Unlike a number of European countries, Belgium is not stopping vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine. What should you know about the AstraZeneca vaccine?
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Why do many countries press the pause button?
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Last week decided Denmark suspend vaccinations with AstraZeneca for two weeks after blood clots have been diagnosed in a few people. Number of Nations, including Germany, France and The Netherlands, followed. In addition, Austria no longer injected injections from a specific lot after a nurse died from the consequences of serious coagulation disorders.
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Both the European Medicines Agency EMA and the World Health Organization (WHO) remain behind the AstraZeneca vaccine. The EMA is investigating cases of blood clots, but sees ‘no indications’ that the vaccinations are the basis. Thursday it will come with conclusions.
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It is also about people who get vaccinated have confidence in the vaccine.
Ton De Boer
Dutch Medicines Agency
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Then why the break? “Caution” is the only explanation that Pierre Van Damme, vaccinologist and member of the vaccination task force, can give.
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‘It’s also about people having confidence in the vaccine. When they see that we are on top of it and dare to press the pause button, it inspires more confidence than continuing without knowing exactly the risks, ‘said Ton De Boer, the head of the Dutch medicines agency, in’ Terzake ‘.
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‘Cancellations remain limited’
The Agency for Care and Health receives many questions from citizens about the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine. “It is normal that people have many questions,” says spokesman Joris Moonens. ‘But if you inform people correctly, they usually decide to proceed with the vaccination.’
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Figures are not yet available, because it is not yet systematically reported to Care and Health exactly how many people cancel their vaccination. But Moonens says that signals from the field indicate that the number is not very large. However, there are also many questions in the vaccination centers.
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‘Every day 24 people in our country die after being infected with the corona virus. The number of deaths due to vaccination is 0. That way you can make a straightforward estimate. ‘
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Is there a link between the blood clots and the vaccine?
No causal relationship has been demonstrated to date. from research The EMA showed that death in Austria was also unrelated to the vaccine. The Danish Health Institute also quickly reported that there was no causal link.
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The clinical testing phase shows a similar picture. Of the 12,021 subjects who received the AstraZeneca vaccine, four developed blood clots. In the control group, that ratio was eight to 11,724.
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The figures for vaccinees with a pulmonary embolism – in which a blood clot blocks the supply of blood to the lungs – also do not seem to indicate an increased risk. Of the 11 million Britons who were vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, 13 people contracted a pulmonary embolism. For the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, this was 15 subjects on a similar number of vaccinees.
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Why does Belgium continue to vaccinate with AstraZeneca?
“The benefits outweigh the potential risks,” says Pierre Van Damme. ‘We are still in the middle of the epidemic. The figures are moving in an unfavorable direction. Stopping is irresponsible if the data provided does not demonstrate a causal relationship. We are just now inviting the most vulnerable people to a vaccination. By stopping, we would deprive many people of the necessary protection. We must now do everything we can to vaccinate on a large scale. ‘
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We are just now inviting the most vulnerable people to a vaccination. By stopping, we would deprive many people of the necessary protection.
Pierre Van Damme
Vaccinolooog
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Flemish Minister of Welfare Wouter Beke (CD&V) released the decision optimistic target date from 11 July to have all over 18s vaccinated at least once. The AstraZeneca vaccines, which are easy to transport and which are used en masse, are crucial in this regard.
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Are there other side effects?
As with the other vaccines, mild flu symptoms sometimes occur after vaccination with AstraZeneca. “People can feel pretty miserable, but it’s actually quite harmless,” said Gudrun Briat, the spokeswoman for the vaccination task force. The side effects mainly occur after the first injection, while with the Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, this is mainly after the second injection.
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Does the vaccine work equally well?
While the Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines offer a protection rating of more than 90 percent, for AstraZeneca it is 62 percent. That will don’t say it’s the screwup of the vaccines. It protects against serious illness and hospitalization and is a lot more user-friendly and cheaper than Pfizer and Moderna.
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A new study shows that the degree of protection increases to 80 percent if you leave a few months between the two doses, which is what we do in Belgium. In addition, there is evidence that the vaccine has vaccinated people a lot less contagious. New studies also show that the vaccine works well in people over 55. That is why our country decided it at the beginning of March to be administered to all adults.
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What if I refuse a vaccination with AstraZeneca?
Anyone who refuses their vaccine will not be eligible again until the vaccination campaign has ended.
Gudrun Briat
Spokeswoman for vaccination taskforce
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You should not know in advance which vaccine you will be vaccinated with, but a bug in the government software system will be able to see who confirms or changes their appointment. “But the three vaccines we now have – Pfizer / BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca – are considered equivalent,” says Briat.
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Vaccination is not mandatory. “But those who refuse will not be eligible again until the vaccination campaign is over.”
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Can Belgium now count on extra vaccines?
The transfer of vaccines is not yet on the agenda, Briat says. ‘Many countries have only stopped vaccinations for a very short time. No one has definitively banned the AstraZeneca vaccine. If that does happen, it must be clarified at European level what happens to those vaccines. Then you can get a redistribution, but at the moment such a thing is pure speculation. ‘
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