Sunday 28 March 2021

The Oxford-AstraZenica Vaccine

I am annoyed for our talented scientists and saddened for our near neighbours across the water at the way in which the Oxford-AstraZenica vaccine continues to be demonised across much of Europe, ultimately risking the loss of many more lives. 
In February 2020 the Oxford University Scientists, along with their partners AstraZenica, made a bold humanitarian decision to research and provide a vaccine on a not-for-profit basis during the pandemic. Millions of doses of the Oxford vaccine have already been administered to UK citizens. The facts and the figures speak loudly for themselves - hundreds of lives are now being saved each and everyday. Today our hospitals up and down the country have very few Covid-19 patients requiring ventilation or intensive care. 
Europe has just entered into a third wave, and yet their politicians continue to denounce the Oxford vaccine!
Emmanuel Macron claimed that the Oxford vaccine was "quasi-ineffective" for the over-65s, just hours before it was approved for use on all adults in the EU.
In Germany they have been giving the Oxford vaccine to people living on the streets as others do not appear to want it.
Denmark, Norway and Iceland have suspended using the Oxford vaccine until further notice.
In an empty Belgian vaccination centre, the Oxford vaccine was said to have been dismissed as a 'low-budget' Aldi alternative.
The Oxford vaccine blood clotting incidence appears to have been a 'red herring'. According to articles read there have actually been slightly more cases recorded in those receiving the Pfizer vaccine. I was more than happy to receive the Pfizer vaccine myself, but would have been equally pleased if it had been the Oxford vaccine.
Are the other drug companies pressurising European leaders to give them preference? I am very aware of the fact that they are expecting their Covid-19 vaccines to yield them huge financial rewards.
The not-for-profit Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine costs £3 per shot = £6 per person
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine costs £15 per shot = £30 per person
The Moderna vaccine costs £28 per shot = £56 per person.

42 comments:

  1. Presumably big profits for the drug companies also means lots of tax revenue for the countries in which vaccines are produced. I wonder if that's got anything to do with it????

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    1. I don't know John - I am at a complete loss as to what is behind it all, and why are they trying to prevent us from getting the Oxford vaccine too?

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  2. My word, Rosemary, how could you possibly think, even for a moment, that large pharmaceutical companies are in it for the money? Perish the thought. I will have to lie down for a while to recover from being exposed to such heresy!

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    1. There are strange undercurrent machinations taking place that I don't really understand - this is just my personal take on the way that I see what is happening.

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    2. The vaccine we received, by the way, was Moderna, but we would have accepted whatever they wished to pump into us!

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    3. Same here David. However, I suspect like us you had no choice in the matter, it all depends on what they have been supplied with on the day of your appointment. I saw your comment re: having to wait for 4 months until your second shot - the first shot is the one that does all of the hard work, the second shot gives it an added boost. We have had both shots, but they are talking about vaccinating us all again in the Autumn with a vaccine that will have been tweaked to cope with all of the current variants at the time.

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  3. It didn't help when B.J. said that the success of the vaccine was due to 'capitalism and greed'. He tried to pull his foot out of his mouth by instructing everyone to 'forget he just said that'.

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    1. I don't have any time for BoJo but at least he got a very successful vaccine programme quickly off the ground.

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  4. Dearest Rosemary,
    One really wonders why in the world the European main land is not on board with this fight against a deadly virus? The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine. This makes AstraZeneca the third to announce preliminary data from its phase 3 trials, after Moderna and Pfizer released results from their phase 3 trials earlier this month. https://bit.ly/3tYAaPi
    We both got the Moderna shots. People should read more from trusted sources and not go after all the negativity that is around these days for fear mongering; whatever side!
    Good grief!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Many people in Europe, as you will know, are extremely sceptical about medical matters. There are more Homeopathic pharmacies and Botanical'natural'fix outlets to be found on the continent than here. All of which do of course have their place, but where a virus is concerned a more scientific approach is reuired, especially when it concerns matters of life or death.

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  5. Hello Rosemary, It sounds like politics as usual. Covid from the start has been extremely politicized. Each country or entity has its own axe to grind, always to the detriment of the public health.
    --Jim

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    1. Hello Jim - public health should be top of the agenda. I do not understand what is currently happening across Europe. The only thing that I am sure of is that many, many more lives will be lost whilst political games continue to be played.

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  6. Yes, I've been following this with interest too. Seems to me there's a lot of Brexit resentment and revenge politics playing into all this. But don't worry -- we LOVE the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine here in Canada! That's the shot I got.

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    1. I am pleased to learn that you have had your shot Debra, and that you are all happy with the Oxford vaccine. Everyone here is very happy with it too.

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  7. I had the AZ shot and was perfectly happy to do that. I am so grateful to live in a country where we have access to free healthcare. It must be an absolute nightmare to live in a country where health care is only for those that can afford it.

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    1. The roll out of the vaccines has been the best thing that has happened here for the past year.

