased risk).
What is this 'coronavirus good news' site? Who runs it? How authoritative is it? The fact that they report that only "over 10 million" doses have been administered when over 24 million have received the vaccine, suggests that their figures are to be taken with a pinch of salt. I can't imagine that all these countries who are suspending use of the AZ vaccine are doing it lightly, so they must have genuine concerns. Having had the AZ vaccine myself and anticipating having the second dose soon, I very much hope that these concerns are put to rest. Merely putting fingers in ears and going 'nanananana it's just those silly Europeans' doesn't suit me, I want authoritative figures and, as with much of the information about the AZ vaccine from the very beginning, they are not forthcoming.
I think you'll find it says 10 million of each vaccine total 20 million plus.
The UK has given over 10 million doses of both the Oxford and Pfizer vaccine.
Number of blood clot related events:
Oxford = 13
Pfizer = 15
These numbers are no higher than what is seen in the general population (no increased risk).
What is this 'coronavirus good news' site? Who runs it? How authoritative is it? The fact that they report that only "over 10 million" doses have been administered when over 24 million have received the vaccine, suggests that their figures are to be taken with a pinch of salt. I can't imagine that all these countries who are suspending use of the AZ vaccine are doing it lightly, so they must have genuine concerns. Having had the AZ vaccine myself and anticipating having the second dose soon, I very much hope that these concerns are put to rest. Merely putting fingers in ears and going 'nanananana it's just those silly Europeans' doesn't suit me, I want authoritative figures and, as with much of the information about the AZ vaccine from the very beginning, they are not forthcoming.
I think you'll find it says 10 million of each vaccine total 20 million plus.
Yes, you might be right. Inelegantly put, however, and allowing for misunderstanding. "10 million doses of each of the two vaccines" would have been clearer. I'd still like to know what the site is and how trustworthy it is. Its very name sounds warning bells as to how balanced its viewpoint and information might be.
The UK has given over 10 million doses of both the Oxford and Pfizer vaccine.
Number of blood clot related events:
Oxford = 13
Pfizer = 15
These numbers are no higher than what is seen in the general population (no increased risk).
What is this 'coronavirus good news' site? Who runs it? How authoritative is it? The fact that they report that only "over 10 million" doses have been administered when over 24 million have received the vaccine, suggests that their figures are to be taken with a pinch of salt. I can't imagine that all these countries who are suspending use of the AZ vaccine are doing it lightly, so they must have genuine concerns. Having had the AZ vaccine myself and anticipating having the second dose soon, I very much hope that these concerns are put to rest. Merely putting fingers in ears and going 'nanananana it's just those silly Europeans' doesn't suit me, I want authoritative figures and, as with much of the information about the AZ vaccine from the very beginning, they are not forthcoming.
The biggest study of the AZ vaccine is currently going on right here right now in the U.K. As far as I am aware there have not been any cases of thromboembolic events outside of normal prevalence. That is the key. I think and I will check later, that in a normal 100.000 population you would expect something like 20 - 25 thromboembolic events per annum. I’m not certain just how many AZ vaccinations have taken place in the U.K. but with a total vaccination of the population of more than 23 million people I’m guesstimating it’s in excess of 13 million at least. The reports of “clots” in Denmark and Austria where again, as far as I’m aware the total given AZ vaccines are still in 100’s of thousands do not give a full picture and are most likely a statistical anomaly and yet still within normal population prevalence. Any unexplained “spike” in a roll out of a vaccine demands further investigation and I don’t blame any country for doing that. I do think that stopping their use for a short time to carry out that investigation makes sense. A delay of any length will actually be the cause of death for more people than any any thromboembolic event. The proviso of course being that there is not a problem found. Going back to my opening comment I think it’s highly unlikely given the huge numbers and data from stage 4 studies here in the U.K.
Had it in Bournemouth today...doesn't sound quite so exotic and cool...but so far so good on the side effects too.
Where did you have it BA?
Doctors surgery around the corner, Beaufort Rd. Not my usual practice though. The BIC seems to be for those booked through the nation system with certain GP surgeries working through the rest.
Had it in Bournemouth today...doesn't sound quite so exotic and cool...but so far so good on the side effects too.
Where did you have it BA?
Doctors surgery around the corner, Beaufort Rd. Not my usual practice though. The BIC seems to be for those booked through the nation system with certain GP surgeries working through the rest.
Same place my Mum went, not her usual practice either. Suspect I'll end up going there too then by the looks of it!
