Canada pauses AZ vaccines for under 55s (and says women most at risk)

[Boringlynormal]

Please tell me this isn’t something to worry about: www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/30/canada-suspends-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-for-those-under-55

Speaking as a woman in her 30s who was immunised 4 days ago (article tells us the risk is for young women 4 - 20 days after vaccination), I’m panicking now. Yes I know it’s rare but so is dying of Covid in my age group so I’m wondering if I’ve made a huge mistake.

By the way I’m very pro vaccine and leapt on the chance to get one. I’m just feeling so anxious now.

The government declares today absolute confidence in the AZ vaccine

This isn’t going to end well.

I had mine yesterday. I was a bit worried at first but I think it was the safest option out of not having one at all or having to wait for supplies of Pfizer/Modena/Novovax. My experience of underlying conditions that can be debilitating when flaring up has made me desperate to avoid long covid.

More under 50s have died from covid than suffered this very rare clot thing.

I've had flu like symptoms since yesterday evening. Shivering, body aches, exhaustion. Funnily enough the shivering stopped when I took my anti inflammatory medication. I don't know if there's a connection.

@Whatisthisfuckery
If it's really bad and you have trouble getting through to your doctor, call 111. Then again, 111 is dire in my area. I wonder if 119 would help? Actually, have you had a covid test? Might be worth checking.

@Roonerspismed

The government declares today absolute confidence in the AZ vaccine

This isn’t going to end well.

And you know this how?

I have two rare conditions with greater odds than the potential odds of an adverse event from AZ. I only wanted to have the AZ though because I don't have enough trust in the mrna style of vaccination and would prefer the spike protein. I have told my doctor I'm not saying no I'm saying not yet. My family are putting a lot of pressure on me to have the vaccine but my instinct is to wait longer for more information. I fear that our rates may be lower for adverse effects because older women have been immunised first. It's really thrown me.

Just listening to Canadian news right now. Pausing of the AZ vaccine is obviously a concern, but the live news isn't even covering it right now. From what I understand they never relied completely on the delivery of AZ doses, and although they are obviously slower than the UK in terms of doses distributed, but are expecting a delivery of 44 million doses by end of June (Canada's total population is 30 million in total) so covering most of the adult population with two doses.

They really don't see the pausing of AZ vaccination for the under 55 as a major issue, they are relying more on other vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer).

Representatives from all three levels of government will be in Toronto Wednesday morning to announce joint funding to expand Canada's vaccine manufacturing capacity.

So this decision could be a geopolitical game play like Europe. Aaaaaaaagh

I posted on the other thread about this but it has been taken down for some reason. The blood clotting event from the vaccine is entirely different from normal blood clots. People with normal blood clotting issues are not more likely to get it. I would suspect covid would be more problematic for them as it can cause clots.
I think information is key. Even if it a rare event patients and clinicians should be given the information on on what symptoms are and how to treat as it is apparently treatable if caught early enough. Just saying it's not a thing is not very helpful. I'm 52 and still waiting for mine but feel reassured after reading up on stuff.

This is reassuring.
www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2021/update-on-the-safety-of-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca.html

@roundturnandtwohalfhitches if youre52 you can book online. I’m 50 and had mine 10 days ago.

Here
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

@gutinstinctlpl Canada is really lacking in the research and production of vaccine, it's a real weakness that has come to the forefront obviously with Covid. They want to become better and more self sufficient at it. It's much more about stopping the dependency on the USA than the UK, I am that you are making this a story about the UK. It really isn't. I know people here think we're the center of the universe, but there is another world out there. Canada is much more dependent on trade with the USA for everything including medicine and vaccine.

The problem with the government declaring absolute confidence is one needs to have absolute confidence in the government to feel reassured by that and this government are not very confidence inspiring!

@moominmomma1234

Look at the declarations of interest. Companies including Pfizer have paid the researchers to publish this

Ethics
The study has been approved by the ethics board of the Universitätsmedizin Greifswald. Consent has been obtained to publish the case report.

