Why is the AZ vaccine no longer being offered to under 30s?

[Icancelledthecheque]

Just wondering if I need to be concerned... I potentially have an AZ vaccine tomorrow and I’m 32, so not much older! Does anyone know please?

Certainly no more significant than the risks we take when taking the pill,

Yes the risk is tiny, but it is unecessary added risk compared to other vaccines. Would you after being told one birth control pill has eight fold higher risk of death than another birth control pill, feel comfortable choosing the riskier one? Putting it in your body?

By the way, the tweets and statements that blood clot risk from the BC pill is higher than the AZ vaccine are misleading. The BC pill causes different type of blood clots which have a much lower fatality rate.

See
“Trying to downplay the risk of severe but rare clotting that appears to be associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine by comparing it with the clotting risk from taking the contraceptive pill, or to the chances of dying in a car crash, is unhelpful and likely ineffective in building vaccine confidence, an expert medical panel said.”
“Some health and medical experts have attempted to reassure the public that the vaccine remains safe and effective by pointing out that blood clotting is a well-known side-effect for the contraceptive pill which is nonetheless used by hundreds of thousands of Australian women. They also point out that there is more risk of dying in a car crash, yet millions of people still choose to drive every day.

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Speaking at an event to discuss the AstraZeneca vaccine and clotting hosted by the Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre on Tuesday night, Atagi member Assoc Prof Nigel Crawford said such comparisons may not be helpful in boosting vaccine confidence.

The contraceptive pill was associated with entirely different, less deadly clotting conditions, Crawford said, and it is known that smoking, being overweight and other factors increase the risk of those conditions which makes it easier for individuals to make decisions.”
www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/21/comparing-astrazeneca-vaccine-blood-clot-risk-to-odds-of-dying-in-a-car-crash-unhelpful-experts-say

@Schulte

‘How many U.K. deaths from AZ blood clotting have their actually been? Genuine question.’

33 so far. And counting. I agree there seems to be no effort whatsoever by the government to try and purchase more mRNA vaccine. Perhaps they are banking on Valneva. Risky.

Maybe they are pinning their hopes on Novavax as well.

more mRNA vaccine

mRNA vaccines also have side effects, let's not forget this

Looks like the EU were definitely considering suing. They wouldn't have even thought about doing it if they didn't want the supplies.

www.reuters.com/world/uk/eu-preparing-legal-case-against-astrazeneca-over-vaccine-shortfalls-politico-2021-04-22/

What I mean is, some talk as if the other Covid vaccines are risk free. They are not. All of them are new.

So you are choosing between the risk of Covid and the risk of any of these new vaccines. The risk profile of each person will be unique (age, occupation, underlying conditions, exposure due to school-age children, etc)

Yes the risk is tiny, but it is unecessary added risk compared to other vaccines.

The supply of which doesn’t exist right now.

Honestly, this is just going round in circles now. I’m not sure why it’s so difficult to understand this point.

@Sebw

I think the issue for me is that the risk keeps changing. The EMA now puts it at 1 in 100000, and 2.1 per 100000 for people in their 40s.

It will change for a variety of reasons:

• More data coming in
• Different cohorts being separated out
• Differences between countries
• Possible differences between sexes, ethnicities etc
• Differences in who has been vaccinated, which vaccine

The actual RR probably won't be known for a year or so. It helps to always remember that this is live data.

@TheKeatingFive

Yes the risk is tiny, but it is unecessary added risk compared to other vaccines.

The supply of which doesn’t exist right now.

Honestly, this is just going round in circles now. I’m not sure why it’s so difficult to understand this point.

The supply of which DOES exist, how else did Canada and the EU do it? They are individually five times the population of the U.K. ok, so maybe they have more power than tiny U.K. But then smaller countries have also secured these supplies- Denmark, Israel for example.

We are going in circles because you cannot accept the reality that supplies do exist of non AZ vaccines.

[quote Tealightsandd]Looks like the EU were definitely considering suing. They wouldn't have even thought about doing it if they didn't want the supplies.

www.reuters.com/world/uk/eu-preparing-legal-case-against-astrazeneca-over-vaccine-shortfalls-politico-2021-04-22/[/quote]
Nope.
That was a false claim by Irish minister. Read this
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/2b88c3ba-a38d-11eb-949b-ab1b919d4f89?shareToken=73fe235b1f4d4496115003c1da88b167

“The European Commission has denied a claim by Stephen Donnelly that it has started a legal case against AstraZeneca over its vaccine contract.”

The supply of which DOES exist, how else did Canada and the EU do it?

They ordered it before the U.K. for one thing.

But I’m in Ireland and we’re still vaccinating over 70s because the supply ISNT there.

