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Original poster

MHRA may change advice for young people receiving AZ vaccine

837 replies

IloveSooty424 · 05/04/2021 22:18

I just saw this news story on Channel 4 news tonight.

www.channel4.com/news/uk-medicines-regulator-considers-issuing-new-advice-over-oxford-astrazeneca-jab

It seems the MHRA may follow other European countries and Canada and advise that younger people should not receive the AZ vaccine. It seems the decision will be made imminently in the coming days.

I’m due to book my vaccine this week and don’t know whether to wait and see how this plays out. I’m 42. I’m also concerned that if younger people will only be offered the Pfizer vaccine it will slow down the vaccine programme substantially.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
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SunnyLovesCassie · 07/04/2021 22:11

PS I'd have any of them and am not worried.

Dustyboots · 07/04/2021 22:14

I’ve avoided Covid for a year, just living my normal life. Normal life for me is quite like lockdown.

Why would I purposely have someone inject me with stuff that’s highly likely to make me sick for a few days and possibly could kill me?

My chances of catching Covid19 are less now than the previous year when I’ve managed to avoid it. Aren’t they?

Username198 · 07/04/2021 22:14

@nonono1 I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. I wonder if the reason for the reaction to the very small probability of developing a blood clot from the vaccine is because of the fear campaign thats been run for the very small probability of dying from the virus. 18 months ago if you’d told people to have a vaccine with a tiny risk most people would have had no issues but society’s view of risk and mortality has been influenced by government messaging during the pandemic.

nonono1 · 07/04/2021 22:14

BBC news just saying that young people have around the same chance of dying in a car accident every three months as they have from dying from the vaccine ever... yet you don’t see people scared to get in a car.

Carambola · 07/04/2021 22:15

I am 45 and am all for continuing vaccinations, BUT I was ill for 15 days after the first shot with stabbing pain in an eye, nerve pain in the left leg and knee, shingles after 6 days etc on top of the typical 2-3 day symptoms. I don’t know if I need to worry or not and no one can tell me. Should I take the second dosage? Is it all ok? Still have strange pain in left leg/knee three weeks after. Is that dangerous? I called 119 to ask about what to do for my second jab - this was three days ago. They said they have no idea. I will go ahead, but I wish some feedback/discussion would be held after such a reaction to the vaccination.

nonono1 · 07/04/2021 22:15

Why would I purposely have someone inject me with stuff that’s highly likely to make me sick for a few days and possibly could kill me?

Surely it’s obvious... because you want to protect your nearest and dearest (and everyone else!)

Frustratedbeyondbelief · 07/04/2021 22:16

Drives me mad.. how many young women look at the risk of clots whilst taking the pill ?

Much much higher than the Covid vaccine !!!

bumbleymummy · 07/04/2021 22:16

People need to be vaccinated in order for society to open up again.

The more vulnerable groups, most likely to be hospitalised, needed to be vaccinated to ensure that the NHS could cope without us being in lockdown. That’s why the JCVI prioritised certain groups. The risk of hospitalisation in the younger groups is very low so even if the uptake is slower in these groups, it shouldn’t stop us reopening.

SunnyLovesCassie · 07/04/2021 22:17

People don't DIE from all these clots they develop though.

YoBeaches · 07/04/2021 22:17

You know the risks getting into the car though. You don't know the risks of having a partially tested, partially effective vaccine for a disease you might never get or suffer illness from.

nonono1 · 07/04/2021 22:21

You know the risks getting into the car though. You don't know the risks of having a partially tested, partially effective vaccine for a disease you might never get or suffer illness from.

But you do know the risk - it’s 0.0001%, going on the sample we have so far (which is an extremely large sample of 20 million!)

HazeyJaneII · 07/04/2021 22:22

@Frustratedbeyondbelief

Drives me mad.. how many young women look at the risk of clots whilst taking the pill ?

Much much higher than the Covid vaccine !!!

I keep on seeing this sort of thing today...I don't really understand it, because whenever the possibility of taking the pill has been discussed by Drs with me, the risks have been mentioned. When I did start taking the pill when I was younger, I started getting terrible headaches, chloasma and pain my legs. I had to have an ultrasound to rule out a dvt, came off the pill and was told it was probably a good idea to avoid it in future.
EasterIssland · 07/04/2021 22:25

From the guardian
“ The recommendation came as it was confirmed that the European regulator is examining whether other vaccines using similar technology to the AstraZeneca jab pose any risk.

