I’m terrified about getting my 2nd AZ vaccine

[Gmcg123]

I had my first AZ vaccine 15 days ago. I am 23 and heathy with no underlying health conditions - I got my vaccine as I care for my brother who has severe learning disabilities as my parents unfortunately can’t anymore.
I am really worried about getting my second vaccine -especially as they are now offering alternatives for people in my age group. I am also really worried about the CSVT risk (although it is small risk - the risk of me getting COVID and getting ill with it is very small too as I am a sahm now for the next year at least until dd starts school)
Is there anybody on here in the same situation as me ?

Sorry if this is hard to read - it’s late and I’m tired but I’m up worrying about this vaccine

@flapjackfairy

I thought Matt Hancock said today that all clots have been after1st jab so don't worry about having 2nd one if you were fine after the initial one. I thought it was reported on BBC news at lunchtime .

Not just Matt Hancock but all the medical experts too. Exceptionally tiny risk is after the first jab. If you have had the first, you should absolutely get teh second.

When they eventually get round to routine jabbing of the under 30s - which won't be for a while - they'll just use another jab.

[quote TimeQuest01]@Summerofcontent, I think other countries are following the UK 12 week gap with regards to the second AZ dose, at least Spain are.[/quote]
That's interesting. We were criticised when we first announced this.

It's natural to be worried OP, but the story and stats are changing every few days. Just wait and see, you don't have to get the second vaccine, but hopefully by the time you are scheduled to the risks will be much clearer and you will feel more positive about AZ. Remember that any of the other vaccines could end up having risks too. There is no such thing as a completely safe drug or vaccine.

And to echo others, the tiny blood clot risk seems to be after the first jab so you've already done the riskiest part of the process!

Not just Matt Hancock but all the medical experts too. Exceptionally tiny risk is after the first jab. If you have had the first, you should absolutely get teh second.

I take this with a pinch of salt. They don't have anywhere near the amount of data to solidly claim this.

I'm over 40, overweight and a history of blood clots in the family. I will be having the second dose without question.

I’m under 30 and I’d love the vaccine, any vaccine. I believe the reassurances of all the chief scientists and doctors to say this is a risk to be worried about. We all take risks every single day of our lives - stepping out of our houses every day is a risk too, car crashes, hit by a meteor, lightening, choke to death risk every time you eat food, medical problems can strike at any time etc. Not to mention you’d be more at risk from covid.

OP do you ever go in a car? Have you ever flown in a plane? Have you ever taken the contraceptive pill?

All of those things are riskier to your health than the AZ vaccine.

A GP from Hampshire posted the following on Facebook.

You’ll see you were actually at more risk of developing blood clots when you were pregnant but I doubt it was something you were terrified about then.

“ Some thoughts on the AstraZeneca Vaccine:

Up to and including 31 March 2021, the MHRA had received 79 UK reports of blood clotting cases alongside low levels of platelets (thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia) following the use of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca

• 44 of the 79 cases were of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) with thrombocytopenia
• 35 of the 79 cases were of thrombosis in other major veins (e.g. splenic) with thrombocytopenia
• ALL 79 cases occurred after a FIRST dose of the vaccine

Sadly, 19 people have died out of the 79 cases

• 11 out of the 19 people who died were under the age of 50
• 3 out of the 19 people who died were under the age of 30

The overall risk of such an event, thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia following a first dose of AZ vaccine, is:
• 4 in a million
• that's 0.0004 %

The overall risk of death due to that event is:
• 1 in a million
• that's 0.0001 %

If you're under 50, the risk of death drops to:
• 1 in 2 million
• that's 0.00005 %

If you're under 30, the risk of death drops even further, to:
• 1 in 8 million
• that's 0.00001 %

To put that into perspective.

The risk of developing a blood clot on an aeroplane flight lasting more than 4hrs is:
▪️ 1 in 6000
▪️ that's a 167 in a million risk
▪️ or 0.0167%

The risk of developing a blood clot whilst taking the combined oral contraceptive pill is:
▪️ 1 in 2000
▪️ that's a 500 in a million risk
▪️ or 0.05%

The risk of a DVT or PE developing during pregnancy is:
▪️ 2 in 1000
▪️ that's a 2000 in a million risk
▪️ or 0.2%

What happens if you develop COVID-19?

