Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine SUSPENDED!

[Hypocrite-The]

oxfuck-extracynical vaccine is fucked as europe signs major >1.69billion-dose deal with pfizer-biontech. since biontech is based in germany, germany wins. originally europe wished to order 696m doses from pfizer but decided to order 1.8billion doses instead as trust on extracynical vaccines eroded. huat ah!

So from what u are saying,,,its actually politics that the europeans are buying the pfizer vaccine and dissing the Oxfuck vaccine?

 

[eatshitndie]

So from what u are saying,,,its actually politics that the europeans are buying the pfizer vaccine and dissing the Oxfuck vaccine?

after so many months of disappointments from oxfuck, they gave up. it’s desperation more than politics. moreover, the priority shifted from u.s. to europe for pfizer as demand in u.s. is shrinking, thus production ramps up with cost going down. all these thanks to trump for securing the initial 200 million doses for u.s. rollout. and moderna with another 200m. now other cuntries are reaping the benefits of the massive (initial) rollouts.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

after so many months of disappointments from oxfuck, they gave up. it’s desperation more than politics. moreover, the priority shifted from u.s. to europe for pfizer as demand in u.s. is shrinking, thus production ramps up with cost going down. all these thanks to trump for securing the initial 200 million doses for u.s. rollout. and moderna with another 200m. now other cuntries are reaping the benefits of the massive (initial) rollouts.

And yet the left keeps blaming Trump for everything even when it is not his fault.,,what has Demented Biden every done? and yet they praise him till high heaven

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Seven new blood clot cases after AstraZeneca vaccine

Anthony Piovesan
NCA NewsWire
There have been seven new blood clot cases following the AstraZeneca vaccine, Australia’s medicines watchdog has revealed.
The new cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) were revealed in the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report on Thursday.
The TGA defines TTS as “a very rare event” involving “serious blood clots” with a low blood platelet count – less cells which fight against clots.
Three cases were on May 13 confirmed as TTS, while four were deemed “probable”.
The three confirmed cases included a 75-year-old man from Victoria, a 75-year-old man from Western Australia and a 59-year-old Queensland man who was diagnosed in Victoria.
“Of these, only the Victorian man remains in hospital, but is responding to treatment and is in a stable condition,” a TGA statement read.
“The other two patients are not currently in hospital and are thought to be well.
“Four other newly reported cases are considered to be probable TTS. This includes three men from Victoria aged 65, 70 and 81 years, and a 70-year-old man from NSW.”
The TGA maintains that reporting rates of blood clotting in Australia were “consistent with what is being seen internationally”.
But it believed a “higher proportion of less severe cases may be being reported in Australia”.
“This may be due to high levels of awareness in the community and among the medical profession around TTS along with less strain on the healthcare system around COVID infections with much lower infection rates than internationally,” it said.
The new blood clot cases were revealed in the TGA’s COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De MarchiSource:News Corp Australia
All but one of the newly reported cases was vaccinated after the April 8 recommendation by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) that the Pfizer jab was preferred over the AstraZeneca vaccine in adults aged under 50 years.
The developments take the total Australian reports of cases assessed as TTS following the AstraZeneca vaccine to 18.
About 1.8 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered so far.
About 1.8 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered so far. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De MarchiSource:News Corp Australia
The TGA noted that all of the other 11 cases, which were revealed in earlier safety reports, were recovering and stable, except one of the cases which resulted in the death of a 48-year-old woman from the NSW Central Coast.
Also in the TGA safety report, it was revealed the most common reactions reported following the AstraZeneca vaccine this week were headache, muscle pain, fever, chills and nausea.
The most common reactions reported for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine this week were headache, lethargy, muscle pain, injection site reactions and fever.
“Most people in clinical trials of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccines experienced one or more of these side effects,” the report said.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

53yo South Australian man in intensive care with blood clots after AstraZeneca vaccine​

SA man in intensive care with blood clots​

Phoebe Loomes
South Australia’s chief health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier has addressed a case of severe blood clotting linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine in the state.
A 53-year-old man is currently in intensive care in a “very serious condition” after having the AstraZeneca vaccine. Prof Spurrier said her thoughts are “with him and with his family.”
“He had his first dose AstraZeneca on Tuesday 4 May and was admitted to hospital on Wednesday 18 May with severe abdominal pain,” she said.
She said a second person, an 87-year-old woman, had also been alerted to them as a probable case.

Picture: Mike Burton
“With this particular syndrome that has been linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, it can occur anywhere from four days to 28 days after having the vaccination.
"It is important for people that have had the AstraZeneca vaccine to monitor themselves for symptoms and when they don't have the then, that should be provided with information about what those things are.
"It includes having a severe persistent headache or severe abdominal pain.”

Six new clot cases ‘likely linked’ to vaccine​

Phoebe Loomes
The Therapeutic Goods Administration said six new cases of blood clotting have been found to be likely to be linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The TGA said when assessed the cases using the UK’s definitions, four of the cases were confirmed, and two remained probable.
The cases were assessed as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).
The TGA stressed TTS is a “rare event”, that involves serious blood clots and a low blood platelet count.
“Emerging evidence suggests a causal link to the AstraZeneca vaccine,” the regulator said.

“Six additional cases of blood clots with low blood platelets have been assessed as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) likely to be linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine,” the TGA said today.
“When assessed using the UK case definition, four cases are confirmed and two are deemed probable TTS.”

CEO clarifies ‘people may die’ comment​

Phoebe Loomes
The CEO of Virgin Australia Jayne Hrdlicka has addressed controversial comments she made earlier this week, where she called for a reopening of international borders even if “some people may die”.
After days of backlash, Ms Hrdlicka said the way comments were perceived was not the same as her intention, NCA NewsWire reports.
“I absolutely understand my words, taken in isolation, were hurtful to some people,” the Virgin boss said.