There had been three cases of venous thromboembolism blood clots with low platelets involving the Johnson & Johnson jab, a European Medicines Agency (EMA) official said.
”

YoBeaches · 07/04/2021 22:28

@nonono1 that's not the sample.

Of the 79 cases there were 14 deaths in under 50 age group. They haven't vaccinated 20million under 50's as per your maths - that roll out is only getting under way for that age group so the number of cases and deaths will only increase.

They haven't published how many have been vaccinated under 50.

And they haven't published whether there are any medical or external risk factors that make one person more at risk than another, like a previous history of blood clots for example.

Just as a previous history of car crashes makes you more likely to crash again.

Carambola · 07/04/2021 22:31

I don’t think these blood clots are exactly the same as those you are at risk for on the pill. The mortality is high for those who develop these blood clots and surely this has to cause fear, however rare these cases are. I would like to better understand treatment possibilities and outcome should you develop symptoms.

bumbleymummy · 07/04/2021 22:32

@nonono1

You know the risks getting into the car though. You don't know the risks of having a partially tested, partially effective vaccine for a disease you might never get or suffer illness from.

But you do know the risk - it’s 0.0001%, going on the sample we have so far (which is an extremely large sample of 20 million!)

No, they were looking at the number of doses given to a particular age group, not all doses. The clots were more likely to occur in younger people.
bumbleymummy · 07/04/2021 22:33

Sorry, xpost yobeaches.

Dustyboots · 07/04/2021 22:35

You know the risks getting into the car though. You don't know the risks of having a partially tested, partially effective vaccine for a disease you might never get or suffer illness from.

This summarises it very neatly.

MarshaBradyo · 07/04/2021 22:37

You know the risks getting into the car though. You don't know the risks of having a partially tested, partially effective vaccine for a disease you might never get or suffer illness from.

Or you might suffer from.

Namechange1991x · 07/04/2021 22:48

@Carambola

I don’t think these blood clots are exactly the same as those you are at risk for on the pill. The mortality is high for those who develop these blood clots and surely this has to cause fear, however rare these cases are. I would like to better understand treatment possibilities and outcome should you develop symptoms.
It's worse. My mum died from it as she was brain damaged and went brain stem dead...it slowly destroyed her brain. As soon as she got the clot, she was never herself again.
vickyp0llard · 07/04/2021 22:51

yet you don’t see people scared to get in a car.

I personally am terrified every time I get in my car and joke about which funeral song I'd like. I'm fully aware that it's the most likely way I'm going to die as a young person. Some of us are actually aware of many risks in life, but choose to take them because the benefit (getting somewhere by car) is greater than the risk. As an under 30, the benefit from a vaccine to me is small, the risks are still unknown. And I don't subscribe to "it's for other people's benefit" - sorry but I don't do medical interventions for other people's benefit. It's quite a coercive argument to guilt-trip people into taking medical treatment to protect others (who should have had the vaccine themselves if they are so vulnerable/concerned). Donating bone marrow or kidneys also benefits others but I'd hardly recommend doing that.

MimiPigeon · 07/04/2021 22:58

The biggest risk is actually young people not getting vaccinated and passing Covid around with barely any symptoms, which allows it the opportunity to mutate into something that kills us all. We need to eradicate it by vaccinating everyone.

vickyp0llard · 07/04/2021 23:07

The biggest risk is actually young people not getting vaccinated and passing Covid around with barely any symptoms, which allows it the opportunity to mutate into something that kills us all. We need to eradicate it by vaccinating everyone.

Firstly, that is really unlikely, mutations over time are usually weaker and even if it were to become stronger, it's virtually impossible to go from being a virus with a

vickyp0llard · 07/04/2021 23:10

The most likely outcome is that we get herd immunity from a mix of people having recovered and a vaccination program, it mutates over time but in a manageable way like flu, the vaccine has an annual update and the vulnerable will be offered it like they are for flu. Not "it will mutate and we're all gonna die".

terribleg · 07/04/2021 23:11

which allows it the opportunity to mutate into something that kills us all.

Kill us all? bit unlikely