I'm 51 and have been trying my luck on the NHS website every day for a week or two. Finally got a booking this morning for 27 March. Not sure the extent to which it depends on where you live but others in the 50-55 bracket may want to give it a try.
The UK has given over 10 million doses of both the Oxford and Pfizer vaccine.
Number of blood clot related events:
Oxford = 13
Pfizer = 15
These numbers are no higher than what is seen in the general population (no increased risk).
What is this 'coronavirus good news' site? Who runs it? How authoritative is it? The fact that they report that only "over 10 million" doses have been administered when over 24 million have received the vaccine, suggests that their figures are to be taken with a pinch of salt. I can't imagine that all these countries who are suspending use of the AZ vaccine are doing it lightly, so they must have genuine concerns. Having had the AZ vaccine myself and anticipating having the second dose soon, I very much hope that these concerns are put to rest. Merely putting fingers in ears and going 'nanananana it's just those silly Europeans' doesn't suit me, I want authoritative figures and, as with much of the information about the AZ vaccine from the very beginning, they are not forthcoming.
The problem as I see it is they are doing it lightly. Someone raises a scare, instead of responding authoritatively, they run scared and suspend the use. If you look at the Norway figures, the incidence of blood clots in those who've had the AZ vaccine is about half what would be expected in a sample that size (2 per 100,000 instead of 3.7 per 100,000 if I remember correctly) so the narrative to counter the scaremongering could be 'having AZ halves your chance of a blood clot'.
I'm 51 and have been trying my luck on the NHS website every day for a week or two. Finally got a booking this morning for 27 March. Not sure the extent to which it depends on where you live but others in the 50-55 bracket may want to give it a try.
Had been checking for the last week but this has now worked for me aged 54 despite the front page still stating 55. Doesn’t work for a 49 year old though.
I'm 51 and have been trying my luck on the NHS website every day for a week or two. Finally got a booking this morning for 27 March. Not sure the extent to which it depends on where you live but others in the 50-55 bracket may want to give it a try.
Had been checking for the last week but this has now worked for me aged 54 despite the front page still stating 55. Doesn’t work for a 49 year old though.
I received a message from my doctors surgery to book my 1st vaccination, which I've now done for next week.
As I'm 44 years old with no known health issues, I was a little bit surprised and thought that maybe it was an error, but it wasn't. My date of birth was entered as part of the booking process and I completed it with no issues.
Location seems to make a difference - I'm in North Somerset.
Comments
an opinion that if it’s cheap it can’t be good ?
That evening you watch the news on TV and they put on a grey haired professor of medical statistics, who explains that 130,000 people have had the AZ vaccine, and two cases have been reported of thromboses. He then said that in normal times in any group of 130,000 Austrians, statistically speaking, 3.7 people would have these problems (Why can't they say something like "3 or 4"?). In addition, the batch of vaccines that went to that hospital have been withdrawn and are being tested to see if the doses were faulty.
That kind of explanation appeals to me, given my background, but the vast majority are thinking the German equivalent of "Lies, damned lies and statistics", as well as, "But I bet that the Herr Professor got Pfizer and didn't have to take this shite!".
The government has to deal with this situation, and the vast group of "vaccine doubters", in some way. Here, and also in Germany, the whole vaccination strategy depends on AZ. That is where the large quantities are coming from. If they stop using AZ the whole strategy falls apart and puts it back by months. The government has also made clear that if they did stop using AZ, many, many more people would die from Covid than MIGHT die from thromboses. Neither Germany, nor Austria, can afford to stop using AZ.
As far as I'm aware, Denmark, Norway, and now Ireland, have paused with AZ. They might be in the happy position of having enough alternative sources of vaccine, so that they don't have to worry about delays. I don't know whether that is the case, or not. Austria and Germany have to carry on, but how they will win "hearts and minds", I do not know. Perhaps they will show Kurz, the Chancellor, being vaccinated with AZ on TV, who knows?
Then, of course, there would be complaints that he is extremely young and is using his position to jump the queue. I can't see a way to win this one.
I compare it with a lie, which like to a snowball, the longer it is rolled the greater it becomes.
Martin Luther
Interesting little thread.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/
As I'm 44 years old with no known health issues, I was a little bit surprised and thought that maybe it was an error, but it wasn't. My date of birth was entered as part of the booking process and I completed it with no issues.
Location seems to make a difference - I'm in North Somerset.