(Advocate against cheating and of peaceful co-existence)
Currently, there is an air of uncertainty over the efficacy of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. This is because, some European countries have reported that some of their people, who have been vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine have, allegedly, suffered from blood clots. Thus, some of the European countries have suspended the vaccination.
However, the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Monday March 15, 2021 allayed fears against the vaccine and passionately appealed to countries affected to continue with the vaccination, because “As of today, March 15, 2021, there is no evidence that the incidents are caused by the vaccine and it is important vaccination campaigns continue so that we can save lives and stem severe diseases from the virus,” WHO spokesman, Christian Lindmeier, said. (DAILY GUIDE, Wednesday March 17, 2021).
Similarly, “the European Union drug regulator has said that the AstraZeneca vaccine is “SAFE AND EFFECTIVE” (Emphasis mine). Still confirming the efficacy of the vaccine, Emer Cooke, Head of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said, the AstraZeneca vaccine is “A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE OPTION TO PROTECT CITIZENS AGAINST COVID-19” (Emphasis mine.)
Now, I find the Authorities on the right track of pleading passionately with some European countries NOT to do away with the “SOS” COVID-19 vaccine, just because some people who have been given vaccination against the pandemic have suffered blood clots.
All medicines contain leaflets which indicate the specific areas of treatment. Apart from this, side effects of the medicines are indicated. Perhaps a brief reference will suffice to bring to the fore the fact that all medicines have SIDE EFFECTS, going with the specific areas of treatment.
I have laid hands on a leaflet of AMPODIPINE 5mg and 10 mg. It is SPECIFICALLY recommended for the “treatment of HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. It works by RELAXING BLOOD VESSELS, SO THAT BLOOD PASSES THROUGH THEM EASILY. (Emphasis mine).
Now, when it comes to its side effects, some of them are EXTREMELY frightening. To allay fears, the introduction f he list of side effects starts with “like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although NOT EVERYBODY GETS THEM (Caps mine).
Let’s see some of the frightening side-effects: “Swelling of eye lids, face and lips; swelling of the tongue and throat, which causes great difficulty in breathing; sudden wheeziness; chest pain, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing; severe skin reactions including intense skin rashes; hives, reddening of the skin over your whole body; severe itching; blistering; peeling and swelling of the skin; heart attack; abnormal heartbeat, inflamed pancreas, which may cause severe abdominal and back pain accompanying with feeling unwell, etc.
Some of the side effects are classified under “very common” which may affect more than one to 10 people”. It involves edema (fluid retention). Common side effects may affect up to one to 10 people” and they involve headache, dizziness, sleepiness (especially at the beginning of the treatment); palpitation (awareness of your heartbeat); abdominal pain, feeling sick (nausea), tiredness, weakness etc.
Uncommon : may affect up to one to 100 people and they involve mood changes, anxiety depression, sleeplessness, sneezing/running nose caused by inflammation of the lining of the nose (rhinitis); cough, dry mouth, etc.
Rare: may affect up to one to 1,000 people and involve confusion
Very rare: may affect up to one to 10,000 people and involve depressed numbers of white blood cells, decrease in blood platelets, which may result in unusual bruising of easy bleeding. (Red blood cell damage), abdominal bloating (gastritis)” etc.
Reporting of side effects: If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effect NOT LISTED IN THE LEAFLET (Emphasis mine).
With this roughly detailed analysis of side effects of drugs, there is no room for doubt that the Authorities are right in allaying fears expressed by some people who have developed blood clots after the COVID-19 vaccine jabs.
A news item by the BBC monitored by DAILY GUIDE of Tuesday March 16, 20121, page 5, indicated that “experts say the number of blood clots reported after the vaccine, were no more than those typically reported within the general population” adding that “ about 17 million people in EU and the UK have received a dose of the vaccine, with fewer than 40 cases of blood clots reported as of last week,” that is within the second week of March , 2021.
According to the WHO spokesman, Christian Lindmeier, the body id investigating the reports, “as soon as the WHO has gained a full understanding of the events, the findings and any unlikely changes to current recommendations will be immediately communicated to the public.”
Before that PERISCOPE joins the highly confident Authorities to appeal to countries not to suspend the campaign for the vaccination against the dreaded pandemic, lest it will be an unfortunate case of throwing the baby away with the bath-water!
By GODFRIED K. ARHIN-KUMI
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
The post PERISCOPE: Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID-19 Vaccine appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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