From: brewnoser2@gmail.com   
      
   This was a vaccine under suspicion for use by those who are over 65, but now   
   suddenly it's in a younger age group that Canada's health advisory committee   
   is concerned about with this vaccine.   
      
   Something's happening - whether in Europe or here in Canada - for this to be   
   happening.   
      
   If you're scheduled to have your vaccination, phone ahead and ask what vaccine   
   they'll be using - and read the damned label on the vial before they put the   
   syringe into your arm.   
      
   Face it, because of the speed with which the vaccines were produced, WE, the   
   public, are in fact being used to determine if there are side effects or real   
   dangers for all of these vaccines. Unless you find a thrill in being used as a   
   guinea pig, take the    
   vaccine with the least problems so far. AstraZeneca is not one of those.   
   _________________________   
   CBC News · Posted: Mar 29, 2021   
      
   Why Canada is suspending use of AstraZeneca vaccine in people under 55   
      
      
   Canada's vaccine advisory committee is recommending immediately suspending the   
   use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine in Canadians under 55 following   
   reports of rare but potentially fatal blood clots in Europe that appear to be   
   connected to the    
   shot.   
      
   The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) updated its guidelines   
   to provinces and territories against the use of the vaccine for younger   
   Canadians on Monday over safety concerns.   
      
   Health Canada said Monday that 300,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine have been   
   administered and no cases of the rare blood clotting adverse events have been   
   reported in Canada, but that it was aware of additional cases that have   
   recently been reported in    
   Europe.   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
      
   Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador   
   and Prince Edward Island have all suspended the use of the vaccine for anyone   
   below the age of 55. Other provinces and territories are expected to follow.   
      
   Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases physician and member of Ontario's   
   COVID-19 vaccine task force said that the discovery of a potential connection   
   with the vaccine to blood clots raised a "red flag" that "warrants further   
   exploration."   
      
   "People should appreciate that not all blood clots are created the same," he   
   said. "This is a very specific and particular method of blood clotting that   
   likely has an association with the vaccine."   
      
   NACI previously recommended earlier this month that Canadians over 65 not   
   receive the shot, despite emerging evidence from around the world   
   demonstrating its ability to prevent severe COVID-19 in older adults.   
      
   But that guidance changed on March 16 after more real-world data on the   
   vaccine's effectiveness was reviewed by NACI, and CBC News broke the story   
   revealing documents on the federal government's plans to allow those 65 and   
   older to receive it.   
      
   "This vaccine has had all the ups and downs — it looks like a roller   
   coaster," said Dr. Caroline Quach, chair of NACI and a pediatric infectious   
   diseases expert. "The problem is because data are evolving, we are also   
   evolving our recommendations."   
      
   Quach said the risk of rare blood clots appears to only occur in younger   
   populations, which is why NACI recommended suspending the vaccine in those   
   under 55.   
      
   She added that the vaccine works well in preventing severe outcomes and death   
   in older populations over 55, particularly in those over 70, and the risk of   
   blood clots does not appear to be present in those age groups.   
      
   "What we need to have is continued confidence in our expert review panel that   
   it's looking at these vaccines and deciding what is going to be best, safest   
   and most effective for Canadians," said Alyson Kelvin, an assistant professor   
   at Dalhousie    
   University and virologist at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology in Halifax.   
      
   "This is a new vaccine to a new virus, it's really important that we're   
   following all the data as closely as possible and as the vaccines are rolling   
   out, we're understanding them more and reviewing what the guidance should be."   
      
   What led to Canada's decision to suspend AstraZeneca   
      
   The decision to halt the use of the vaccine in Canadians under 55 comes after   
   the European Medicines Agency (EMA) investigated 25 cases of the rare blood   
   clots out of about 20 million AstraZeneca shots given. It concluded on March   
   18 that the benefits    
   from the vaccine far outweigh its possible risks, although a definitive link   
   could not be ruled out.   
      
   But 18 of the cases in Europe were of an extremely rare type of blood clot   
   called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) — where veins that drain   
   blood from the brain are obstructed and can potentially cause fatal bleeding.   
      
   The EMA said on March 18 at least nine deaths have been associated with the   
   adverse events in Europe and the agency is continuing to investigate the   
   situation.   
      
   Germany's medical regulator told The Associated Press on Monday it had   
   received reports of 21 cases of rare blood clots in people who had recently   
   received AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine.   
      
   The Paul Ehrlich Institute also said that seven people affected by the blood   
   clots have died. It added that of the 21 cases reported in Germany until March   
   25, 12 also involved an abnormally low level of platelets in the patients'   
   blood.   
      
   Nineteen of the 21 cases were in women ages 20 to 63, while two were in men   
   ages 36 and 57. During the period covered by the reports, some 2.27 million   
   first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were administered in Germany.   
      
   What Canadians need to know about the AstraZeneca vaccine   
      
   The federal health ministry said it would be requiring both manufacturers,   
   AstraZeneca and India's Serum Institute, to conduct risk assessments by age   
   and gender — but is requesting more data before deciding whether or not to   
   change authorization of it    
   in Canada.   
      
   Health Canada had previously updated the vaccine's label with information on   
   the rare blood clotting events.   
      
   Canadian health officials said during a press conference Monday the specific   
   syndrome is being called Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia   
   (VIPIT) and that they are in contact with European officials about it.   
      
   "I do understand why Canadians might feel worried," said Canada's Deputy Chief   
   Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo.   
      
   "What I can say is that the chief medical officers of health of the provinces   
   and territories take vaccine safety very seriously and we want Canadians to   
   have confidence in these vaccines."   
      
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)