• Pulmonary embolism, or clotting on the lungs, occurs in 7.8% of people who have COVID-19
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or clotting in the legs, occurs in 11.2% of people who have COVID-19
• Of those who have COVID-19 and end up in an intensive therapy unit (ITU), 23% will have some form of clot
• COVID-19 causes strokes in 1.6% of people
• Up to 30% of people who have COVID-19 will get thrombocytopenia (a lowering of the platelet count)

The risk of clots and lower platelets, ending up in hospital, and of course death, is much higher with COVID-19 than these extremely rare events which are occurring with the vaccine.

At the current time (see picture), the risk-benefit ratio for anyone aged 30+ remains overwhelmingly in favour of having the AZ vaccine, as soon as it is offered to you, rather than delaying vaccination (until an alternative one is available AND offered to you) and so running the risk of developing COVID-19 in the meantime - a situation that carries a far, far greater risk of illness and death.

A history of previous venous (DVT/PE) or arterial thrombosis, unless associated with receiving a vaccine, is NOT a contraindication to receiving the AZ vaccine. There are no known (or apparent) risk factors for this very rare event, it appears to be an idiosyncratic immune phenomenon.

Addendum: Administration of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in patients with a history of:

• cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
• acquired or hereditary thrombophilia
• heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
• antiphospholipid syndrome

should only be considered when the potential benefit outweighs any potential risks.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/976880/PHE_COVID-19_AZ_vaccination_guide.pdf”

Accompanying graphic.

I agree with all the posters who describe much higher risk things in life that we all do and much riskier things we do in life that could increase our risk of clots.

As the figures stand the actual risk of clots isn't just in younger people but just that the risk ratio is different because Covid itself doesn't affect them as much. That doesn't mean it's less safe if you are young.

There will be a fair few younger people who have had the second jab as lots of people who work in the NHS/care homes, front line workers etc were first in the queue.

The reason you were given the jab earlier than your age group is because you having caring responsibilities. This reason hasn't gone away. You are much much likelier to catch Covid and pass it to your brother than you are to have a clot especially if you have had your first jab.

@Gmcg123 - Well, you could take the minute risk of getting this exceptionally rare type of blood clot that is not thought to be linked to 2nd doses of the AZ vaccine (because it’s thought to be an unusual autoimmune response that you would get after the first dose if at all). Or you could take the considerably bigger risk of losing immunity rapidly, being a bigger risk to the person you are caring for and the rest of society, finding travel and other activities become more difficult or expensive for you, and getting a blood clot or otherwise getting very ill from the real thing. The choice is yours.

I think many of us are conditioned by the safety and security of modern life in a developed and peaceful democracy to believe our lives are essentially "risk free", and anything, however minute, that impinges on that triggers an excessive and entirely disproportionate reaction.

In truth, even in our cosseted western world, we all take small risks every day... It's just that we're not conscious of those and as a result believe they don't actually exist.

As a 23 year old who is only partially vaccinated you are at risk of being infected should there be another wave. Whilst your chances of getting a mild illness are in your favour the same cannot be said for your brother.

You are being offered a vaccine because of the risk you pose to him. It’s your choice that you don’t have your second dose but you need to accept it is not without risk to you and to him. That’s your decision and your choice but you need to own that choice.

It's hard to be rational about life threatening risks. But the fact is the risks are miniscule. I mean I occasionally wonder what it's be like to be struck by lightning, but it doesn't really feature in my life decisions. Although I suppose I don't stand next to a metal rod on top of a mountain in a storm very often....

Op the risk isn't reasonably small, it's extremely small. Minuscule as highlighted very well above. You do much riskier things every day.

People have lost all rational understanding of risk through this pandemic. Through extended period of fear, media and social media. I wonder how long this heightened fear is going to last in the population. It's very worrying.

I am sick to the back teeth of all this bloody angst and self-indulgent nonsense.
Some things are not all about the individual!