Not sure how to read this.
On face value appears dubious risk management.
1:100 die of this virus, but stopping vaccination because maybe 1:1000,000 might die of side effects? Add to that the damage it does to vaccine perceptions and uptake in general.
I would love to see the science behind the decisions. The statistical significance when approx 300 people die every day in the US of this condition. How much is chance ?
There might be valid reasons (bad batch) but for many people who perhaps are not anti vaxxers just cautious/dubious this is a killer blow for AZ vaccine.
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Yup. My mother had just decided that she was going for it (I had put some work into convincing her, she can be stubborn at times). Now, with all the doubts surrounding this peculiar vaccine, her determination to take the jab, any jab, is gone. She wants to wait until there is ‘more clarity’ about the safety of these vaccines.
I should add that she listens a lot to the French media, who have been particularly fear-mongering in the whole since this row with AZ broke out.
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Bugger…we’re booked in for tomorrow…it took me ages to get booked in…so I’ve told mester wilkored08 we are going…
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That’s good news. You could well be part of the record vaccination day so far.
I know its opinion biased but I do like Ros Atkins approach to reporting. Wish more news was like this.
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I think Ros has made it very clear where he sits on the fence, and it’s not in the middle.
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Well, nobody’s rubbishing the Pfizer vaccine in the way they’re trying to do with AstraZeneca. 
Would that then be balance or would it, in fact, be fucking irresponsible?
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It’s pathetic. Absolutely transparently a political move. Retaliation for the earlier row between Europe and Astra Zenica. Or a punishment beating, if you will.
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That’s actually further than I would go!
I think it’s a consequence of the previous maligning. It’s made people extra nervous without any foundation - like they’re almost looking for something that they can then say (scientifically) validates their earlier (politically motivated) scepticism.
No such scrutiny on the Pfizer vaccine though. The “good” one. It’s truly pathetic.
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That’s my worry as well. If it has all been a political move, then there is no finer example of a scorched earth policy. It might be ok for the EU who have Pfizer to fall back on, but this will effect the uptake of the vaccine in many other nations around the world.
It’s probably why I am hesitant to call it as such until there is real evidence of it, even if there is smoke, because if true, it’s by far the most reckless and irresponsible thing the EU has done since it’s inception.
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Sweden joins the suspension.
I really hope that this doesn’t undermine the biggest mass vaccination effort anywhere in the world, India. Cases are rising there.
My perception is that it’s not political, more so government bodies failing to show common sense. Most bodies work to standards, rules, processes and procedures.
Slow to approve, fast to react to potential side effects. A safety first approach. Great during normal times.
During pandemic however it’s the opposite.
They need to be thinking how many people could potentially die if they don’t have this vaccine, not simply how many could die if they do. Human nature is though to rationalise it as deaths due to vaccine are on my head, those that die of Covid are not my fault.
What is needed statisticians/epidemiologists to model different scenarios to evaluate risk in terms of population.
I would agree with this interpretation were it not for the fact that these countries are not showing the same caution with Pfizer despite it having very similar results. For some specific reactions (myocardial infarction) Pfizer does better, for others (dying from shitting yourself) it’s done worse (UK numbers).
All of these instances are statistically tiny and, as some have pointed out, some are lower than you would expect from the general population.
There were some experts sardonically remarking that the AZ vaccine might be marketed as an anti-clotting medication such were the relatively lower numbers of clots experienced following receipt of the vaccine than you might otherwise expect.
I think the key difference is the age of those that died.
They will have probably justified it as those that have died soon after the Phizer vaccine have been older, more at risk of developing conditions naturally by chance.
There are a few cases of the AstraZeneca being associated deaths with those who are younger. At least a 2 in their 50s. Statistically this is more unusual.
The difference though could simply be Phizer vaccine has typically been given to older people. The AstraZeneca to younger people.
Not in the UK. I think in the UK more AZ has been given to those over 65 than Pfizer (or it’s very even). At least that’s what a Scottish breakdown from about a month ago indicated (I’ll try and find it).
But yes, you could be right in relation to the specific reactions (I haven’t seen the age breakdown here).
Has any tabloid simply gone with the headline “Clots” yet? If not, they’re missing an open goal 
A range of comments…
Google translate
It’s official: everyone has gone crazy except us. Strange sensation. [they’re based in Belgium]
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My father in law had the AZ vaccine yesterday. Must have been just before the cutoff. From what I’ve read France leave 9-12 weeks between doses so this shit should be sorted before he’s due for his second shot.
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Just booked my mum who is 64, in for her first dose on 9th April with the 2nd dose on 30th April. So far its either Pfizer or Moderna for us in Singapore with Sinovac still in the midst of being in approval process.
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Just go, I had the Astra Zeneca jab 2 weeks ago and I’m still here. I’ll also be going for my 2nd jab in May, unless it’s been withdrawn because someone has complained of an increase in ‘flatulence’.
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There are some Unions in France that are refusing to let their members have the AZ vaccine. This is after a number of young healthy Firemen suffered arythmy cardiac arrests a day to 4 days after the vaccin.
There’s pressure out there and your not getting the full picture from what I can gather.
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