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  8. Its all gone mad, politics - I saw in an online Bulgarian newspaper people being invited to turn up and get some AZ vaccine - no appointment necessary - it would appear there are some out there who can see sense. We are so lucky to have the vaccines yet some EU countries seem to be biting off their nose to spite their face.

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    1. It is difficult to understand just what is going on in various countries, but attitudes vary widely depending on how and where you have grown up. Many of the Immigrants here too also are very suspicious the about vaccines.

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  9. We are still months off a vaccine rollout of any note here in Australia. It is purported to have started but there aint nought but speculation in my neck of the woods. AZ is the only vaccine likely to be given in any event, and we shall be very pleased to have it. I feel it's all become a bit peculiar and political and some talking heads seem to have lost sight of the main goal now that vaccines have been developed.

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    1. If we had not begun the roll out of the vaccines last December then I dread to think what the situation here would be like now. All of the vaccines used have resulted in a dramatic turn around, but caution is the watchword.

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  10. Humans never cease to amaze me. Got my own first jab last week. Nothing to it. In and out in five minutes. Slight fever for a day but much better than ending up on a ventilator.

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    1. Glad you have received your jab Bob - the NHS rollout of the vaccines has been nothing short of spectacular.

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  11. We are not likely to get vaccinated until May at the earliest. New Zealand has purchased enough Pfizer vaccine for the whole population but has also bought other vaccines as a back up. Border workers and other front line staff are already being vaccinated.

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    1. All of the vaccines appear to be equally as good as one another - bravo to the scientists.

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  12. We get our shots on Tuesday and will not have a choice as to type. I'm just glad to be getting it. A previous government shut down our only lab capable of developing vaccines several years ago as a cost cutting measure. Over the last decade there has been an undervaluing of scientists and resentment of money spent on pure research. I'd like to point out it is research done fifty years ago, with only vague understanding of how it could be used, that enabled later scientists to develop the mRNA vaccine saving our lives now. Good on you for speaking up, Rosemary.

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    1. There is no choice here either Susan, it all depends on what is distributed and delivered at the time of the appointment.
      Historically pandemics are a fact of life, and our governments should have been far more prepared. In countries, such as Taiwan, where they had the devastating outbreak of Sars a few years ago, they were prepared and in December 2019 shut down their borders with China, issued the people with masks, and started to use digital technology to track and trace. They have had only 7 deaths.

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  13. A good example of how words can kill. People should do their homework before condemning something. We have a large population that are refusing any vaccine, yet they seem to be the ones who yell loudest about our mask rules, social distancing and the damage to our economy. A timely post Rosemary.

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    1. We have to respect different points of view but those that do not have the vaccine risk the lives of others too.

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  14. Well said Rosemary. I am really surprised at the rumours which spread around, and the resistance to a vaccine by people who do not appear to have any medical reason not to have it. I think it is quite politicised in Australia too, including a sort of competition between State and Federal Governments. The vaccine roll out is very slow, and only 43% of doctors have had a jab in Queensland, despite them moving on to the general community. No wonder a front-line doctor caught Covid a couple of weeks ago, and now we have gone into lockdown for three days as they try to contact trace and stop it moving in the community. At least we all have masks now, and know what to do.

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    1. It appears that rumours are rife currently Patricia - but when someone like Macron issues such a ridiculous announcement to his fellow countrymen it is dangerous, he is playing with their lives - I had no idea that he was an expert on matters virological!!!

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  15. Dear Rosemary,
    For selfish reasons I wish that some of the European countries would readily accept to be vaccinated. I received 2 Moderna shots a couple of weeks ago. Had no health issues The most remarkable thing is that it was free. I am grateful.

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    1. Dear Gina - I am pleased that both of your vaccinations went well. The vaccines are actually free to all of us, the costs that I mentioned are what governments have to pay to buy the vaccines.

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  16. Vaccine rollout is slow here, mainly because of supply issues from Europe. The USA recently offered us some AstraZeneca and we started using it. However, just a couple of hours ago, the use of the AZ vaccine was suspended, pending further investigations. I wonder if our government is bowing to pressure from somewhere.

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    1. I can only speak of what is happening here. Deaths are right down from being extremely high in January following the vaccine rollout. The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) The EMA (European Medicines Agency) and WHO (The World Health Organisation) Have all approved it and repeatedly done so.

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  17. Don't watch or listen to news bulletins. Much better life that way. And good idea to limit exposure to social media too!

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    1. I try to limit watching news bulletins, and don't do social media apart from this blog.

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    2. Sticking to your blog is just fine. It's just the others you need to worry about!

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  18. Is there no level politicians won’t sink to? We have a global pandemic and they are behaving like truculent children, we didn’t get there first so we’ll trash it. I agree with Debra, a lot of Brexit revenge going on. I’m very pleased to have had the AZ vaccine, and my daughter had the same on Tuesday.

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    1. It seems that the third wave on the Continent has started. Even though we have had our vaccines it feels prudent to remain vigilant. My eldest son also had his AZ vaccine on Tuesday too, and my youngest son had the same but a bit earlier because he has asthma and is a teacher.

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