Picture: William West / AFP
“If I had my time again I would maybe choose my words a bit differently."
She said she stood by her calls to reopen international borders, protect vulnerable communities, and allow businesses access to the international market.
The Virgin Australia boss said on Monday if enough people were vaccinated, and vulnerable Australians were protected, the government should open international borders earlier than mid 2022.
“COVID will be part of the community, we will become sick with COVID and it won’t put us in hospital, and it won’t put people into dire straits because we’ll have a vaccine. Some people may die, but it will be way smaller than with the flu,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

25 new vaccine sites for NSW​

Phoebe Loomes
The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced 25 new vaccine sites will be opening across NSW.
The jab sites will be in addition to the mass vaccination hub already operating at Sydney’s Olympic Park, and 17 centres will service rural and regional NSW. One of the sites will be at Westmead, the Premier said on Thursday.
“We're really keen to make sure we vaccinate our population as quickly as possible, as safely as possible, and in as efficient a way as possible,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard
“So far, the public feedback we've had in relation to people going through that process has been extremely positive.
“New South Wales has always said that we want to vaccinate our populations, because we know that gives us an opportunity to ease any restrictions, but also to think about how we reconnect with the rest of the world.
"And these are conversations happening in different countries across the globe and New South Wales wants to be as ready as possible, as soon as possible, to make sure we don't get left behind, and make sure we provide our citizens with the best opportunities available.”

Journalist locked up over COVID-19 reporting​

Alex Blair

A journalist in Bangladesh could face the death penalty for breaching strict government secrecy laws while reporting on the country's coronavirus outbreak.
Rozina Islam, who works for media outlet Prothom Alo, was arrested this week for allegedly stealing official government documents related to COVID-19.
Police reports claim Ms Islam took photos of documents related to the procurement of vaccines at the government's Health Ministry in Dhaka.
Bangladeshi journalists have since rallied for Ms Islam, forming a human chain outside the Health Ministry after Ms Islam was charged.
Her colleagues claim she was physically harassed after being detained for her crime, which carries a maximum penalty of death.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque said he couldn't account for mistreatment of the 42-year-old but insisted she "did the wrong thing".
“I don’t have any idea whether she was tortured after being confined at the Health Ministry,” he told the media.
"Those were state's secrets. She did the wrong thing,” he said.

Eric Trump says people hug him to thank him for his dad​

Alex Blair

The son of former US President Donald Trump claims he is approached regularly by thankful US citizens, often receiving a tearful hug in recognition of his father.
Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity, Eric Trump made an impassioned plea to critics, saying despite their jeers, his father "still cares about this country".
“I can tell you more people have come up to me on the street in the last week and given me hugs saying ‘we miss him so much'," the 37-year-old said.
“Sometimes, Sean, with literal tears in their eyes.
"No matter what you say about him, he loves this country, and he's willing to fight for this country."

Mr Trump's appearance came after his father responded to the reports the Trump Organisation is under criminal investigation.
“We have informed the Trump Organisation that our investigation into the company is no longer purely civil in nature,” a spokesman for New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a brief statement yesterday.
“We are now actively investigating the Trump Organisation in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan District Attorney. We have no additional comment at this time.”
Ms James’ office has been investigating whether the former president’s business engaged in fraudulent practices by inflating or lowering the values of its properties to obtain better loans and tax breaks.

Eric Trump says people hug him to thank him for his dad​

Alex Blair

The son of former US President Donald Trump claims he is approached regularly by thankful US citizens, often receiving a tearful hug in recognition of his father.
Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity, Eric Trump made an impassioned plea to critics, saying despite their jeers, his father "still cares about this country".
“I can tell you more people have come up to me on the street in the last week and given me hugs saying ‘we miss him so much'," the 37-year-old said.
“Sometimes, Sean, with literal tears in their eyes.
"No matter what you say about him, he loves this country, and he's willing to fight for this country."

Mr Trump's appearance came after his father responded to the reports the Trump Organisation is under criminal investigation.
“We have informed the Trump Organisation that our investigation into the company is no longer purely civil in nature,” a spokesman for New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a brief statement yesterday.
“We are now actively investigating the Trump Organisation in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan District Attorney. We have no additional comment at this time.”
Ms James’ office has been investigating whether the former president’s business engaged in fraudulent practices by inflating or lowering the values of its properties to obtain better loans and tax breaks.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Trainee nurse hospitalised with three blood clots encourages Australian’s to get the vaccine​

It is understood that she got her jab on week before the government announced people under 50 would no longer be receiving the AstraZeneca jab due to blood clot concerns.
Ellie suffered from severe headaches and chest pains, and was diagnosed with pneumonia before her doctors discovered that she had blood clots in her lungs.
According to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the condition which is known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome is “very rare”.
Ellie Peacock was hospitalised with three blood clots on her right lung just three weeks after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Picture FacebookSource:Supplied
Now, the nursing student is required to get blood tests weekly, go in for a CT scan every month and take blood thinning medication for six months.
However, the bad experience has not wavered her support for the jab.
“I think people should still follow the TGA guidelines,” she told A Current Affair.
“I’m not an anti-vaxxer. I’ve never missed a vaccine in my life. I’ve never had side effects to any other vaccine. This is the first one I’ve had a reaction to.”