Conflicts of interest:
Dr. Greinacher reports grants and non-financial support from Aspen, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Paringenix, Bayer Healthcare, Gore Inc., Rovi, Sagent, Biomarin/Prosensa, personal fees from Aspen, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD, Macopharma, BMS, Chromatec, Instrumentation Laboratory, non-financial support from Boehringer Ingelheim, Portola, Ergomed, GTH e.V. outside the submitted work.

Dr. Thiele reports grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, during the conduct of the study; personal fees and other from Bristol Myers Squibb, personal fees and other from Pfizer, personal fees from Bayer, personal fees and other from Chugai Pharma, other from Novo Nordisk, personal fees from Novartis, other from Daichii Sankyo, outside the submitted work.

Dr. Warkentin reports personal fees from Aspen Global, Ergomed, Instrumentation Laboratory, and Octapharma, all of which are outside of the submitted work.

Dr. Weisser has nothing to disclose.

Dr. Kyrle reports personal fees from Takeda and Novo Nordisk, all of which are outside of the submitted work

Dr. Eichinger reports personal fees from Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Daichii Sankyo, and Pfizer, all of which are outside of the submitted work.

Author contributions:
AG, TT and TEW developed the concept of the mechanism; KW collected all reported cases and organized sample transfer; PK and SE identified and treated the index patient and suspected a HIT like syndrome

We get generics from India and China, but the whole world depends on the USA for certain medications especially new or specialist ones, they are a world leader.

@QwertyGirly I'm only on this thread to try and understand what the fuck is going on with the vaccine and try and gain some more info so I can evaluate my own risks.

I’m not worried at all. 1 in 100000 risk, IF it were proven, is a lot better odds than my chances with Covid. I’ve had my first shot a month ago and am looking forward to my next.

@roundturnandtwohalfhitches if youre52 you can book online. I’m 50 and had mine 10 days ago.
I'm in Scotland so we're still stuck in the 1970s waiting for our blue letter. I have chased it up though. Text would be far easier.

Oh I hadn’t realise Scotland weren’t doing online bookings.
I booked online then got a text from my gp and then a week later, a letter from the NHS. Shame there’s not one central database but I suppose these things take time to consolidate and the speed has surprised us all.

but my instinct is to wait longer for more information. I fear that our rates may be lower for adverse effects because older women have been immunised first. It's really thrown me.

Trust your instinct.
I went against mine and had the first AZ shot. My mental health is in pieces with worry about it. I absolutely will not be having a second shot.

I don’t believe the company or the Gov are being upfront. They want to keep ICU beds from filling up at whatever cost to people’s lives. The benefits outweigh the risk is trotted out but the benefit is a benefit economically and to society.

My family are putting a lot of pressure on me to have the vaccine but my instinct is to wait longer for more information. I fear that our rates may be lower for adverse effects because older women have been immunised first. It's really thrown me.

My gut feelings are telling me the same - and I'm also having lots of pressure put on me by my family @gutinstinctlpl

Listen to your gut instinct. I'm sure you will. I've ignored mine in the past and always regretted it.

The problem with the government declaring absolute confidence is one needs to have absolute confidence in the government to feel reassured by that and this government are not very confidence inspiring!

This made me laugh because it's spot on.

@gutinstinctlpl I get what you are saying. But trying to discredit countries that are neutral in this affair by saying that Canada is playing geopolitical games against the UK and to side with Europe is, well, not the reality. Scientists in Canada and in other countries have looked at the data, have advised the government on the scientific data, and have advised governments to take action. If you want to make an informed decision, look at that information as well as what's coming out of the UK (which is basically radio silence at the moment).

im seriously struggling with this i have the start of a migraine and its my time of the month so it could just be that but im really quite worried 😟
im in the time frame too which is not helping.....what do i do?! this is going to be a long few weeks of stress and worry i

Mumtwoboys90 I had a migraine too which went on longer than my usual hormonal type migraines. I was so worried and then started getting bruising on my legs. I logged it on the website flagging side effects. I have now passed the 21 days but am still very scared because like everything else the 21 days has just been the number 'to date'. and nobody really knows anything.

poor you are you feeling better now? thats what I was thinking! is it just 21 days because thats the current longest time after vaccine that its happened? how do we know we are 100% safe after that time period