These doctors want to choose their Covid-19 vaccine, fearing reactions, less effectiveness



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Healthcare workers’ unions in Europe say thousands of their members refuse to take any of three Covid-19 vaccines available in the region due to concerns about efficacy and reports of side effects, the latest reverse of the slow deployment of vaccines on the continent.

Organizations representing healthcare professionals across Europe said this week that doctors and nurses should not be forced to take the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca PLC because it has been found to provide less protection. robust against Covid-19 than the other two currently allowed in the European Union. They also expressed concern about reports that the AstraZeneca vaccine appeared to cause stronger reactions in recipients.

Hospitals said hundreds of healthcare workers who were due to receive the vaccines had not shown up for their appointments in recent days, while many of those who received the vaccine were calling sick after reporting headaches. sore head, fever and other symptoms.

Politicians and scientists this week insisted that AstraZeneca’s shot had proven effective and that not using it would jeopardize the fight against the pandemic in Europe. The vaccine has shown about 62% efficacy in late stage clinical trial results reported last year. Other data suggested that the overall effectiveness was around 70%, if the doses were spaced longer. This compared to an efficacy of over 90% in competing vaccine trials. However, trials of all licensed vaccines, including AstraZeneca, have shown that they offer 100% protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death.

A spokesperson for AstraZeneca, which developed its vaccine with the University of Oxford, said: “Our vaccine has been authorized in more than 50 countries on four continents. There have been no confirmed serious adverse events associated with the vaccination, ”the spokesperson said.

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