Topline
Having examined safety reports from millions of people receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed Friday that they reach its high standards, describing the shots from Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca as extremely safe, with only mild side effects.
The U.K. medicines regulator said the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were safe and meet its high … [+]
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Key Facts
Out of nearly 7 million shots administered between December 9 and January 24, some 22,820 reported experiencing side effects, roughly three in every 1,000 people receiving a shot.
The “vast majority of reported side effects are mild and short lasting, reflecting a normal immune response to vaccines,” the MHRA said, listing sore arm, fatigue and mild “flu-like” symptoms as examples of common responses.
Severe allergic reactions (114) were rare and not a cause for concern, and the regulator said there were no reasons to believe that any reports of deaths (143) or facial paralysis (75) were linked to the vaccine.
“The data we have collected provides further reassurance that the Covid-19 vaccines are safe and continue to meet the rigorous regulatory standards required for all vaccines,” MHRA chief Dr. June Raine said, adding that vaccines are the “most effective” way of protecting people against Covid-19.
Crucial quote
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, chair of an independent group assessing vaccine safety for the U.K., said the vaccines are “extremely safe.” He added: “The benefits far outweigh the risks. I say that to my family as well.”
Key Background
The U.K. was one of the first countries to begin its vaccine rollout and is one of the most successful. On Wednesday, the British government announced that more than 10 million people, or one in five adults in the U.K., had received the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and it is on track to deliver the first shot to everyone by the end of June. Older and vulnerable populations are set to receive the vaccine first and could receive shots made by Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca or Moderna. Britain’s controversial strategy of delaying the second dose of the vaccine to give as many people some form of immunity as quickly as possible was validated recently when a study found that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine could lead to a significant drop in the spread of Covid-19 with only one dose. The country launched a trial this week to test whether vaccines from different manufacturers can be used interchangeably.
Big Number
10 million. That is how many doses the U.K. has administered, reaching nearly 20% of all adults, more than anywhere in the world except Israel and the UAE.
What We Don’t Know
Naturally, the study has its limitations. The data collected by the MHRA only covers the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines. The set is heavily skewed towards the Pfizer-BioNTech shot. The MHRA also acknowledged that many people experiencing possible reactions are unlikely to report them.
Further Reading
More Than One In Three People In U.K. Study Report Side Effects From Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine (Forbes)
U.K. Launches Covid-19 Trial To Test Mix And Match Vaccine Program (Forbes)
AstraZeneca Vaccine Helps Slow Covid-19 Transmission, First Dose 76% Effective For At Least Three Months, Study Finds (Forbes)
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This article is auto-generated by Algorithm Source: www.forbes.com
