The Astra-Zeneca vaccine has problems

[brenda]

@andyd Andy, what were her reasons to prefer the AZ vaccine?

[AndyD]

@brenda
My question exactly as we drove home. Like the rest of us she's read 'stuff on the internet', and her answer was 'she felt it was safer'.

[jon-nyc]

[Copper]

If Mr. Trump said that he loved AZ, Mr. Biden would ban it in a heartbeat.

[Loki]

I think there is a better than even chance that before the week is out these countries will re-authorize the vaccine. I wouldn’t bet on but it’s a hunch.

[Mik]

I suspect you are right.

[Jolly]

Bottom line: Ship out the stuff we have stored.

Only question is who needs it the most?

[jon-nyc]

Yeah this is as stupid as it is typical.

A medical ethicist is someone who fails trolley problems for a living.

[George K]

@jon-nyc said in The Astra-Zeneca vaccine has problems:

A medical ethicist is someone who fails trolley problems for a living.

(Pretty) cheap Scotch everywhere tonight.

[LuFins Dad]

Yeah, but there is something really odd about all of the issues AZ keeps happening. All the European resistance to the vaccine, all the times AZ has shot themselves in the foot with seemingly minor missteps...It really feels like there is a story behind the scenes that we may never know.

[jon-nyc]

[LuFins Dad]

[Doctor Phibes]

[LuFins Dad]

@doctor-phibes said in The Astra-Zeneca vaccine has problems:

@lufins-dad said in The Astra-Zeneca vaccine has problems:

And yet you aren’t hearing anything about clotting with Moderna and Pfizer...

Maybe they've got better media contacts.

Well, that’s part of what I am wondering. Why is AZ having so many difficulties? Real or perceived?

[Loki]

[Doctor Phibes]

[Loki]

@doctor-phibes said in The Astra-Zeneca vaccine has problems:

@loki said in The Astra-Zeneca vaccine has problems:

Europe appeared to have the upper hand with its government controlled single payer systems until this happened.

The British NHS is currently doing very well, so I don't think you can pin the blame on single-payer government-funded systems.

I’ve lauded Great Britain every step of the way on approvals and wished the US just took their analysis. Would have saved many US lives for sure and excess deaths used to be the benchmark until the election.

[xenon]

I just don't see the risk of the AZ vaccine being anywhere near the large magnitude of the benefits.

There's a shot clock on a mutation that can change the game here. It may never come - but the possibility is always there.

Everyone needs to be vaccinated ASAP.

Lockdowns have some pretty real side effects.

[LuFins Dad]

Right now you are dealing with a statistically significant portion of the population in Europe (and the US) that is very nervous about any COVID vaccine. Continuing to push on approval for a vaccine that is getting this bad press can cause more damage to the overall vaccination effort than benefit. Let the processes work and show confidence in those processes.

[xenon]

I get you - but I didn't realize that Europe is the beating heart of anti-vax sentiment.

The reports of the AZ thing are things like "a person got a shot then a few days later got a brain bleed". With social media - all it takes is a few anecdotes to make a story.

With millions of people getting vaccinated - you'll always be able to connect dots.

I just haven't seen the data to say that the reported things weren't coincidence.

I think officials suspending an approved vaccine without clear evidence feeds into undermining confidence.

But I do get what you're saying LD - you have to keep trust as high as possible. This is a tough one.