AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, how good is it?

 

AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, how good is it?

Affordable and easy to store - AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine is touted as a ray of hope. However, uncertainty arises in the case of thrombosis and restriction. How effective are vaccines? Is it suitable for all ages?

Is the AstraZeneca vaccine suitable for all ages?

The grades are different. Although some countries only recommend vaccines for older people the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) do not currently provide an age limit. The EMA acknowledged in its April 7 statement that young women are particularly affected by rare side effects, but the benefits outweigh the risks.

The WHO argued in a recent communication that a link between AstraZeneca vaccination and thrombosis was plausible but unconfirmed. Further studies are needed to investigate possible associations between vaccination and potential exposure.

In the home of the vaccine "Vaxjeveria" developed by Oxford University and the English-Swedish group AstraZeneca, the situation is different. Going forward, in the UK, the drug will only be offered to adults over the age of 30. , as determined by the Immunization Board in the UK., Why: According to MHRA officials, over 20 million AstraZeneca vaccinations across the country have documented 79 dangerous blood clots. 19 people died. (until April 8, 2021)

In Germany, a coronavirus vaccine from British-Swedish manufacturer AstraZeneca is only recommended for people over 60, but younger people (especially high-risk patients) are limited by medical advice or being treated with AstraZeneca in a hospital. Vaccinations can continue. own conscience. The decision, however, caused confusion when Germany's Permanent Immunization Commission (STIKO) initially recommended AstraZeneca vaccination only to people under the age of 64 "due to lack of data".

The Netherlands came to a different conclusion. AstraZeneca vaccination under 60 years of age was first stopped, but on April 6, it completely switched to cerebral vein thrombosis and neoarteriovenous varices in a young woman.

Why do side effects occur mainly in young women?

Even researchers and experts have not been able to come up with an answer to this. Rarely fatal cases of cerebral vein and sinus thrombosis have occurred following AstraZeneca vaccination. These side effects were "mainly observed in women aged 55 years," STIKO Germany wrote on 1 April. "It is unclear to what extent the increased vaccine use in young women plays a role in the observed gender and age distribution."

Symptoms appear 4 to 16 days after vaccination, but it also affects men and the elderly. From AstraZeneca's product information, EMA speculates that the more frequent occurrence of thrombosis in women under the age of 55 "may be due to increased vaccine use in this population." This thesis is based on the assumption that there are more women in nursing and hospital positions, where vaccination is a priority.

Does the AstraZeneca vaccine increase the risk of thrombosis?

It is not yet clear to what extent this may be associated with fatal thrombosis following AstraZeneca formulation vaccination. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has reported 86 cases of thrombosis in Europe as of March 22, recorded through the "Eudora Vigilance" database. This compares to about 25 million doses of vaccine administered. According to the EMA, 18 of the 86 cases were fatal. The new figures are not available at the European level. Each Member State already has a recent survey.

According to the EMA, no specific hazard can be identified. The benefits of vaccination with AstraZeneca continue to outweigh the risks.

Other experts have previously emphasized that a causal relationship between vaccination and thrombosis has not been clearly established. The fact that some blood clots in the brain are a special, rather rare form of thrombosis rather than a common thrombosis has raised concern.

The advice of Greifswald scientists may be crucial to the question of whether the AstraZeneca vaccine increases the risk of thrombosis. According to a team led by transfusion physician Andreas Grenacker, these types of complications are caused by specific immune mechanisms. system. AstraZeneca Serum may induce a strong immune response in some vaccinated people, which may also activate platelets, leading to severe cerebral vein thrombosis with platelet deficiency. However, according to a press release from Greifswald University, affected people can continue to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca as they can be treated with the active ingredient against thrombosis.

What are the known side effects of AstraZeneca?

Clinical studies have shown that injection site sensitivity (greater than 60%) after the first vaccination is not uncommon. According to the RKI, people who get the vaccine experience headaches and fatigue, along with pain at the injection site, every second. 

Feeling sick was also a common side effect in about 44%. Fever in about 8%, increased body temperature in about one-third of those vaccinated. Studies show that 1 in 3 people get a cold and 1 in 5 vaccinated people get nausea.

Most side effects are mild to moderate and go away within a few days after vaccination. Adverse events reported after the second dose were mild and less frequent. Side effects are usually mild and less frequent in people over the age of 65.

How effective is the AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus?

AstraZeneca should slightly underestimate the effectiveness of its active ingredients. Anglo-Swedish group's vaccine protects against symptomatic coronavirus by 76% instead of 79%, the company's website (March 25) said.

This means that subjects in the vaccinated group had 76% fewer cases than subjects in the control group who received a placebo. However, the figure was much higher at 85% for those 65 and older. According to AstraZeneca, the vaccine is 100% effective against the serious illness caused by COVID-19.

Not long ago, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), led by American pathologist Anthony Fauci, questioned the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The agency said, "outdated information" provides an "incomplete picture" of effectiveness. AstraZeneca is not yet approved in the United States. AstraZeneca has released new data. The pharmaceutical company said two-thirds of the 32,449 people in the new study had been vaccinated.

Previous studies have shown that taking a second dose at least 12 weeks after the first dose increases the effectiveness by 82%.

Another study found it to be 84% effective. The score for hospitalization is also good. A study by the University of Edinburgh, one of the first universities to investigate the effectiveness of a coronavirus vaccine, found that hospitalization risk increased four weeks after the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. 94% lower for COVID-19. Research shows that vaccination with the BioNTech/Pfizer formulation reduces the risk by up to 85%.