Have the blood clot cases changed your opinion on the vaccine?​

No - it is only rare
Yes - I no longer want to get it
No - I wasn't going to get it anyway
Cast your vote
Ellie confirmed in her interview that she had received a call from the TGA confirming that the blood clots were indeed linked to the vaccine.
“When the information, you know, from the database comes out, yes, her case will be counted amongst them,” a TGA representative said.
As a trainee nurse, she works on a casual team in Brisbane that is regularly exposed to potential COVID-19 positive patients, making it imperative for her to receive the vaccine.
On April 18, more than two weeks after getting the jab, Ms Peacock presented to the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital emergency room with throbbing and tightness in her calf, which she says were “signs of clotting”.
Ellie Peacock works on a casual team that is exposed to potential Covid-positive patients, and was given her first dose of the vaccine on March 31, a week before the government advised under 50s against receiving the AstraZeneca jab. Picture FacebookSource:Supplied
She had an ultrasound which failed to identify any blood clots and was sent home, with the pain in her calf eventually subsiding, the Courier Mail reports.
Shortly after, Ms Peacock started suffering from regular, painful headaches, which she ignore until May 7 when she began experiencing a severe pain near her collar bone when inhaling.
Two days later, she went back to the hospital after experiencing severe muscle pain in her back and ribs, only to receive a chest x-ray and be told she has pneumonia.
The trainee nurse was sent home once again.
At 2am on May 11 Ms Peacock was rushed to the hospital’s emergency department for the third time after having extreme breathing difficulties.
“I was sent home within six hours without further testing done and was told that it’s normal pain with pneumonia and that I need to put up with the pain until the medications start working,” she told the Courier Mail.
A couple of days later she visited her GP who discovered her oxygen levels had dropped to 90 per cent, resulting in her once again presenting to the hospital.
This time Ms Peacock insisted on more tests, which is when the true nature of her illness was discovered.
“After persisting for further testing, they finally found three blood clots in one lung,” the 18-year-old wrote on Instagram.
She said the doctor believes when they did the initial ultrasound on her calf in April the clot had either already moved to her pelvis or was too small to be detected.
“This experience has been terrifying and overwhelming but I’m on the mend. Now to focus on my health for the next six months,” she said.
Ms Peacock claims because her blood clotting didn’t fit the usual timeline for similar incidents she was forced to convince doctors of what was happening to her.
“So please always listen to your body because no one knows it as well as yourself,” she wrote on Facebook.
As of Thursday last week, there have been a total of 18 thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) cases likely linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia.
So far about 1.8 million doses of the vaccine have been administered across the country.
Three cases on May 13 were confirmed as TTS, while four were deemed “probable”.
The three confirmed cases included a 75-year-old man from Victoria, a 75-year-old man from Western Australia and a 59-year-old Queensland man who was diagnosed in Victoria.
“Of these, only the Victorian man remains in hospital, but is responding to treatment and is in a stable condition,” a TGA said.
“The other two patients are not currently in hospital and are thought to be well.
“Four other newly reported cases are considered to be probable TTS. This includes three men from Victoria aged 65, 70 and 81 years, and a 70-year-old man from NSW.”
The TGA maintains that reporting rates of blood clotting in Australia are “consistent with what is being seen internationally”.

Though it did note a “higher proportion of less severe cases may be being reported in Australia”.
“This may be due to high levels of awareness in the community and among the medical profession around TTS along with less strain on the healthcare system around COVID infections with much lower infection rates than internationally,” the TGA said.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

South Korea reports first case of blood clots linked to AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot​

FILE PHOTO: A vial of AstraZeneca's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine is pictured, as Spain resumes vaccination with AstraZeneca shots after a temporary suspension, at Enfermera Isabel Zendal hospital in Madrid, Spain, March 24, 2021. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
31 May 2021 05:00PM

Bookmark​

SEOUL: South Korea on Monday (May 31) reported its first case of rare blood clotting linked to AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine.
The patient is a man in his 30s who got the shot on Apr 27 because of his job at a medical facility, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing.
He felt a headache on May 9 and sought medical treatment before being hospitalised on May 12 as it continued and he suffered muscle cramps, Jeong said.
"His condition has improved since then and we understand there is no big problem though he still needs monitoring," she said.
Jeong said the symptoms are curable if detected early and treated properly.
Around 3.27 million people in South Korea have received at least one does of the AstraZeneca vaccine so far.
Reports from around the world have involved extremely rare clotting, mainly a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), seen in combination with low blood platelet levels, called thrombocytopenia.

READ: How worried should we be about blood clots linked to Astrazeneca, Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines?​

Medical regulators in the United States and Europe have said there appears to be a link between AstraZeneca's vaccine, as well as one made by Johnson & Johnson, but that the shots are safe and that the benefits outweigh the risks.
AstraZeneca has said it is working to understand individual cases and "possible mechanisms that could explain these extremely rare events", while J&J has said that no clear causal relationship has been established between the vaccine and the clots.
South Korea limited use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 30 years old after the reports of blood clots. The KDCA reported 430 new coronavirus cases as of Sunday, for a total of 140,340 cases with 1,959 deaths.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Australia urged to switch from AstraZeneca to Pfizer​

• health​

Call for Australia to change its vaccination rollout as experts urge authorities to move away from AstraZeneca​

