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While more countries are suspending vaccination with AstraZeneca, organizations such as the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency stress the lack of evidence of serious side effects. Polish experts, who are against suspending the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, are of a similar opinion.
- Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the Netherlands are countries where AstraZenecą vaccination has been temporarily suspended
- At the same time, the British have been vaccinated with the preparation for several months
- In Poland, at the moment, the government is not considering stopping vaccinations with AstraZeneca. They will receive, among others seniors up to 69 years of age
- You can find more such stories on the Onet homepage.
WHO, EMA and others defend AstraZeneca
As more countries decide to stop administering the AstraZeneca vaccine, health authorities emphasize that there is no need to do so at this stage. Cases of thrombosis reported in a small number of patients vaccinated with AstraZeneca are not mentioned as potential side effects of the preparation.
– There is currently no evidence that this vaccination has caused a clot in the patients’ blood. Thrombosis is also not mentioned as one of the side effects of AstraZeneca, writes the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in a press release published on March 10.
EMA also emphasizes that the scale of the phenomenon does not differ from the norm.
– The data so far show that the number of thromboembolic events in vaccinated people is not higher than in the general population – the statement reads.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also highlights the lack of a documented link between AstraZeneki and thrombosis. According to WHO, vaccination with this preparation should not be abandoned, especially since, as the spokeswoman for the organization emphasizes, it is “a very good vaccine”.
In turn, Tedros Adhamos Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, assured that the organization is looking at the matter.
– As soon as the WHO fully understands these events, the findings and any possible changes to the current recommendations will be announced immediately.
The UK Medicines and Medical Devices Registration Authority (MHRA) has also published a statement regarding the AstraZeneki vaccine.
– It has not been confirmed that the clots were caused by AstraZeneki. People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine.
Organizations related to thrombosis also calm the public mood.
«At the moment, the small number of thromboses in relation to the millions of COVID-19 vaccinations performed does not suggest a direct relationship. Thrombosis is common in the entire population and so far has not been combined with vaccination »- reads the statement of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH)
The manufacturer of the vaccine itself also maintains that there is no relationship between the preparation for thrombosis.
Analysis of data from over 10 million reports revealed no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, a company spokesman said last week.
Potential recipients of the AstraZeneki vaccine should also be reassured by hard data. In a healthy population, the incidence of thrombosis is on average 100 people per 100. Patients vaccinated with AstraZeneka experienced the disease in 22 out of the three million who took it. This means that the incidence of thrombosis among AstraZeneka users is 0,73 per 100, which is an incomparably lower average compared to the healthy population.
Polish experts about the AstraZeneki vaccine. Prof. Simon: “There is always a risk of complications”
In Poland, at the moment, there is no decision to suspend vaccinations with AstraZeneki. They receive it, among others teachers and seniors under 69 years of age According to experts, there is no need to make radical decisions.
In an interview with Medonet, the virologist Dr. Tomasz Dziecistkowski answered straightforwardly: we have no reason to be afraid of the AstraZeneka vaccine.
– First of all, because so far no one has shown a cause-and-effect relationship between these events and vaccination. There is only a temporal relationship. Establishing such a relationship is absolutely advisable, because if we do not do it, we do not really know anything.
Dzieiątkowski also emphasized that we were previously afraid of the Pfizer and Moderna preparations.
– Two months ago, there were reports of anaphylactic shocks after the administration of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. However, later it turned out that the scale of the phenomenon is from 5 to 11 cases per million doses of the vaccine administered. We are more likely to be hit by a meteorite.
- See also: Dr. Dzieścitkowski about the “dangerous” AstraZeneki vaccine: the more likely it is that a meteorite will hit us
Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski is of a similar opinion.
– We currently have 20 reports of problems with the clotting system for over 3 million doses, so it does not differ from what we see in people without vaccination – says the expert of the Supreme Medical Council on combating COVID-19.
Also prof. Jarosław Drobnik, head epidemiologist at the University Teaching Hospital in Wrocław.
– I do not understand at all these decisions to stop vaccination with this vaccine. If there was a significant suspicion, 10-15 people died in a short time for one reason, that would be true, not for one person dying. You might as well say that we already have the first infected people after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. Maybe we should stop vaccinations with this preparation, because it does not work? There have also been isolated cases of anaphylactic shocks. I emphasize that so far no cause-and-effect relationship has been found between the intake of AstraZeneca and the occurrence of embolism – says prof. General purpose.
More countries are stopping AstraZeneka vaccinations
Last week, Danish authorities announced that AstraZeneca had been vaccinating against COVID-19 after the death of the person who took the vaccine. The cause of death was to be blood clots. A similar decision was also made in Iceland and Norway.
— We are withholding AstraZeneca vaccination because we want to take a closer look at its side effects. This is in line with the precautionary principle Geir Bukholm, director of infection control at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI), told a press conference.
- See also: Where were vaccinations with AstraZeneka stopped? [LIST OF COUNTRIES]
The administration of the vaccine has also been suspended in other countries, including in Romania, Ireland and the Netherlands.
In Austria, vaccination was suspended with only one batch of AstraZeneca. The reason was the death of one patient and pulmonary embolism in the other. The Estonian government also made the same decision.
– It’s not unusual. Since it cannot be confirmed whether the embolism in the Austrian citizen was related to the vaccine, we are suspending the administration of the drug while the investigation is ongoing, said Mari-Anne Härma, deputy head of the Estonian Health Council.
Lithuania also decided to suspend vaccination with only one batch of AstraZeneca. Experts in this country are of the opinion that the vaccine alone cannot cause thrombosis.
– As a vaccine expert, I can confidently say that this vaccine (AstraZeneca), like the others, cannot cause any thromboembolism, let alone death. It is impossible – said Arvydas Ambrozaitis, professor of infectious diseases at the University of Vilnius.
AstraZeneca – what side effects does it cause?
With the AstraZeneki vaccine, you hear about side effects relatively often. The product leaflet informs about symptoms that may occur after vaccination. There is no thrombosis there, but there are other complaints. The list includes:
- tenderness, pain, warmth, itching or bruising at the injection site
- feeling tired (weariness) or generally feeling unwell
- chills or a feeling of fever
- headache
- feeling sick (nausea)
- joint pain or muscle pain
- swelling or redness at the injection site
- fever (> 38 ° C)
- vomiting or diarrhea
- drowsiness or dizziness
- decreased appetite
- enlarged lymph nodes
- excessive sweating, itchy skin or rash
The manufacturer also mentions the symptoms of a strong allergic reaction. If they appear, the patient should seek immediate medical attention. Urgent contact with a doctor is necessary when at least one of the following symptoms appears:
- feeling faint or light-headed
- Heart arythmia
- dyspnoea
- wheezing
- swelling of the lips, face or throat
- hives or rash
- nausea or vomiting
- abdominal pain
Also read:
- Side effects of COVID-19 vaccines [COMPARISON]
- Dr. Dzieiątkowski about the AstraZeneca vaccine: it’s better to have a fever for two days than to be exposed to COVID-19
- South Africa stops vaccinating with AstraZeneca and Switzerland for the time being says ‘no’. What’s with this vaccine?
- Should Poland suspend vaccinations with Astra Zeneka? Prof. Simon answers
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