Ahh I hadn't looked at it that way! You could be right. Italy, Germany, Spain and France have now suspended use of the AZ vaccine too. It's all a bit of a mess really and I can't see how suspending use of the vaccine is going to increase public confidence. The figures make no sense whatsoever, I could totally understand it if it was widespread but they seem to be going off the Norway data. I've seen some counter data to suggest the level is just as high in the Pfizer vaccine too.

 

Like I said before, I would hope the UK are being transparent with the safety data.. if they are seeing something we're not then they should release it now. It's all a bit of a mess, the rest of Europe is going to be long behind the US and UK at this point, could really see a strong wave in Europe in the Autumn. I do wonder if this is a rouse to use all the Pfizer stock for Europe and block exports.

The media here are reporting that it is 37 cases, total, covering 17 million doses administered throughout geographical Europe (aka the EU, EEA and UK) 22 involved DVT and 15 involved pulmonary embolism. I might have those two numbers the wrong way round but that is the split that’s being reported.

 

 

Haven’t seen data from BioNTech yet but I remain of the view that this is a) lower than the background incident rate in the population that has received the jag and b) therefore is a counterproductive overreaction by a continent that is plagued with roll out issues from either an already high level of distrust in the AZ jag caused by unhelpful comments from political leaders or their completely ineffective roll out plan. In Germany it’s Bürokratie that is f***ing up the roll out big time and a high level of refusals of the AZ jag. We’ve literally millions of doses waiting to be used.

 

 

At the current rate of spread of the Variant that originated in Kent, Europe is already in a third wave. This lockdown will never end

I will still gladly accept the AZ one if that is offered. While I would prefer an mRNA vaccine just to be one of the first people to receive a vaccine using this novel and very cool new technology I’ll take anything I’m offered that has been signed off by the EMA as safe regardless of it’s country of Origin

The media here are reporting that it is 37 cases, total, covering 17 million doses administered throughout geographical Europe (aka the EU, EEA and UK) 22 involved DVT and 15 involved pulmonary embolism. I might have those two numbers the wrong way round but that is the split that’s being reported.

Haven’t seen data from BioNTech yet but I remain of the view that this is a) lower than the background incident rate in the population that has received the jag and b) therefore is a counterproductive overreaction by a continent that is plagued with roll out issues from either an already high level of distrust in the AZ jag caused by unhelpful comments from political leaders or their completely ineffective roll out plan. In Germany it’s Bürokratie that is f***ing up the roll out big time and a high level of refusals of the AZ jag. We’ve literally millions of doses waiting to be used.

At the current rate of spread of the Variant that originated in Kent, Europe is already in a third wave. This lockdown will never end

 

Personally for me, if there is any safety concerns these should be shared now.

 

I have read there an EU meeting on Thursday, but if there are any safety concerns I would expect countries to share this information. It's just really odd, the science doesn't quite back up the suspensions. If the strategy is to try and work in vaccine confidence then it's horribly coordinated. Fingers crossed this is just a PR safety tactic, but I just can't see it cutting very well, I think the confidence in AZ is done in Europe.. I just can't see how it gets back up to the speed it needs to unless you start having Merkel, Macron etc. getting the vaccine. Just all over odd at a time, it's like sometimes people forget we are in the middle of a global pandemic.

At the current rate of spread of the Variant that originated in Kent, Europe is already in a third wave. This lockdown will never end

 

And nor will it in the UK because the UK government doesn't want to quarantine all travelers to stop new variants coming into the UK. If it was up to me I would consider stopping all non commercial foreign travel completely to the UK for the rest of the year or at least until they caught up with the UK's vaccination rate (countries like Israel who are as far ahead or more so than the UK with the vaccines, excluded of course)

 

Although I can see how would probably be against human rights and racist towards people who have family abroad who live in the UK. But if it was up to me, at least all but essential travel should be stopped to the UK for the rest of this year. And the quarantine hotels for essential travels.

 

Obviously that plan would require airline bailouts though.

Edited March 15, 20214 yr by The. Snake.

It's a shame to see what's happening regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine. I can understand having a cautious approach, but I feel this is going to backfire. Not only are you now slowing down the rate of vaccination and putting more people at risk, you are also making people question the safety of the vaccines more which could put a number of people off having a vaccine. This is despite the fact the AZ is perfectly safe and the data regarding blood clots shows the incidence rate is what you would expect in the normal population without having the vaccine (or in fact lower than what you normally would expect from some of the data?).

 

I do wonder when the UK's vaccination rollout will accelerate. From what I was reading the government are aiming to ramp up to 3-4 million first dose vaccinations per week. The 7 day average is currently way below what you would need to hit that target - currently ~300k/day for first dose - you need it to hit ~430k/day to do at least 3 million per week.

 

 

I know people in the UK who are doubting whether to take AZ and holding out for Pfizer even though there isn't really a choice. I'm normally the last to praise the UK nowadays (and not the government in this case despite them now getting double digit poll leads) but this is something that I think.we've done well.

I know people in the UK who are doubting whether to take AZ and holding out for Pfizer even though there isn't really a choice. I'm normally the last to praise the UK nowadays (and not the government in this case despite them now getting double digit poll leads) but this is something that I think.we've done well.