@mustlovegin

What I mean is, some talk as if the other Covid vaccines are risk free. They are not. All of them are new.

So you are choosing between the risk of Covid and the risk of any of these new vaccines. The risk profile of each person will be unique (age, occupation, underlying conditions, exposure due to school-age children, etc)

Yes it is true other Covid vaccines have side effects. Pfizer has had deaths from anaphylaxis- allergic reaction. But the data we have is showing a higher death rate from AZ than the others. The US J&J vaccine has second highest, also an adenovirus based vaccine. The information is out there as to the deaths per million doses and so on for each vaccine.

@StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind Well said. I had mine last Sunday, although much older than you (47). Wasn't expecting it for a while and certainly wasn't about to start arguing about which it was.

Hope you are feeling ok in the morning - I'd stocked up on paracetamol, after both my DH and DSis had hangover-type symptoms the next day, although they were both fine by the evening. I didn't end up with any side effects, bar a slightly sore arm, nothing compared to how I felt after a Hep A jab 20 years ago.

@TheKeatingFive

The supply of which DOES exist, how else did Canada and the EU do it?

They ordered it before the U.K. for one thing.

But I’m in Ireland and we’re still vaccinating over 70s because the supply ISNT there.

Not really. The brexit advantaged UK. initially ordered vaccines three months before the EU due to EU bloc delays - that’s why you’re ahead of most of Europe and besides, I’m talking about new orders and changes that have happened just in past few weeks in response to the AZ fatalities. Canada doubled their Pfizer order on 19 April. EU decided on 21 April to cancel 100 m doses of AZ and ordered Pfizer instead. So I suppose yes, Canada and EU have ordered more doses before U.K. because U.K. hasn’t even asked for more doses yet!

@TheKeatingFive
Just noted you are in Ireland. Sorry for thinking you are in U.K. I am in France.

mustlovegin is right.

Pfizer has also been associated with these rare clots. Very rare (as with AZ) but it's definitely not just AZ.

www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/90917

@Passthesauce thankyou! I'm feeling totally fine now although it's only about 6 hours on, I'm going to drink a ton of water now, my friend said it would be a good thing to do, will probably make no difference 😂 my arm ached a fair bit really quickly afterwards but that's already pretty much worn off.

I just think people need to get some perspective- the risks of the AZ vaccine are absolutely tiny, and now we know there is a risk it makes it possible to get treatment ASAP if need be. The nurse went through it with me today- she told me that if I get any of the blood clot symptoms within two weeks to get straight to A&E.

Completely fair enough if people don't want to accept AZ, I don't believe in forced vaccination at all. But don't expect the NHS to bend over backwards to give the vaccine of choice, go to the back of the queue until everyone who is willing to accept any vaccine has had the opportunity.

Well... checking back in! I had my vaccine, and it was AZ, unsurprisingly.

Haven’t had any ill effects at all, not even a noticeably sore arm.

Fingers crossed I’m not unlucky with clotting because this did worry me but I felt on balance it was still better to go ahead.

But I’m in Ireland and we’re still vaccinating over 70s because the supply ISNT there.

Not quite accurate as is the case with so many of your posts. Did you mean community vaccinations?

Ireland is currently vaccinating the following -

With Pfizer and Moderna

• people aged 65 years and older who live in long-term care facilities
• frontline healthcare workers
• people aged 70 and older living in the community
• people aged 16 to 69 who are at very high risk
• people aged 65 to 69, including those at high risk
• people aged 16 to 64 who are at high risk

Currently being vaccinated with AZ (only ages 61 - 69 will be vaccinated with AZ).
People aged 60 to 64 will be vaccinated next. Registration is now open for people aged 60 to 64.

Pfizer has also been associated with these rare clots. Very rare (as with AZ) but it's definitely not just AZ

The EMA gave figures on Tues. The rare clots with Pfizer amounted to 25. The rare clots with AZ were in the region of 240.

People aged 60 to 64 will be vaccinated next. Registration is now open for people aged 60 to 64.

Not stellar is it, compared to U.K?

We ARE still vaxxing over 70s. Plenty don’t have second doses.

Sorry for thinking you are in U.K. I am in France.

No worries, it’s the default assumption on here!

Plenty don’t have second doses In the UK as of April 3rd, 5M out of 66.6M have two doses of a vaccine deemed unfit by over twenty five other countries.

Will you ever give up or go live in the UK if you believe in Johnson's ability to 'Make Britain Great Again'!

Ireland had a grand total of 371,054 fully vaccinated.

For context

Has

Will you ever give up or go live in the UK if you believe in Johnson's ability to 'Make Britain Great Again'!

I find it fairly extraordinary that I’m not allowed to be critical of my own county according to you, which boasts the proud record of ‘longest, harshest lockdown in Europe’ at this point.