May 10, 2021 12:23pm
AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine blood clotting cause still 'unknown' but understanding the risk is simple....
Australia must change its COVID-19 vaccination strategy as AstraZeneca does not provide enough protection for the community, experts have warned.
In an opinion piece on Policy Forum, economist and modeller Professor Quentin Grafton of Australian National University, along with other experts including epidemiologist and biostatistician Dr Zoë Hyde of the University of Western Australia, put forward four changes they believe are necessary for Australia’s vaccination program.
“With the emergence of more transmissible new variants, Australia’s current COVID-19 vaccination strategy doesn’t make sense from either a public health or an economic perspective,” they write.
“It must change or Australia risks a future epidemic and/or very large costs from lockdowns when its international border reopens.”
They believe Australia needs to do four things.
1. Strengthen the country’s quarantine system by acting on the latest evidence of the role of airborne transmission in quarantine breaches;
2. Aim for herd immunity by using vaccines with the highest possible efficacy, such as Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer, as they provide security against even concerning new variants of the virus;
3. Not relax international border restrictions until everyone has had the opportunity to be vaccinated; and
4. Establish mass vaccination hubs in major centres to maximise the number of people who can be vaccinated each day, as Victoria is doing.
Concerns over AstraZeneca
“Herd immunity is the only way to eliminate community transmission for good and to avoid costly lockdowns,” they write.
“This can be achieved with a Pfizer or Pfizer-Novavax vaccination strategy, but not with the country’s current approach because it will be impossible to achieve herd immunity against several of the world’s most concerning variants using AstraZeneca.”
It notes that “real world experience” shows the Pfizer vaccine is 75 per cent effective against infections caused by the South African (B. 1.351) variant and 90 per cent effective against the UK (B.1.1.7) variant.
The AstraZeneca vaccine only has 10 per cent efficacy against the South African variant, although it’s probably still reasonably effective against severe disease.
Over 50s are being vaccinated using the AstraZeneca jab. Picture: David Crosling Source: News Corp Australia
The authors say variants threaten “both young and old” because younger people are more likely to be hospitalised.
“In other words, the risk for a 20 to 39-year-old is now similar to the risk previously faced by a 40 to 59-year-old,” they note.
“Variants also markedly increase the likelihood of dying from COVID-19; the United Kingdom variant raises this risk by 64 per cent.”
The authors, which also include Professor of Biosecurity and Environmental Economics, Tom Kompas at the University of Melbourne and mathematician and modeller Dr John Parslow, say it’s also “inequitable” to impose AstraZeneca on those who are 50 years and older.
“It knowingly gives older people, who face a higher risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19, a less effective vaccine,” they argue.
“It also runs the risk of creating a situation where the South African variant could spread in Australia’s older population should border controls be relaxed or if an outbreak should occur.
“Seychelles, which has fully vaccinated the highest proportion of its population than any country at 61 per cent – 40 per cent of the total population with a version of the AstraZeneca vaccine made under license in India – is now facing a surge of cases in which the South African variant appears to be playing a role.”
They argue that data around AstraZeneca’s effectiveness at preventing severe disease or death is also not as clear as some have suggested.
“It’s been claimed the vaccines in Australia’s portfolio are 100 per cent effective at preventing severe illness and death, but that’s not supported by science,” they write.
“There were too few severe cases in the AstraZeneca trials to accurately assess this endpoint, and the estimated efficacy lies somewhere between 72 and 100 per cent for severe illness.
“In contrast, real world experience from Israel has shown the Pfizer vaccine is 97.5 per cent effective against severe disease, with a confidence interval of 97.1 to 97.8 per cent.”
The risk of blood clots
AstraZeneca also carries a risk of blood clots and the authors note that the European Medicines Agency has doubled its estimate of the risk of blood clots for older people since the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) carried out its original analysis of the issue.
The authors believe this would have changed ATAGI’s risk analysis in the case of another outbreak in Australia (equivalent to its first wave in which there were 7000 cases and 100 deaths).
“Critically, if ATAGI had used the revised and higher estimates of blood clot risks … it would have also recommended against AstraZeneca for those aged between 50 and 60,” they write.
The authors say the Australian Government must reassure the public that the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine among those over 50 years old is necessary, and is not just being imposed to allow earlier reopening of international borders.
While a three to six month delay in reopening the international border could cost the economy $6 billion to $12 billion, it could be worth it so everyone can be vaccinated with Pfizer or Novavax rather than AstraZeneca, they say.
They point out the cost is much less than the cost of a prolonged lockdown if a major outbreak occurred, or if more frequent short lockdowns were necessary following the international border reopening.
“Australia’s vaccination strategy must change as the facts change,” they argue.
“Crucially, an AstraZeneca only vaccination strategy for those aged 50 and over will not provide the level of protection necessary to safely relax border controls, nor will it deliver herd immunity,” they said.
“The country won’t be truly safe until we’ve reached herd immunity. Reaching this threshold ensures an outbreak won’t spread rapidly in the community and lead to an epidemic.
“It also protects the millions of Australians who can’t be vaccinated due to medical reasons, or aren’t currently eligible for vaccination, such as children and adolescents.”
However, Deakin University epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett doesn’t agree, and believes “the vaccine you have in your arm is better than a potential one down the track”.
“AstraZeneca has fantastic efficacy on most strains,” she told news.com.au.
“To not give it when we’ve got it, is problematic to me.”
Prof Bennett said it was better to use the vaccine that was available as eventually they would all be tweaked and improved to give better coverage.
Waiting for Pfizer would push the vaccination program “well into next year” and Australia could struggle as the rest of the world opened up using vaccinations such as Pfizer or AstraZeneca.
“I don’t think cutting back on our vaccination strategy now makes public sense,” she said.
“We need to have some level of population protection and then we can build on that.”
This article contains features which are only available in the web version

 

[Leckmichamarsch]

DATZ WHY JAPAN DONATED TO TAIWAN...............SMART MOVE MR ISLAND USURPER

 

[THE_CHANSTER]

I've always thought the AZ vaccine was a third-rate option.

 

[Eisenhut]

So from what u are saying,,,its actually politics that the europeans are buying the pfizer vaccine and dissing the Oxfuck vaccine?

Astra screwed Europe by diverting all supplies to UK instead of Europe, thats why Europe vaccination fkin slow while UK super accelerated. Astra has taken side, so will have to pay the price

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Astra screwed Europe by diverting all supplies to UK instead of Europe, thats why Europe vaccination fkin slow while UK super accelerated. Astra has taken side, so will have to pay the price

But astra is useless against the south African variant so back to square one again

 

[Hypocrite-The]

COVID risk 'far worse' than avoiding AstraZeneca jab, Chief Health Officer warns West Australians​

By Evelyn Manfield
Posted 7hhours ago, updated 2hhours ago

WA's CHO Andy Robertson says blood clotting is a "very rare risk" of the AstraZeneca jab.(
ABC News: James Carmody
)
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WA's Chief Health Officer has again moved to reassure West Australians aged over 50 that the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, after the death of a 52-year-old woman in New South Wales.

Key points:​

• The Pfizer vaccine was rolled out this week for people in WA aged 30-49
• That has upset some over 50s who do not want to get the AstraZeneca jab
• But WA's CHO says Pfizer is unlikely to be an option for them this year

Andy Robertson said around four West Australians in every 1,000 had reported an adverse reaction in response to one of the COVID-19 vaccines, with those reactions including a low-grade fever, headache, sore arm or something more serious.
"That's pretty constant across the country," he told ABC Radio Perth.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration said the woman in NSW died after developing a severe form of a blood clotting condition that was "likely to be linked" to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Read our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic
Her death is believed to be the second in Australia linked to the vaccine out of the more than 3.6 million AstraZeneca doses administered across the country.
"It is a very rare risk," Dr Robertson said.
He acknowledged it was understandable people were concerned because the benefits of the vaccine could not be seen as clearly in WA, given the state had not experienced a severe outbreak.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook was among those who got the AstraZeneca vaccine last month.(
ABC News: James Carmody
)
But he warned WA could still have a COVID-19 outbreak, and for those aged over 50, serious illness from the disease posed a much bigger risk than the vaccine.
"The disease is far worse," he said.
Dr Robertson said Western Australia only had to look to the current Victorian outbreak to see how rapidly the situation in WA could change.

No Pfizer for over 50s this year​

Some people aged over 50 have expressed disappointment Pfizer has been offered to Western Australians aged between 30 and 49, but not people over 50 who would prefer it.

The Pfizer vaccine became available yesterday for West Australians aged 30 to 49.(
ABC News: Eliza Laschon
)
That decision was based on national medical advice.
Dr Robertson said people over 50 would not have the chance to receive a different vaccine until at least the end of the year, and authorities wanted as many people as possible vaccinated before that.

"Realistically there may be opportunities, but it won't be until the end of the year," he said.

"We also have to do everybody literally from [the age of] 16 upwards."

