The first thing I wanted to tell you in this editorial was that I have had my first vaccine! Like many million others I was delighted to get the call and I feel relief and privilege to have received my first Oxford-Astra Zeneca dose. I've had a few side effects, but too few to mention, and they are what I would expect post any vaccination. My biggest side effect was the fact I felt immediately safer than before, almost to the point of elation! We are making progress, we are working through this, and we will hopefully soon be able to follow the Government roadmap of easing restrictions due to the vaccination programme rollout.
In the UK more than 24 million people have had the first dose of the vaccine (The Visual and Data Journalism Team, 2021) with high numbers now progressing to the second dose. But as with many vaccination programmes there have been a few bumps in the road and with the news that a number of European countries have suspended the use of the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccination due to blood clot issues, it reminds me that we need to take media reporting and factual evidence regarding drug and vaccine safety as very separate information sources. I know that since this news broke, a colleague of mine has seen a dramatic increase in DNA (did not attend) in her vaccination clinic compared to the week prior. The European Medicines agency, who regulates European medicines approvals, is convinced that the benefits of the vaccination far outweigh the risks (BBC News, 2021) and that their is no evidence of a causal link between the vaccination and blood clots, and indeed the World Health Organisation has urged that vaccination programmes are not halted. In this same news report, Astra Zeneca states that the UK has reported 15 DVTs and 22 pulmonary embolisms in vaccinated individuals, but is at pains to point out that these figures were ‘much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar across other licensed COVID-19 vaccines’ (Astra Zeneca, 2021). It doesn't take a mathematical genius to work out that if the UK has vaccinated 24 million people and 37 embolic events have been reported that this is a miniscule percentage of the vaccinated population (0.0015% by my calculation).
Your patients may come to you and be worried about what has been reported in the media and ask your professional advice. All we can do is quote the expert guidance and help them understand the low incidence of embolic events and the risk/benefit of vaccine compared to no vaccine. From previous publications, we know that clotting issues are very much a feature of COVID-19 itself and we are increasing all round risk if we do not vaccinate. Some people have called the halting of the programmes ‘knee jerk’ and accused the media of scaremongering tactics.
I continue to be amazed by the resilience, efficiency and pragmatic actions in our NHS. My vaccine appointment was for 12:22pm. I was called in at 12:22, my arm was bare by 12:23 and I was vaccinated and in the waiting area at 12:26. The time of the next person was 12:26 and this was repeated, every 4 minutes someone was vaccinated. Its incredible. I applaud all my NHS colleagues in all aspects of care at the moment, know we are grateful and supportive.
Keep being amazing and stay safe.