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Some doctors report that there is still “great concern” among patients about the AstraZeneca vaccine despite the European Medicines Agency (EMA) ruling on its safety.
Dr. Paul O’Keeffe of Broadale Surgery in Maryborough, Cork. He said he is happy to be using the Pfizer vaccine because right now AstraZeneca is a “hard sell” to the public.
“We run our second vaccine clinic today, and everyone [who came in] was of the opinion “thank goodness, it’s the Pfizer”. At the reception during the week, people would have been asking what they were getting. There is great concern in trying to convince the public about Astrazeneca.
“With all the drama surrounding Covid, I feel like Astrazeneca would be a tough sell. You’re going to have that long conversation with a patient, ”Dr. O’Keeffe said.
“[We are] trying to convince them that it is safe. It would also have its own concerns, as some cases were reported. However, if the EMA says it is safe, of course I would accept it. “
You don’t need any negativity in the vaccine process when you’re trying to get over the line, Dr. O’Keeffe said, adding that GPs and the public are naturally frustrated by the lack of a free flow of vaccines.
“Every GP feels this way. We’d do it all pretty easily if we had the shots. We have the database in front of us. We know who we have. It’s just a case of getting the vaccines out. It’s slow and painful. “
“I understand the fact that the government is having a hard time getting it and everything else, like in every country,” Dr. O’Keeffe said, adding that “situations like in nursing homes where people die from receiving vaccines, that could have been preventable ”.
“The vaccines here go like clockwork. We did 60 this morning and 40 the first day, and they all finished in one morning. We could make 120 a day if people had access to it. “
He added that the relief for the elderly when they receive their vaccine is palpable. “They are finally able to let their guard down a bit after being in a cocoon for so long. For many of them, it is their first day in weeks or months. It is a great feeling for them and for us ”.
On the other hand, Dr. Nick Flynn, who is a partner at mycorkgp.ie and has several practices in Cork City, said they are answering a large number of calls about the Astrazeneca vaccine even though they are administering Pfizer products.
“We have had 100 percent absorption of the Pfizer vaccine. However, what we are discovering is that there is an increase in the number of consultations: people who received the vaccine with us calling to see what vaccine they had and that they require reassurance.
“I will give you an example of how this could affect GPs. On a normal Monday, we would answer between 450 and 500 phone calls. One day two weeks ago, the calls increased to 850, and that was around the message of ‘contact your GP if you are under the age of 70 and in an at-risk group,’ ”Dr. Flynn said.
“We saw a 60 percent increase in our phone calls on that day. I don’t have this week’s stats yet, but I think this AstraZeneca news would have increased our call volume. “
Dr. Flynn said he is under the impression that those over 70 and vulnerable groups are at such high risk of contracting the virus that this temporary signal on AstraZeneca will not prevent them from getting vaccinated.
“But in other groups of healthy people who doubt vaccines, many of them don’t take it. If you are 25 or 35 years old and have no medical problems, you may decide to wait for something else, ”he said.
“There is very little that Nphet or HSE can do [around AstraZeneca
“We are seeing an increase in calls from people about what vaccine they will get. People ask if they can choose how to go to McDonald’s, ”Dr. Flynn said.
Last Sunday, the government stopped the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports from Norway of serious blood clotting events in four adults who had received the vaccine.
On Thursday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increased overall risk of blood clots in those who receive it. The benefits of the vaccine “outweigh the risks of side effects,” the EMA found.
This was followed on Friday by the National Immunization Advisory Committee which gave the green light for the use of the vaccine for all adults in the state.
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