How to get your WA COVID jab​

People aged 30 and over in WA are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Here are answers to five questions about the expanded rollout.
Read more
Authorities need around 80 per cent of the WA population vaccinated before they will consider avoiding strict lockdowns or restrictions in the event of an outbreak.
Dr Robertson said of the over-50 cohort, only people with very rare medical conditions were currently exempt to get the Pfizer jab instead of AstraZeneca, and that did not include people who had a history of blood clotting because that did not pose a known risk.
"They are not related in any way. It's a very different syndrome," he said.
He said clots associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine could be treated and the medical professional had learnt very quickly about how to manage the issue.
Dr Robertson drew comparisons between blood clots from activities such as smoking or flying.
"If you were a smoker, your risk of getting a clot is about 70-times more," he said.
"If you like flying to the east coast, your risk of having a clot is around 12-times more.
"And your risk of dying from the actual disease itself is around 70-times more."

Got questions about the COVID vaccines? We have answers​

Confused about Australia's vaccine rollout? We've tracked down the answers to the questions you've been asking.
Read more
Dr Robertson said the Pfizer supply would hopefully increase by September or October, but currently it was still limited.
Other vaccines the federal government is assessing include Moderna and Novavax.

Better communication with older West Australians needed, consumer advocate says​

Executive Director of the Health Consumers' Council Pip Brennan said the expanded Pfizer rollout to those aged between 30 and 49 in WA this week had hit a nerve with some older people and the government needed to better communicate with those over 50 about why there were not being given a choice of vaccines.
She said some people in that age group felt they were being discriminated against by not being offered Pfizer.
Health advice states the benefits of AstraZeneca for people over 50 outweigh the risks associated with vaccination because of the risk of a potential outbreak.
But Ms Brennan said it needed to be better explained.
"I think a lot of people are doing the 'Let's wait and see if the Pfizer will be for over 50s'," she said.
"That's concerning [because] I think we really need to get on with the job."

Vaccine decisions 'a mistake': expert​

Infectious disease expert Jonathan Carapetis said it was clearly a mistake the federal government did not secure more types of vaccines sooner, because then people would be able to choose which vaccine they would prefer.
"We didn't in those early stages go out and try and get a whole lot of these different vaccines, which I think in retrospect, in fact a lot of us were saying at the time, was a mistake," he said.
"I think most people would accept that."
Read our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic
Professor Carapetis said the communication strategy around the COVID-19 vaccines in Australia also needed to be changed because it was currently "incredibly boring".
He said countries such as New Zealand had made a much more entertaining advertisement and Australia should follow suit.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots should be halted for over 60s too: EMA official​

Syringes with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are prepared in Fasano, Italy, Apr 13, 2021. (Photo: REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo)
13 Jun 2021 04:59PM

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MILAN: Countries should also avoid giving the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to people over 60, the head of the European Union drug regulator's COVID-19 task force was quoted on Sunday (Jun 13) as saying, amid fears over rare blood clotting and as more vaccines become available.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) considers the AstraZeneca shot safe for all age groups. However several European Union member states have stopped administering it to people below a certain age, usually ranging from 50 to 65, restricting its use to the older population, due to the rare cases of blood clotting, mainly among young people.

READ: How worried should we be about blood clots linked to Astrazeneca, Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines?​

"In a pandemic context, our position was and is that the risk-benefit ratio remains favourable for all age groups," COVID-19 task force chief Marco Cavaleri told the Italian newspaper La Stampa.
However, as the number of cases is falling and taking into account that the younger population is less exposed to COVID-19 related risks, Cavaleri said it would be better to use on them vaccines based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, such as Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.
Asked whether health authorities should avoid giving the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged over 60, Cavaleri said: "Yes, and many countries, such as France and Germany, are considering it in the light of greater availability of mRNA vaccines."

COMMENTARY: Blood clot fears of the AstraZeneca vaccine will only deepen vaccine hesitancy​

The Italian government said on Friday it would restrict the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged over 60, after a teenager who had received the shot died from a rare form of blood clotting.
Like many European countries, Italy briefly halted AstraZeneca inoculations in March over concerns about the rare blood clotting problems.
It resumed them the following month with the recommendation that the product be "preferably" used for people over the age of 60, after the EMA said its benefits outweighed any risks.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

AstraZeneca COVID vaccine to be recommended for over-60s after death from rare clotting syndrome
Posted 2h
A AstraZeneca logo sits behind vials of generic vaccine.
The AstraZeneca vaccine has been linked to a rare clotting condition.( Reuters: Dado Ruvic )
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The AstraZeneca vaccine will now only be recommended for use in people aged 60 and over, after the federal government accepted new advice from the country's vaccine experts.

Key points:
The federal government has agreed with the advice from ATAGI
Two women have died from an extremely rare clotting disorder likely linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine
According to the latest health figures, 3.6 million AstraZeneca doses have been administered
The vaccine was recommended for use in people over 50.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the federal government accepted the medical advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).

People under 60 will now be offered the Pfizer vaccine.

"We will move to open access to Pfizer immediately for 40 to 59 year olds. This will open to approximately 1.2 million people in that 50 to 59 group who have not yet had vaccinations," Mr Hunt said.

He said the country remained on track to provide a vaccine dose to every Australian who wanted one by the end of 2021.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the latest advice was still that anyone who received a first dose of AstraZeneca without any adverse effects should get their second dose.

"On the basis of information we have in Australia, we've not had a single case of this syndrome from a second dose."

Health Department Secretary Brendan Murphy said there was a chance the updated advice would impact vaccine hesitancy in Australia.

But he said current data showed there had been an increase in the number of people indicating they wanted to get a vaccine, to 70 per cent of Australians.

According to the latest Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) update, 60 people in Australia have developed the clotting disorder, out of more than 3.8 million AstraZeneca doses administered.

Of those, two have died and 22 are in hospital, four of them in ICU. Thirty-six have been discharged from hospital and are recovering.

There have been 12 new cases of confirmed or probable clots in the last week, with seven of those in people aged 50 to 59 years old.

"The increase in the number of cases correlates with an increase in the number of doses of AstraZeneca vaccine administered during the [last week]," the TGA said.

The TGA is now breaking down reports of the clots into two different tiers. Tier 1 includes more severe forms of the clotting disorder, while Tier 2 cases have less serious effects.

