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Original poster

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

999 replies

Boringlynormal · 30/03/2021 10:18

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.

OP posts:
Tealightsandd · 03/04/2021 21:08

I know several people who had AZ in January.

MrsFezziwig · 03/04/2021 21:53

@anyoldtime

Is it ethical to offer a vaccine not deemed good enough for Americans to Brazilians?
Why don’t you ask the Brazilians their opinion - what do you think their take on it would be?
CovoidOfAllHumanity · 03/04/2021 22:08

I don't think they have got the luxury to be worrying about 1 in a million side effects.

If you live in a country with less developed health infrastructure then your chances of surviving COVID are going to be even less than in the U.K., Europe or the US

They need to vaccinate their population as soon as they can. Any vaccine that is approved is safe and effective enough to be given will save lives because the risk of COVID is so very much more than vaccination risks

QuietBatPeople1 · 03/04/2021 22:18

I feel really upset today - with myself if I’m honest. Last year around this time i was scared of Covid but also trying to be positive about the fact that I’d there was a vaccine then I’ll have it and atleast then I’ll be one step closer to some normalcy.
Here I am 1 year later still very scared of Covid but now with all this uncertainty around the vaccine as well. I feel really deflated and in some senses defeated by all this fear and anxiety.
I just feel like giving up and saying to myself let nature take it’s course with me..

CurseMyTinyThumbs · 03/04/2021 22:22

Oh just have the bloody vaccine. Obsessing over a possible tiny increase in an already tiny risk 🙄 You're really going to let that put you off getting an effective vaccine against a dangerous illness? Jeez. You're lucky to have the opportunity.

Roonerspismed · 03/04/2021 22:23

quiet try to remind yourself of the numbers. The issues with the vaccine are utterly tiny

I say that as someone who is vaccine sceptic overall and is waiting for stage four data. I still think by and large the vaccines ate absolutely fine for almost everyone and I wouldn’t personally worry much if I had to have it tomorrow

I think we should watch this with interest but not panic

bluegre · 03/04/2021 22:25

It will come out eventually, still needs more investigation for now.
I work in a UK hospital lab testing patients blood. We are being told to follow up any patient with platelets less than 140 (on the low side but not massively). We must obtain if they had a vaccine in the last 28 days and order coagulation test and check for DIC (blood clotting throughout the body). In just my trust we had 4 that were in DIC last weekend of unknown cause.
I think as more of these patients pop up it will eventually get to the media, DIC doesn't just happen. We are all worried.

bluegre · 03/04/2021 22:26

I name changed for that post, I don't no what would happen if I was found out but nothing good

Jellykat · 03/04/2021 22:27

I feel exactly the same *QuietBat, i was supposed to have my vaccine yesterday but was too ill on Thursday so was advised to rebook next week.. really unsure what to do and it seems each day brings more news that makes it harder to decide.

Schulte · 03/04/2021 22:32

Oh wow bluegre... so do you think it’s wise to wait a few weeks until there have been more investigations? I’m now hoping I won’t get invited before May...

Roonerspismed · 03/04/2021 22:36

blue i am actually pleased there is such diligence. My worry was that cases would be missed and not connected but at least it sounds like we will see some decent numbers?

QuietBatPeople1 · 03/04/2021 22:41

Thank you @bluegre for letting us know that there are possible flags popping up. It’s become such a frenzy in the UK - people like me who are hesitant are told to ‘go and have the bloody vaccine and be thankful’ ( I’m sure there is a post up there stating this) or I’m branded as an anti vaccination selfish looney.
It’s wrong to do this- this is a new vaccine and there are unknowns how is coercion helping in all this?

CurseMyTinyThumbs · 03/04/2021 22:43

That'd be me saying "just go and have the bloody vaccine", and that's because you're overthinking it and it's tedious to watch.

CurseMyTinyThumbs · 03/04/2021 22:44

(am unwatching the thread now to save myself the irritation of it continuing to pop up in my TIO, so no need to waste time responding to me)

bluegre · 03/04/2021 22:44

I'm hoping there another reason for it, my colleague last week said something quite eloquently: positive correlation doesn't mean causation.

