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With 23 people, mostly older adults, dying in Norway after being vaccinated with the Covid-19 US-Germany Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines, more people have become apprehensive about getting vaccinated. This again raised the question of the safety of these vaccines. Would people, regardless of age group, receive the same doses of vaccine? Or will older people get a different type of vaccine?
Twenty-three elderly patients died in Norway following their vaccination with the Pfizer-BionNtech mRNA vaccine against Covid-19. Following this, the Norwegian government launched a detailed investigation into the reported deaths. More than 30,000 people have received the first injection of the Pfizer or Moderna Covid vaccines in the Scandinavian country since the end of December.
Norwegian doctors have been asked to conduct a more thorough evaluation of every frail elderly patient in line for the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine following the reported deaths. But some experts say it may just be a coincidence. There is no established connection between these deaths and the vaccine. But whatever it is, the Norwegian cases have alerted potential end users of these vaccines. Filipino seniors are skeptical about our next vaccination program for fear that what happened in Norway will happen to them.
According to a Guardians article written by Nicola David, “Concerns about the effectiveness of the Oxford University / AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in older people could lead to different age groups receiving different vaccines, said one expert. Oxford / AstraZaneca announced that the vaccine had an overall efficacy of 70 percent. For the majority of trial participants who received two full doses, spaced one month apart, the efficacy was 62 percent, but for 3,000 participants who mistakenly received half a dose for their first injection, the efficacy was 90 percent. No participant, regardless of dose, developed severe Covid or was hospitalized with the disease.
Regulatory bodies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have previously said they would approve a vaccine that prevents Covid or reduces the severity of the disease in at least 50 percent of vaccinated people. . The Oxford / Astrazeneca results caused more excitement, with the 90 percent figure rivaling the Moderna and Pfizer / BionNtech vaccines.
However, it has emerged that the group that received the low-dose Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine did not include any participants older than 55 years, which means that it is unclear whether the 90 percent efficacy is maintained for adults older than have a high risk of Covid. . This has prompted the company to announce a new trial with the lower dose regimen until it was approved by regulatory bodies and rolled out in the UK and Europe.
The secretary of the vaccine czar, Carlito Gálvez, said that in view of the Norwegian incident, the National Vaccination Program has changed strategy. They want to vaccinate only those between the ages of 16 and 65. They will look for a vaccine that can be used for those over 65. The elderly were supposed to be on the priority list of the vaccination program, but in view of the incident in Norway, they would be excluded from the list.
But it is not a guarantee that you will not be infected with the disease once you are vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following for people getting vaccinated against Covid-19, especially older adults: 1) Even after people receive both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine , they must remain vigilant to protect themselves. from contracting the virus and transmitting it to others; 2) Everyone should continue with social distancing, wear masks and practice hand hygiene; 3) Older adults, who are at higher risk of serious illness or death if they contract Covid-19, should stay in close contact with their doctors and inform them of any changes in their health. After receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, they should also report any side effects they experience to their doctor.
If this is the case, more people will not be vaccinated. What good is it when we can still be infected?
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