According to the latest data there have been 23 Tier 1 cases, and 17 Tier 2 cases. Twenty have not been classified.

Data available earlier this week showed the rate of clotting incidents was low, at 3.1 cases per 100,000 first doses for those aged under 50, and 1.8 cases for those who are older.

For people aged 50-59, the rate was 1.9 cases for every 100,000 doses.

Health ministers across the country are also expected to receive the updated ATAGI advice in the coming hours.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is currently flying back from Europe to Australia, and is expected to land this afternoon.

Source have told the ABC that there has been no emergency National Cabinet meeting arranged.

While Australia's TGA has not approved mixing and matching vaccines — having one dose of one, then a second dose of another — some countries have.

For example, studies are underway in the United Kingdom about how effective it is to give people a first dose of AstraZeneca and a second dose of Pfizer.

Despite the current health advice, people can ask to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine if they are under 50 as long as they understand the potential risk.

But people over 50 are not allowed to choose their vaccine, and get AstraZeneca.

AstraZeneca is currently the only COVID vaccine made onshore, with biomedical giant CSL manufacturing the doses in Melbourne.

The expected advice will put more strain on the supplies of the Pfizer vaccine. The government has secured a further 20 million Pfizer doses and 10 million of the Moderna vaccine, both due in Australia in the last quarter of this year.

The government has announced plans to set up facilities to make mRNA vaccines like Pfizer, but has warned it could be at least a year or more away before they are up and running.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Here's how doctors can detect and treat rare blood clotting from AstraZeneca vaccine
Posted 2d
A nurse with an AstraZeneca information sheet in the foreground.
Though extremely rare, blood clotting has been linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.( Getty Images: Brook Mitchell )
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Last week, a 52-year-old woman in New South Wales died of an extremely rare blood clot in her brain.

Key points:
Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) — also known as vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia (VIPIT) — is an extremely rare side-effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine
The blood clotting disorder can be detected as soon as symptoms appear with standard blood tests
Treatment includes blood-thinning medication and a dose of immunoglobulin
The blood clotting condition was likely linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

It was Australia's second post-jab death out of 3.3 million doses of AstraZeneca (which makes up the bulk of the more than 5 million doses of COVID vaccines administered so far).

A total of 48 people have developed blood clots after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, with 31 recovering after being in hospital.

The first reports of people experiencing blood clots after receiving the AstraZeneca jab emerged in March this year.

But experts say we've come a long way in understanding the vaccine-related blood clotting disorder, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) — including how to detect it and treat it.

How is blood clotting detected?
The first step in detecting the blood clot issue is getting the timing right, said Vivien Chen, a haematologist specialising in coagulation disorders at the University of Sydney.

"The first dose appears to be of particular concern."

TTS symptoms — such as a severe headache that doesn't go away, abdominal pain, blurred vision, and leg pain or swelling — appear four to 30 days after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, with a peak time of six to 14 days.

If you show up to your GP with any of these symptoms following the jab, you will get a blood test known as a platelet count.

Platelets, also known as thrombocytes, are fragments of cells that originate in the bone marrow.

They play a key role in healthy blood clotting, such as preventing excessive bleeding when cuts and scrapes happen.

Normal platelet counts fall between 150,000 to 450,000 per microlitre of blood.

But a platelet count lower than 150,000 results in a condition called thrombocytopenia.

The condition usually results in excessive bleeding, but when it occurs after vaccination, abnormal clotting can happen, though rarely.

This is because in a small number of people, the immune system triggers antibodies that not only recognise COVID-19 proteins, but also platelets.

These antibodies can activate the platelets, causing them to cluster together and go into blood-clotting mode.

"The consequences of this is the platelets are getting used up in the blood clot and their count drops," Dr Chen said.

Are there any other tests?
People waiting in recovery room
Blood tests that can done after you have been vaccinated to pick up signs of problems if you are showing symptoms.( Getty Images: Bloomberg/Contributor )
If the platelet count is low, the next thing clinicians look for in blood samples is the presence of protein fragments called D-dimers.

These proteins are produced by the body to break down blood clots.

"It basically measures the level of clotting in your body because it's a byproduct of the haemostatic process," said Jim Tiao, a molecular biologist specialising in blood disorders at Murdoch University.

If D-dimers are five times higher in number than normal levels, then it can be a sign of TTS , Dr Tiao said.

Once clinicians have detected a low platelet count and high D-dimer levels, they can go on to see if the blood contains antibodies that target a protein called platelet factor 4, or PF4.

In the lab, clinicians test whether the PF4 antibodies from the patient's blood can activate platelets in blood taken from a donor.

"If they do, that's strong evidence that there is an antibody from the patient that is activating platelets and causing this syndrome," Dr Chen said.

How quickly can TTS be detected?
Blood tests can detect vaccine-related clots as soon as symptoms appear — whether it's four days after vaccination or 20 — but not earlier than that, said Jose Perdomo, a haemotologist at the University of New South Wales.

"In most cases, [antibodies] can only be found after people feel unwell and present at hospital," Dr Perdomo said.

If patients go to the emergency department of a metropolitan hospital with TTS symptoms, they can receive results from blood screening tests within just an hour, though wait times may be longer in regional hospitals, Dr Chen said.

Once platelet and D-dimer levels from initial tests are confirmed, patients can move straight into treatment while they wait for the results of their PF4 antibody test.

What does treatment involve?
There are two different types of treatment that work together to tackle TTS.

First, patients are put on a blood-thinning medication to slow down the formation of blood clots.

Many widely-used anticoagulants, such as fondaparinux, work well to treat TTS, Dr Chen said.

The only exception is heparin — an anti-blood clot drug that is commonly used to treat heart conditions.

"It can make things worse for a small number of TTS patients," she said.

"Luckily we have a lot of really good non-heparin medications available."

To calm the immune system down, patients also receive a large injection of immunoglobulins — proteins that are a part of the body's defence system.

"This essentially swamps the antibody system, so that vaccine-induced antibodies can't activate the platelets," Dr Chen said.

How long does it take to work?
Blood-thinners and a dose of immunoglobulins can help return platelet counts to normal levels within just a couple of days, Dr Chen said.

"In more severe cases, it can take longer but it's a rapid response to commencement of new therapy," she said.

Dr Chen also said these interventions are safe to use even if the blood clot turns out to be unrelated to the vaccine.