We are being told by higher ups to follow everything up. I haven't asked friends in other trusts if it's happening there, we haven't been told not to talk about it but it feels like I shouldn't IYSWIM. I worry about spreading fear for no reason to, I already regret posting.

If you've had the vaccine don't worry there's nothing that can be done now, if you feel really unwell in the first 28 days call 111.
If your asking if you should get it, I can't say, for me I'm due my second dose now, I'll have it but only the pfizer (that was my first one). If it's ran out and my only option is Oxford....I'd need to think about it. Weigh up the risk for my age range. I'm under 30 with no conditions so I would wait for a bit to see how it played out.

Idontbelieveit12 · 03/04/2021 22:47

I had my first dose in February, second dose due in May....this is making me a bit scared 😟 is it likely to happen from a second dose or is it something that would have happened first time if it was going to?!

bluegre · 03/04/2021 22:51

@Idontbelieveit12
I couldn't say which, I'm trying to understand how a vaccine would trigger the body's coagulation cascade.
After more monitoring hopefully some answers will come out.

QuietBatPeople1 · 03/04/2021 22:58

@bluegre just to reassure you- you didn’t make me scared I was already worried about this. In fact your post was reassuring in that it is being looked at- possibly not in connection with the vaccine but atleast the question if the person had the vaccine is there.

Mumtwoboys90 · 03/04/2021 23:08

@bluegre this is very interesting i had a headache for 4 days after my 1st AZ vaccine so ended up in a and e and they did bloods which were normal but not sure about DIC... now im worried they might have missed something is the test for that only done if the other tests are abnormal? they said my platelets were fine
im still not reassured it literally like torture i can't stop agonising about it. When you say unwell what symptoms are you talking about for the blood clots? any help would be greatly appreciated

bluegre · 03/04/2021 23:16

@QuietBatPeople1 thanks that makes me feel better. I do still believe the vaccine is a good idea for the older age groups. The chance of dying is much higher.

Abnormal coagulation has been documented in the Very sick Covid patients and it's a known side effects of the virus. I think what we are starting to see is the immune respond from the vaccine triggering the body coagulation system into overdrive. In my area it's small numbers but I don't no how it compares with the amount of people that have had the vaccine in the same period. They may have something going on (or actually had COVID) while having the vaccine and the reaction is a consequence. But I'm just guessing. We have been talking a lot about it at work and are all really worried about the consequences. Not just people being sick but if uptake going down in the groups that really need it.

Circumlocutious · 03/04/2021 23:22

The UK be fine, even if uptake AZ slows down. It’s purchased enough of Novavax, Janssen and others.

The issue will be with developing countries who depend on AZ and can’t deal with the complex refrigeration requirements/ price of mRNA vaccines and others. Why should they take a vaccine that Europe has turned up its nose at? And yet, they have no pending alternative. I’m already seeing this in my home (Middle East) country.

bluegre · 03/04/2021 23:23

@Mumtwoboys90 ah shit I'm sorry I've scared you. Did they take a blue top sample? That's coagulation tests, specifically D-Dimer.
The feeling unwell wouldn't have gone away, there's a verity of other symptoms such as shortness of breath, fever. But if you had this you would have kept getting worst and gone back to a&e.

We only been asked to check platelets on the last week, it's new for us to be doing this.

Mumtwoboys90 · 03/04/2021 23:33

@bluegre no no dont apologise you havent scared me its actually really helpful to hear info from you
i dont think they did take blue top.....i just thought i was ok if platelets are normal but i guess that wouldn't show if there were any clots? oh god its so confusing and the worst bit is im such a worrier but i took the vaccine without googling anything abecause i didnt want to worry myself ...wish i had now as this is just insane Sad

Mumtwoboys90 · 03/04/2021 23:37

i can see there are coagulation results would it be that? it says D-dimer APTT blood Fibrinogen etc

bluegre · 03/04/2021 23:38

@Mumtwoboys90 yes that's it. The D-diner should be less than 500 (they they use the same units as me)