1/9. So, here’s a short thread on my understanding of what’s going on with the AZ vaccine.

Short caveat: I totally get that vaccine risks are v. small & there are many things we do every day with much higher medical (& other) risks. However, risks still need addressing ...

2/9. ... esp. as they are far higher for many who are sick or disabled who need clarity on what’s going on.

My understanding is the govt’s argument is that there’s a small risk of blood clots from the AZ vaccine, & that the risk looks to be maybe higher in younger age groups.

3/9. In Britain more younger people have had clots, but they don’t know if this is because they were vaccinating more who’re younger (such as HCW) or if the risk is really higher for those younger.

In any case, the argument is that even if the risk of more clots is higher ...

4/9. ... no matter what your age, when you’re older the risk of dying from #COVID19 becomes higher, so risk/benefit for getting the vaccine becomes higher. That is, your risk of dying or being permanently hurt by COVID outweighs the risk of getting a blood clot.

Whereas for ...

5/9. ... those younger, the risk of being hurt by a clot might be higher than of being hurt by getting COVID.

I understand this argument, but in my mind it’s not a fair one. Because if this vaccine hesitancy for those over 50 translates into more younger people being ...

6/9. ... prioritised for Pfizer or other vaccines, it means over-50s are being disadvantaged *twice*.

Because they’re already at higher risk from getting sick or dying from COVID, & will now possibly be prevented from accessing Pfizer so it can be kept for those younger.

7/9. I know the issue is more complex than this & also rapidly evolving in understanding.

However, if true that younger ppl will be prioritised for Pfizer & it has lower risks of clots, that’s a form of triage of older ppl away from better vaccines which is morally unacceptable.

8/9. It’s not ethically fair to give a person a less efficacious or more dangerous treatment because - to paraphrase the govt. - they’re lucky to be getting anything as their risk of dying from the disease is higher.

This seems to be essentially what’s being said.

9/9. Of course, the entire roll-out has been shameful, as is the “look” of some in govt. getting Pfizer while they haven’t bought enough of that or others for most.

But essentially, if their argument is as we stated in tweet 8, this is - for older ppl - just fucked.

Ends.