"It's unlikely to cause a large amount of harm to somebody without TTS."

What should I do if symptoms appear?
While the risk of getting a blood clot from the AstraZeneca vaccine is very low, it's important to be aware of the symptoms of TTS and to take action as soon as they appear, Dr Chen said.

If you have a headache that doesn't go away after taking over-the-counter painkillers, it's worth a visit to the GP.

But if more severe symptoms appear — such as numbness, difficulties with speech, or passing blood through bowel movements — it's best to go straight to the emergency department.

"Be aware, but not afraid," Dr Chen said.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

AstraZeneca vaccine should now only be given to those aged 60 and above, ATAGI recommends
ATAGI recommends AstraZeneca should only be given to those aged 60 and above (The Today Show)
The AstraZeneca vaccine should now only be given to those aged 60 and above, the chief immunisation body has told the government.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) made the recommendation after a 52-year-old woman died from a brain clot last week. Mr Hunt said the government accepts the advice.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the advice states that anybody who has had a first AstraZeneca dose should not hesitate to get their second.

He said that the UK has reported 23 clot cases in 15.7 million people after receiving a second dose.

Under previous advice here in Australia, Pfizer was only the preferred vaccine for people under 50.

Now, Pfizer doses will immediately be made available to anyone aged between 40 and 59.

Mr Hunt says the country remains on track to provide a vaccine dose to every Australian who wants one by the end of 2021.

Professor Brendan Murphy urged anyone over 60 to get vaccinated.

“For those over 60 and particularly those over 70, you have a more than one in 10 chance of dying if you get COVID.”

“You need to be protected as soon as possible.”

“Go and get vaccinated with your first and second doses at your GP, with AstraZeneca.”

Minister for Health Greg Hunt confirmed the change in advice. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin OllmanSource:News Corp Australia

He admitted that today’s announcement may add to Australia’s vaccine hesitancy, but that 70 per cent of Australians intend on getting vaccinated.

“Hesitancy is still quite low in Australia.” he said. “We know that over 70 per cent of people are intending on getting vaccinated.”

“Of course there are impacts on hesitancy, this may have some impact, but the publication by the TGA and the transparent way of the new data could have an impact on hesitancy as well.”

“We believe that the community is more likely to do what we recommend if we are absolutely transparent and follow the medical advice at all times.”

Some researchers and medical specialists were calling for a review of the age groups who receive the AstraZeneca jab after last week’s death.

The woman’s death, the second believed to be linked to the vaccine in Australia, occurred after 3.6 million doses of AstraZeneca had been administered.

The TGA says it reviews all deaths reported after a vaccination is administered and compares them with expected natural death rates.

“To date, the observed number of deaths reported after vaccination is actually less than the expected number of deaths,” the TGA said in a statement.

“Each year in Australia, there are about 160,000 deaths, equating to 13,300 a month or 3050 each week. In the most recent reporting year, two-thirds of these deaths were in people aged 75 years and over.”

Last week, chief medical officer Paul Kelly said the new blood clotting case was “extremely unfortunate” but stressed it was “extremely rare”.

“I will point out that it is only the second death with now over 3.6 million doses of this vaccine being given across Australia, I will point out that this remains an extremely rare event to get these serious clots, but when they happen, as we have seen in this case, it can have tragic circumstances. My heart goes out to the family, and all the friends and colleagues of this particular person,” he said during Thursday afternoon’s press conference.

The move could add another spanner in the works for Australia’s vaccine roll out. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

But he said AstraZeneca was still the recommended vaccine for those aged over 50, and Pfizer for under 50s.

“There is definitely a much lower risk of this event, this clotting events, the older one gets. There is a definite cut point there at about the age of 50,” he said.

“(The woman’s death) is clearly concerning … but I would say this – we have made those decisions based on the risk and benefit equation. At the moment, the AstraZeneca is a really important element of the vaccine rollout. But nothing is compulsory. Individuals who have concerns about any medical procedure but including and in particular the private vaccine at this time should talk to their GP about those concerns.”

In its report last week, the TGA cited another “four new cases classified as probable in the past week” that included three cases in NSW and one in Victoria.

A 50-year-old woman and two men aged 83 and 91 years presented with issues in NSW and a 74-year-old woman presented with issues in Victoria.

“This takes the total Australian reports of cases assessed as TTS following the AstraZeneca vaccine to 48, with 35 confirmed cases and 13 probable cases,” the TGA reports reads.

Of those, 31 have been discharged from hospital and are recovering, with some receiving ongoing outpatient medical care, and 15 remain in hospital, including one who remains critically ill in intensive care. Two people have died in hospital.

A NSW woman, 48, died after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in April. The medicines regulator said her death from rare blood clots was “likely” linked to the vaccine.

The Health Minister Greg Hunt is expected to hold a press conference early this afternoon.

– more to come

 

[Hypocrite-The]

More blood clotting cases reported after AstraZeneca
JUNE 17, 20212:27pm
The data is coming in for vaccine side effects Aussies are experiencing, so how serious are they?...
COVID Vaccine: What side effects should I expect?
Heath Parkes-Hupton
NCA NewsWire
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has revealed 12 additional cases of blood clotting, potentially linked to Covid-19 vaccines, have been recorded in the last week.

The TGA said the total number of blood clots with low blood platelets – known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) – linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine has risen to 60.

But it stresses TTS is still extremely rare and that rise correlates to the additional number of doses administered to Australians as the vaccine rollout progresses.

The most common effects of both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines range from headaches to muscle pain and fevers.

Additional cases of blood clots have been linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Picture: Juan Mabromata / AFPSource:AFP

Seven of the 12 new recorded incidents of TTS – of which three are confirmed and nine are deemed “probable” – occurred in people aged 50 to 59.

The three confirmed TTS cases were two women, aged 55 and 65, from Victoria and a 53-year-old woman from NSW.

The nine probable TTS cases were found in a man, 54, from Northern Territory, a 65-year-old woman from Tasmania, 50 and 56-year-old men and a 69-year-old woman from Victoria, a woman, 58, from South Australia, 59 and 80-year-old men from Queensland and a woman, 67, from NSW.

In the week of June 7 to 13 the TGA received 2106 reports of “adverse” effects in vaccinated patients.

After more than 5,867,000 doses have been administered since the roll out began, the rate of someone experiencing adverse effects stands at just five in 1000 people.

