Alternatives to AstraZeneca vaccine for under 40s “will be considered” amid rise in blood clots Thread 3

[Whichjab]

New thread as the MRHA report is out today.

Note this is not an anti vaccination thread.

@SheilaTakeABow I know exactly what you mean. I feel guilty because I encouraged my DP to get vaccinated and he had AZ which has affected him immensely for weeks. It's out of character for him to have duvet days and at the end of each day he says 'I feel wiped out'.

In the meantime the blood clot news broke and now I feel guilty because we decided I would try and get an alternative (which I did eventually) Some households, on a purely logical basis, could not afford to have two people ill for weeks after being jabbed!

I was so happy when the vaccination program began but you are right, this mess has taken the joy out of it. No-one knows what to do anymore other than wait and see.

A note on the Beverly Hunt tweet: this chimes with what Prof Makris has been saying, also on Twitter.

Basically, there’s a group of expert haematologists who review every case of VITT. My understanding is that they have yet to see a convincing case of VITT post second dose (with all the hallmarks of what they see after dose one) - or certainly not many - however MHRA are reporting 15 so they’re trying to get to the bottom of the discrepancy.

I honestly think they don’t really have the answers at the moment.

I’m sorry about your DH @AppleJane! Have you been able to find any help or advice?

And @SheilaTakeABow I know exactly what you mean...I watched with envy as friends in the US posted jubilant post-vax selfies. But I was so worried about AZ, I felt nothing but dread! It should have been a time for joy and hope.

@Swimbikerunmummy, you might have already said, but are you not able to travel to an alternative centre where Pfizer is being given as standard for first doses? I know nothing is definite until you get it, but there are places where this seems likely.

Here in Scotland they're refusing to give anything but AZ to over 40. I'm really annoyed.

@Elisandra I’m not in the UK mainland but Islands so no choice.

Just had my jab, was given Pfizer. It was a Pfizer clinic but the DR advised I would have been given this regardless because of my age. He said the booking app is good as it will only show you clinics that are offering the appropriate jab(s) for our age group. So all good 👍🏼

Oh goodness, I’m so sorry, @Swimbikerunmummy. That cannot be the right way to go about things.

@Swimbikerunmummy can you go on the national website? You can put in the postcode where you want your jab and it doesn’t have to be your home address. You could pick somewhere on the mainland you can get to easily...

And sorry I keep repeating myself, but if you know someone in their early 30’s who has yet to book, you could ask them to say the options they get as those will be non AZ.

Also on another thread someone said select that you’re pregnant, see the centres offered, go back and click not pregnant and select centre based on what you’ve learnt.

@Swimbikerunmummy The below page has the list of phaemacies offering pfizer, ringing them could help with getting an appointment for pfizer.

www.nwlondonccg.nhs.uk/coronavirus/nhs-covid-19-vaccination-programme/large-vaccination-site-locations

None of these options is available on our system. You have to login as yourself before you are even shown any options. So you will never get sent to a non-AZ location if they don't want you to. That's coercive and unethical.

Thanks @Bunbury952. My DP doesn't want to go docs and at the moment he's saying he doesn't want the 2nd dose. He's been invited after 9 weeks but he's ignoring it. I just wish the mixing trials were a bit further along.

@Swimbikerunmummy I'm pretty angry at how this is playing out for people like you. We are all a part of the UK and should be treated the same.

My appointment for the AZ is 3.10pm this afternoon @AppleJane
I’m going to go along but whether I go through with it I don’t know....

Good luck whatever you decide

I had AZ 9 weeks ago, was reluctant at the time, and really regret it. I have had headaches ever since along with eye issues. There are others like me with weeks of headaches after AZ. Most have had blood tests for low platelets, some have had scans - doctors have not found anything. I am meant to be having my second dose next week. For me, it is AZ or nothing, there is no other choice in the UK. Trials in the UK will reveal more results for mixing in June. However,I am concerned about what the AstraZeneca developer, Sir John Bell says in the Canadian CTV News video - see YouTube ‘Canada is acting on hearsay not facts’ He says mixing causing severe reactions with mixing and saying much better to have second AZ dose. he says if you have a third dose of AZ then higher antibodies than with Pfizer. He is implying that mixing may not be on the cards.....

@Swimbikerunmummy how did you get on? Drink lots of water so you don't get dehydrated and hope you're okay. Spend the day doing your favourite things

@penni00 it's all so confusing isn't it. There was a poster on here a while back who has a good understanding of adenovirus based vaccines who said they're not suitable for more than two doses because of how our immune systems work. But now recent reports have said that a third dose would work. Some people who have experienced strong reactions to a first dose are not keen on second and third doses where there is some suggestion of increased 'short term' effects. It's all getting too random.

@penni00

I had AZ 9 weeks ago, was reluctant at the time, and really regret it. I have had headaches ever since along with eye issues. There are others like me with weeks of headaches after AZ. Most have had blood tests for low platelets, some have had scans - doctors have not found anything. I am meant to be having my second dose next week. For me, it is AZ or nothing, there is no other choice in the UK. Trials in the UK will reveal more results for mixing in June. However,I am concerned about what the AstraZeneca developer, Sir John Bell says in the Canadian CTV News video - see YouTube ‘Canada is acting on hearsay not facts’ He says mixing causing severe reactions with mixing and saying much better to have second AZ dose. he says if you have a third dose of AZ then higher antibodies than with Pfizer. He is implying that mixing may not be on the cards.....

Maybe a bit sceptical, but he would say that wouldn't he 🤷🏻‍♀️

@AppleJane
My understanding is they can't keep using the chimp virus for too many subsequent vaccinations because your body gets used to it and doesn't respond. It may well be that the third dose/booster that John Bell is referring to in the YouTube video uses a different virus from the chimp one currently being used.

I’ve had it. I just hope to god I don’t regret it. I might need to step away from this thread now for a bit for my sanity.

Hope it all goes smoothly now, swim.

@Swimbikerunmummy I hope it all goes well for you.

For those still trying to get to the bottom of what’s happening with second doses and had been following Beverly Hunt’s tweets. Professor Michael Markis a haematologist who is working really hard to gain some clarity around this issue has just tweeted with a little more clarity regarding not yet having seen any convincing VITT cases after second doses. It seems it’s being looked at very closely but is too early to draw any real conclusions.

@Swimbikerunmummy

I’ve had it. I just hope to god I don’t regret it. I might need to step away from this thread now for a bit for my sanity.

That's a good idea, stepping away for a bit. You know what to look out for and really try to relax!