To think the EU countries are utter fuckwits over the AZ vaccine?

[annonnymous]

Words fail me at the utter stupidity and reckless behaviour of many EU countries over the whole vaccination thing and in particular the AZ vaccine.

40 people with blood clots with AZ ..... which is statistically lower than the average number of people who get blood clots anyway and the same as the Pfizer one! And the twatty french president saying AZ was quite ineffective in the over 65s and the whole of the EU slow the give it to over 65s because there was no evidence (because it wasn't tested on them) that it worked. It does, and sheer logic says it will. Your immune system doesn't fold up at 65.

With covid cases rising, Paris hospitals shipping out seriously ill patients to other areas, Italy in serious problems again, they need to stop this.

On no real evidence they are putting the lives of thousands of people at risk and putting a question mark over an effective vaccine which makes no profit and can be used worldwide cheaply.

The WHO say it's safe. FFS Europe, get a grip and stop the politics.

HOW DARE THEY!
HOW FUCKING DARE THEY!!
HOW FUCKING FUCKING DARE THEY!!!!!!
FUCKWITS!
FUCKING FUCKING FUCKWITS !!!!!!

In summary, the above is the reasoned Mumsnet response to independent medicines regulatory bodies in countries such as Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Denmark, etc. recommending a brief pause in administering the AstraZeneca vaccinations while concerns about unusual blood clots in relatively young healthcare workers in Norway are investigated.

Here they are facing a third wave and choosing that moment to suspend a vaccine

Which suggests (to anyone with half a brain) that they have a really good reason to do so.

I would be beyond livid if my family died from cerebral vein thrombosis because the UK refused to investigate seriously

Which is most likely though?

@FullofCurryandparatha

Here they are facing a third wave and choosing that moment to suspend a vaccine

Which suggests (to anyone with half a brain) that they have a really good reason to do so.

Anyone with half a brain would think that if there was a "really good reason to suspend the vaccine", the independent regulatory European authority would suspend it.

I think it's statistically interesting that despite the fact that the U.K. has given out the majority of the AZ vaccine doses administered the unusual combination of symptoms identified has not been seen/reported here as far as I'm aware.

If it was the vaccine or function of the vaccine itself that was the cause of these symptoms you would expect the U.K. to be seeing the most cases not the fewest/none.

I assume the investigation is also looking into whether there is a particular issue with a specific batch/factory/storage technique/etc which on the face of it seems more likely (assuming there is any causality at all which of course there very well may not be).

This thread is nuts!
Of course countries should pause their (note PAUSE not STOP) the the roll out of any vaccine if there are safety concerns, and investigate that before continuing. NOT doing so is utter stupidity and reckless behavior.
Knowing that the authorities are taking a safety first approach is the best way to instill confidence in people that what they are taking is safe. Particularly so with the AZ vaccine, which is currently being given to younger healthy people in much of Europe - who are less likely to be impacted by covid, and might be more inclined to say they'd rather take their chances with a virus (that they might never get) than take something that might cause them problems.

Why would people be too frightened and not trust a vaccine which is overtly being very carefully monitored? Surely the opposite is true - if people could not trust the monitoring of a vaccine they would be LESS inclined to take it?

@LimitIsUp

My first reaction was cessation of AZ was politically motivated - and Brits can be forgiven for thinking that given recent events (Some European political leaders quite cynically denigrating AZ and querying its efficacy etc).

However after further reflection - and, I'll admit, after being persuaded by some of the comments from posters from other European countries, I am prepared to accept that I was probably wrong and am now more inclined to think stopping AZ is attributable to an over abundance of caution. Having read an article in the Times where even Macron has stressed that halting AZ is precautionary only and they hope to resume use of AZ soon, this doesn't seem to be about dissing the hood. Factor in also long standing vaccine scepticism in some countries such as France - Macron for instance might have felt that he had no choice

I also agree that sections of the UK press do seem to want to exaggerate and emphasise a particular narrative of the EU gunning for the UK, and that this might be a distraction shifting focus away from the downsides of Brexit (UK companies having to open warehouses in mainland Europe in attempt to overcome delays and disruptions to the free flow of trade for example)

On balance the heat needs to be taken out of this discussion and it probably doesn't help to continue to see things through the lens of EU v UK

Finally, I am having my jab on Saturday and I am relaxed that it is probably going to be AZ

I think this pretty much sums it up!

