Why only under 30’s?

[Tinkling]

I’m hoping someone can explain the logic to me because I don’t understand it AT ALL.

19 people have died from a side effect after the AZ vaccine and only THREE were under 30.

So why is the offer of a different vaccine only restricted to the under 30’s?

It’s all to do with risk vs benefit. So under 39s the risk from COVID is less than the clots, but over 39 it reverses and the risk is higher from COVID than from clots.

30s that should say, not 39

It is about risk benefit. If you take a look at the three graphs shown at the following link it is explained really clearly. The graphs outline the risk benefit for each age group. wintoncentre.maths.cam.ac.uk/news/communicating-potential-benefits-and-harms-astra-zeneca-covid-19-vaccine/

The balance between risk of dying from covid is much lower in under 30s at which the risk from a clot associated with az vaccine is similar. Above that age and in certain public facing roles the risk of covid outweighs that of vaccine complications.

I would also hazard a guess that under 30s may be statistically at higher risk of clots from other factors such as the Pill, pregnancy, travel etc than covid.

Over 30s the risk of covid death are more than the risk of blood clots.

As under 30 have a tiny tiny chance of dying from covid it’s smaller than risk of getting a blood clot. So makes Mathematical sense then to get a different one if they wish. Though still very small risk.

I dunno, I know there has to be a cut off somewhere but as a 30 year old I think my risk of Covid and blood clots would be more similar to a 29 year old than a 39 year old.

From a medical perspective there are zero cut-off points between 29 to 30. European countries using 55-60 makes more sense since that‘s the age of menopause with significant changes in hormone levels, lifestyle, contraception etc.

I think the UK are throwing people in their 30-40s under a bus here. They have too much AZ to scrap it all so it needs to be used on someone. Or perhaps they’re worried that too many young people are going to refuse the vacccine and now trying to sway them the better options of Pfizer and Moderna.

People between 30-40 are sensible enough to understand the importance of vaccination and the coronavirus board shows that many are more than keen to get AZ despite the risks.

My concern is more that as a woman in her early 30s, my risk of coronavirus is probably barely more than a 29 year old (and given I'm a healthy BMI probably less than an overweight 29 year old), but I would guess I have a higher risk from the reported blood clots than a 29 year old male, given young women seem to have been affected far more. The 29 year old male will have a choice in the vaccine he receives and I will not.

So on that level I'm mildly pissed off as it feels like yet again women's medical needs are not considered. However on the flip side to that, all throughout the pandemic men seemed to have been more risk from coronavirus but weren't prioritised over women (rightly so given history tbh) so meh, is it that big of a deal.

More than anything I'm glad to live in a country where I will hopefully soon be vaccinated and will be more than happy to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. I feel very fortunate for that. The risk of a blood clot is tiny. I would be interested to know if there's anything I could possibly do to mitigate the risk in any way though?

The slides shown by Van Tam at the briefing yesterday explained this really well, the risk vs benefit calculations.

I take the Pill. It would be interesting to know how many of the blood clots were in women who were taking the Pill.

The government has made it out to be about 'Risk V Benefit'. However, as they have bucket loads of Astra to use they don't want to scare everyone off the vaccine. Especially those who are yet to have their second dose. For society as a whole it is better for everyone to be vaccinated.

As for individual risk - that's up to the individual. As a 36 year old who's been on the contraceptive pill for many years I'm going to err on the side of caution until more is known. I'd like to actually see the data on the blood clot cases and deaths before I make up my mind.

@Waxonwaxoff0 that's what I'd like to know too, I use the Evra patch so same as the pill really. Although the type of clots associated are different, I want to know if there's any correlation, and if this is a possible mitigation?

Saying that getting pregnant would be far far worse for me in every single way possible so probably wouldn't stop the patch 😂

Why? If the risk to females is similar to that of males?

That itself suggests something other than contraception.

This whole thing has made me decide I wont take the AZ and will wait for alternatives, or request them. See what happens. I know the risk is low but at 32 I dont fancy dying of a vaccine.

@User5485421134 that was my view too. They have too many AZ vaccines that need using up so let’s use them on the 30-40 age bracket.

Being early 30’s, I’m less than impressed.

I will still get vaccinated, AZ or not. But I suffer from health anxiety and that first 16 days will worry me.

Thanks everyone for explaining it to me. I get it but I still think it’s nonsense. The age limit should definitely have been higher.

Only three events were in the under thirties but you need to adjust for the number of people in each age group who had the vaccine. The JCVI believes that the risk of vaccine-related events is higher for the youngest age group and tails off with age.

It's so hard to interpret but I read that of 79 cases, 51 were female and 28 male.

@Screwcorona I'm not particularly worried about dying of coronavirus as feel that at 33 with a healthy BMI and no other health conditions my chance of death is tiny. But it's still far far more than the risk of the Oxford vaccine so i'll happily take the Oxford vaccine.

I'm 31 with a healthy bmi and as far as I'm aware no underlying health issues, I've been on microgynon for probably 10 years so that in theory gives me a high chance of blood clots, (I understand its supposed to be a different type of clot to the covid vaccine clot) My body can't be that much different than a 29-30 year old so how do they work out a cut off point of 30, surely you have to factor in other things? 1 day before your 31st birthday you aren't supposed to have the AZ but the next day or the day after you can.

There were more affected women than men, but vaccinated people under 50 are disproportionately women. 77% of the NHS workforce are women for example. So there isn’t enough data to prove for sure that women are more at risk from the vaccine - although they are probably less at risk from Covid.

I'm a 39 year old woman who hasn't been allowed the pill since I was 20 due to increased risk of clots. I have been very very keen to be vaccinated up to now but I have decided I am not prepared to risk the AZ vaccine. I barely leave the house anyway so will wait until there is an alternative.

@User5485421134

From a medical perspective there are zero cut-off points between 29 to 30. European countries using 55-60 makes more sense since that‘s the age of menopause with significant changes in hormone levels, lifestyle, contraception etc.

I think the UK are throwing people in their 30-40s under a bus here. They have too much AZ to scrap it all so it needs to be used on someone. Or perhaps they’re worried that too many young people are going to refuse the vacccine and now trying to sway them the better options of Pfizer and Moderna.

People between 30-40 are sensible enough to understand the importance of vaccination and the coronavirus board shows that many are more than keen to get AZ despite the risks.

I agree with being thrown under the bus. They're basically bribing younger people to get the jab by offering them the ones without the risk of death because they know a lot won't take it up otherwise. But 30-50's just have to take their chances despite there being safer vaccines. It's really shit.

Ah thanks @FourWordsImMuNiTy that makes more sense about risks between younger men and women.

I'm not sure, I think that perhaps the cut off should have been higher but for myself at 33, in good health, who isn't allergic to anything etc, I'm not worried about receiving the Oxford vaccine and would love to receive it ASAP.

I have a friend in her mid 20s who has had a blood clot in the past and who has also reacted badly to other medication so I am glad that she will get the choice! And maybe in her position I would want that choice too.

But what about meeeee! Me me me! I’m 31! I need to do some research 😄

Don’t you think Europe has got too many az vaccines as well? They bought 400m doses, it was the one they bought the most of ...

If you look at the link another pp has posted with the info they explained yesteray then you would understand what they meant