 

Yep its dangerous whats happening with the AstraZeneca vaccine in several European countries and it will just increase the number of people refusing the vaccine which is dangerous in terms of providing potential for virus mutations to weaken the vaccine's effect. I think the likelihood that this won't be the last lockdown this year has increased a lot now.

It’s even worse for Ireland when people in NI will be getting the jab and counterparts in the ROI won’t due to the stoppage which will affect the economy here if people aren’t vaccinated at the same time and prevent cross border activity. I mean let’s face it ireland is one island on so many levels now and even more in the future with the Irish Sea being the economic and trade frontier.

It's a shame to see what's happening regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine. I can understand having a cautious approach, but I feel this is going to backfire. Not only are you now slowing down the rate of vaccination and putting more people at risk, you are also making people question the safety of the vaccines more which could put a number of people off having a vaccine. This is despite the fact the AZ is perfectly safe and the data regarding blood clots shows the incidence rate is what you would expect in the normal population without having the vaccine (or in fact lower than what you normally would expect from some of the data?).

 

I do wonder when the UK's vaccination rollout will accelerate. From what I was reading the government are aiming to ramp up to 3-4 million first dose vaccinations per week. The 7 day average is currently way below what you would need to hit that target - currently ~300k/day for first dose - you need it to hit ~430k/day to do at least 3 million per week.

 

The Financial Times were reporting we were due to get 5m batches a week for the next few weeks. The recent slowdown is due to the manufacturing shortage but fingers crossed this ramps up again now, although I'm sure I read we were braced for smaller supplies in mid-April again for a few weeks.

And, to the surprise of nobody, the Mail, Express and Telegraph all have headlines that suggest it is the EU that is driving the decisions to suspend use of the Oxford / Astra Zeneca vaccine. They clearly can't get their heads around the concept that member states are able to make their own decisions.

And, to the surprise of nobody, the Mail, Express and Telegraph all have headlines that suggest it is the EU that is driving the decisions to suspend use of the Oxford / Astra Zeneca vaccine. They clearly can't get their heads around the concept that member states are able to make their own decisions.

 

In all ‘fairness’ isn’t that why we left the EU? Because they made ALL the decisions?

And, to the surprise of nobody, the Mail, Express and Telegraph all have headlines that suggest it is the EU that is driving the decisions to suspend use of the Oxford / Astra Zeneca vaccine. They clearly can't get their heads around the concept that member states are able to make their own decisions.

 

Really disappointing, but to be expected. The EU certainly handled things that I am sure with hindsight they would have done differently a couple of months ago, but the current predicament is due to the member states. Think it's been confirmed today it was a political decision to suspend use to increase public confidence after assessing the claims. I can only imagine they are scared of being sued by the general public. Could be the liability is different in European nations perhaps.

 

 

Brain-dead decision.

Really disappointing, but to be expected. The EU certainly handled things that I am sure with hindsight they would have done differently a couple of months ago, but the current predicament is due to the member states. Think it's been confirmed today it was a political decision to suspend use to increase public confidence after assessing the claims. I can only imagine they are scared of being sued by the general public. Could be the liability is different in European nations perhaps.

The EU's biggest mistake was in not discussing the merits of collaborating on vaccine procurement before the pandemic struck. That would have meant either that they should have had a strategy in place (rather than spending several weeks working that out in mid-pandemic) or leaving member states to do their own thing (and, almost certainly, leaving the smaller states struggling to get supplies). The decision to act together was a perfectly reasonable one, but it should all have been worked out in advance as part of general preparedness for a pandemic that was always going to happen at some point.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-new-phi...-found-12248024

 

Hooray, another new variant for Snake to bang on about ad-nauseam

 

So I went to the doctors today and I’ve now been recorded as a group 6 person so I’m hoping to find out soon that I’ll be getting my first jab.

 

Saw my parents too. My dad was left a message today with his offer but I think he’ll decline it. My mum actually thinks he should have it and is just scared of needles. She also phoned her brother (it’s his 57th birthday) and found out he and his wife have had their first jab which threw her slightly as she thought as a ‘scientist’ like her, he’d be more skeptical about it. He’s also a teacher so I’m guessing he couldn’t wait to get it. Anyway she’s questioning her decision now and I just told her that if she thinks she’s made a mistake, all she had to do is phone and book. I’m quite confident now that they’ll crumble soon and just go for it.

 

They’ve also started disregarding the conspiracy theories they were on about around New Year. I feel like it’s been a good day.

Aaaah yay that’s a great update to read!!!!

 

 

And I’m in firm agreement with Dobbo. Such bullshit to suspend the jag over such a tiny tiny minority when our roll out is going so well

Oh yeah, and my mum also says she believes the blood clotting story is a load of rubbish. So she doesn’t just believe anything.

Oh yeah, and my mum also says she believes the blood clotting story is a load of rubbish. So she doesn’t just believe anything.

That, along with your earlier post, sounds encouraging.

UK death rates still not coming down anywhere near as much as I thought they would have done by now. Still well over 100 every day consistently.