I had AZ yesterday and am fine so far.

The EU are bullies and still currently sulking!!

They absolutely are doing this for politics- more fool then.

40 deaths of blood clots is a small price to pay for 17million vaccinated.

The EU are bullies and still currently sulking!!

This kind of stupidity is how you ended up with Brexit.

I also had the AZ vaccine on Saturday and not worried at all, even if it was tomorrow I would still have it.

@Sunshinegirl82 aside from manufacturing I wondered if there is a previously unseen interaction with a medication not commonly used in the UK/Brazil. It’s not unusual for countries to favour particular brands or formulas.

I was a remainder but glad we left otherwise we would be just behind with a vaccine roll out as they are!

We got lucky, admittedly it wasn’t intentional but you take the highs with the lows

@Belladonna12

I would be beyond livid if my family died from cerebral vein thrombosis because the UK refused to investigate seriously

Which is most likely though?

That is exactly what we are pausing to figure out! Like I said previously our elderly are being vaccinated with pfizer and moderna as was always the plan. My parents got their pfizer vaccines today. Our vaccination programmes haven't completely halted. This is a pause on AZ only to try and get to the bottom of things.

@Magnificentmug12

I was a remainder but glad we left otherwise we would be just behind with a vaccine roll out as they are!

We got lucky, admittedly it wasn’t intentional but you take the highs with the lows

Lol You total liar!

@Magnificentmug12

The EU are bullies and still currently sulking!!

They absolutely are doing this for politics- more fool then.

40 deaths of blood clots is a small price to pay for 17million vaccinated.

Who are they bullying?

Not all EU countries have paused use of AZ.

@Magnificentmug12 - what does leaving the Eu have to do with the vaccine rollout? It’s the national medicine control bodies in several EU countries that have paused the vaccine rollout. It has nothing to do with the EU.

Must be something about having EU in the title that makes all the idiots converge on this thread. I haven't read so much nonsense in one place since accidentally picking up a copy of the Daily Express once and glancing at the front page.

The EU are bullies and still currently sulking!!

what a "contribution" to the thought provoking scientific and political arguments in this discussion.

@Cornettoninja

Indeed. It seems to me that if there is any causality then either the U.K./NHS is not identifying the occurrence of the unusual symptoms here (which seems unlikely as the interconnected nature of the NHS actually tends to mean trends are picked up sooner rather than later and we've administered so many doses) or the element of the vaccine causing the issue is not present in the doses supplied in the U.K.

If they are bullies, who are they bullying? Their own citizens by wanting to check a vaccine before giving it to them??

@MrsIsobelCrawley

HOW DARE THEY! HOW FUCKING DARE THEY!! HOW FUCKING FUCKING DARE THEY!!!!!! FUCKWITS! FUCKING FUCKING FUCKWITS !!!!!!

In summary, the above is the reasoned Mumsnet response to independent medicines regulatory bodies in countries such as Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Denmark, etc. recommending a brief pause in administering the AstraZeneca vaccinations while concerns about unusual blood clots in relatively young healthcare workers in Norway are investigated.

That's a very favourable spin you've put on things there...It's also ignoring the advice of the W.H.O which has said the AZ vax is perfectly safe.

The really important clots here seem to be working for the EU.

@sonjadog

If they are bullies, who are they bullying? Their own citizens by wanting to check a vaccine before giving it to them??

I'd be fascinated to hear the answer to this too . . .

@sonjadog

If they are bullies, who are they bullying? Their own citizens by wanting to check a vaccine before giving it to them??

I think it's more that they don't want to have the AZ because of it's links with the UK, and would prefer the Pfizer one. So, they're going to try to force Pfizer to give them more vaccines at the expense of other countries who'll have to have the AZ instead. The EU were miffed that the UK got their orders in first and even more miffed when they couldn't get the Pfizer doses they wanted. The EU have never wanted the AZ vaccine but have been forced into using it because they've been slow dealing with vaccine approvals and vaccine orders throughout.

While most of Europe plods on or pauses, the U.K. has just begun ramping up vaccinations even further :)

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