Two people have died from blood clotting.

People line up to receive their Covid-19 vaccination at the NSW Health Vaccination hub in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De MarchiSource:News Corp Australia

Anyone who has been vaccinated should seek immediate medical attention if they develop any of the following symptoms after vaccination:

severe or persistent headache or blurred vision
shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal pain
unusual skin bruising and/or pinpoint round spots beyond the site of vaccination.
The most common time period for onset of TTS symptoms is between four and 30 days after vaccination.

The TGA has compiled a list of the most common side effects for vaccinated people.

“They include headache, muscle and joint pain, fever and injection site reactions,” the report, released on Thursday, states.

“The most common reactions reported for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the week of 7-13 June 2021 were headache, fever, muscle pain, chills and nausea.”

“The most common reactions reported for the Comirnaty (Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine in the week of 7-13 June 2021 were headache, muscle pain, injection site reactions, nausea and lethargy.”

There was a rush to get vaccinated in Melbourne during its two-week lockdown.Source:Getty Images

Officials are continuing to monitor for conditions including capillary leak syndrome and immune thrombocytopenic purpura linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, but have so far had no confirmed cases.

The Pfizer vaccine has been linked to a higher than usual chance of developing myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) and pericarditis (inflammation of the membrane around the heart) in US studies.

There have been one report of myocarditis and 14 reports of pericarditis in vaccinated people since the rollout began in Australia.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

AstraZeneca COVID vaccine only recommended for over 60s following death of 52yo Australian
Posted 8h
Play Video. Duration: 2 minutes 33 seconds
The AstraZeneca vaccine is now the recommended jab for over 60s in Australia.
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The AstraZeneca vaccine will now only be recommended for use in people aged 60 and over, after the federal government accepted new advice from the country's vaccine experts.

Key points:
The federal government has agreed with the advice from ATAGI
Two women have died from an extremely rare clotting disorder likely linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine
According to the latest health figures, 3.8 million AstraZeneca doses have been administered
The vaccine was recommended for use in people over 50.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the federal government accepted the medical advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).

People under 60 will now be offered the Pfizer vaccine.

"We will move to open access to Pfizer immediately for 40- to 59-year-olds. This will open to approximately 2.1 million people in that 50 to 59 group who have not yet had vaccinations," Mr Hunt said.

He said the country remained on track to provide a vaccine dose to every Australian who wanted one by the end of 2021.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the latest advice was still that anyone who received a first dose of AstraZeneca without any adverse effects should get their second dose.

"On the basis of information we have in Australia, we've not had a single case of this syndrome from a second dose."

Mr Hunt said there were about 815,000 people between 50 and 59 who'd had their first AstraZeneca dose.

Health Department Secretary Brendan Murphy said there was a chance the updated advice would impact vaccine hesitancy in Australia.

But he said current data showed there had been an increase in the number of people indicating they wanted to get a vaccine, to 70 per cent of Australians.

Empty vials of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine lie in a box
Around 840,000 people under 60 have received the AstraZeneca vaccine.( AP: Matthias Schrader )
Advice means 'minor adjustment' to rollout
Lieutenant General John Frewen, who has been brought in to lead the national vaccine rollout, said when ATAGI first changed the advice on AstraZeneca it affected about half of the population.

He said the latest advice would impact a much smaller number of people.

According to the latest Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) update, 60 people in Australia have developed the clotting disorder, out of more than 3.8 million AstraZeneca doses administered.

Of those, two have died and 22 are in hospital, four of them in ICU. Thirty-six have been discharged from hospital and are recovering.

There have been 12 new cases of confirmed or probable clots in the last week, with seven of those in people aged 50 to 59 years old.

"The increase in the number of cases correlates with an increase in the number of doses of AstraZeneca vaccine administered during the [last week]," the TGA said.

Professor Kelly said the number of reports in the 50- to 59-year-old age range was the "key new information" that led to ATAGI's decision.

He said it had shifted the risk to benefit ratio of the vaccine for that age group, meaning the risks of developing a clot outweighed the benefit of being protected against severe COVID-19.

That is partly because of Australia's low rate of community transmission and likelihood of infection.

The TGA is now breaking down reports of the clots into two different tiers. Tier 1 includes more severe forms of the clotting disorder, while Tier 2 cases have less serious effects.

According to the latest data there have been 23 Tier 1 cases, and 17 Tier 2 cases. Twenty have not been classified.

Data available earlier this week showed the rate of clotting incidents was low, at 3.1 cases per 100,000 first doses for those aged under 50, and 1.8 cases for those who are older.

For people aged 50-59, the rate was 1.9 cases for every 100,000 doses.

In a statement, AstraZeneca said it respected the federal government's decision and it was committed to supporting the vaccine rollout.

"Patient safety is AstraZeneca's highest priority, and we continue to work closely with the TGA and other regulators around the world," it said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is en route from Europe to Australia and expected to land this afternoon.

Shadow Health Minister Mark Butler said the change would mean further delays to the rollout.

"We're four months into the rollout yet only less than 3 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated, and this is going to be another blow to the one job that the Prime Minister had this year, which was a speedy, effective vaccine rollout," he said.

Can people mix and match vaccines?
While Australia's TGA has not approved mixing and matching vaccines — having one dose of one, then a second dose of another — some countries have.

For example, studies are underway in the United Kingdom about how effective it is to give people a first dose of AstraZeneca and a second dose of Pfizer.

Despite the current health advice, people can ask to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine if they are under 50 as long as they understand the potential risk.

Two men with grey hair wearing dark suits and blue ties stand behind a podium in front of a blue curtain and australian flag
Greg Hunt and Brendan Murphy provided an update on Thursday afternoon. ( ABC News: Matt Roberts )
But people over 50 are not allowed to choose their vaccine, and get AstraZeneca.

AstraZeneca is currently the only COVID vaccine made onshore, with biomedical giant CSL manufacturing the doses in Melbourne.

The expected advice will put more strain on the supplies of the Pfizer vaccine. The government has secured a further 20 million Pfizer doses and 10 million of the Moderna vaccine, both due in Australia in the last quarter of this year.

The government has announced plans to set up facilities to make mRNA vaccines like Pfizer, but has warned it could be at least a year or more away before they are up and running.

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Astra vaccine got soo many issues..so is pap planning to buy it?