Category: Covid-19

Updated 1 hour ago

WhatsApp messages exchanged between DUP ministers after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic have indicated concern at the high level of restrictions in the first few months.

The exchanges were published late on Wednesday on the Covid inquiry website.

In May 2020, then-Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots told colleagues: "Incremental relaxation based on publi (sic) safety needs to happen and soon."

The discussion then moved onto wider health issues.

The first case to be detected in Northern Ireland had happened in February that year.

Former Education Minister Peter Weir said: "There is no point saving 100 lives from Covid if we cost 200 from other sources."

Mr Poots replied: "We are doing that, less screening, less clinics, less people reporting TIAs (transient ischaemic attack) and chest complaints leading to more strokes and heart attacks.

"All hospitals are operating well below capacity."

Image source, COVID INQUIRY

He added: "Lockdown was based on an overwhelmed health service... we are not in that place."

Messages were also published from the then-DUP Junior Minister Gordon Lyons and special adviser Philip Weir.

It appeared to be a WhatsApp group but the document which has been published does not make it clear.

The exchange is contained in a document entitled "Extract of Edwin Poots' WhatsApp messages with Philip Weir, Emma Little-Pengelly and other members of the Executive, dated between 09/06/2020 and 11/06/2020".

However, the WhatsApp messages quoted above are dated 7 May 2020.

They included what appears to be criticism of some non-DUP ministers, but, again, this is not totally clear.

Meanwhile, the former Sinn Fin minister Carl N Chuiln included a formal apology to families who lost relatives during the pandemic in her written statement to the inquiry.

It has now been published on the inquiry website.

Ms N Chuiln wrote: "I attended the funeral of my dear friend Bobby Storey in a personal capacity, and I accept that in doing so I caused hurt to families who lost a loved one during the pandemic. I apologise for the hurt caused by my actions."

The former minister also wrote about receiving abuse online during the pandemic, some of which she said was misogynistic.

She concluded by saying she hoped lessons could be learned "to ensure that we are better placed to protect lives in the event of a future pandemic".

Ms N Chuiln said there needed to be better information sharing and co-operation with the Irish government.

Continued here:

DUP Covid lockdown messages published by inquiry - BBC.com

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was a critical part of the COVID-19 pandemic response. However, on May 7 2024, the European Commission announced the vaccine is no longer authorised for use.

This EU announcement was preceded by an application from AstraZeneca on March 27 2024 to withdraw the EU marketing authorisation. This development has been covered in various media outlets as primarily related to the known adverse events, namely a very small risk of blood clots. However, other factors are far more likely to be driving this decision.

The first AstraZeneca vaccine dose, outside of clinical trials, was administered on January 4 2021. In that year, about 2.5 billion doses were administered, and an estimated 6.3 million lives saved.

It was a key product at the peak of the pandemic. This includes during the emergence of the delta variant in India, across the first half of 2021 where, amid significant global supply issues, the AstraZeneca vaccine was one of the few tools available during that humanitarian crisis.

This COVID vaccine, like those from Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax and others, went through the appropriate levels of testing. The phase 3 trials (where the vaccine is tested on thousands of people) showed the AstraZeneca product was safe and effective. It was distributed in many countries in Europe in early 2021, including the UK.

The potential adverse events related to blood clots were publicly reported in February 2021, with, for example, the UK government and the drugs regulator (the MHRA) then publishing a statement about its continued use on March 18 2021.

Amid speculation and investigation, the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization both highlighted how the benefits of the vaccine greatly outweighed any possible risks.

This was a time when COVID levels were extremely high, and getting higher, with around 4 million confirmed new cases globally per week.

It is well established that COVID itself caused a significantly increased risk of these related blood clots and also thrombocytopenia (low platelet count). An August 2021, analysis of 30 million vaccinated people in the UK showed that the risks of thrombocytopenic events were much higher following a COVID infection, compared with any COVID-related vaccine.

From that study, the British Heart Foundation describe how for every 10 million people who are vaccinated with AstraZeneca, there are 66 extra cases of blood clots in the veins and seven extra cases of a rare type of blood clot in the brain. By comparisons, infection with COVID is estimated to cause 12,614 extra cases of blood clots in the veins and 20 cases of rare blood clots in the brain.

To put this into some perspective, these vaccine-associated blood clot rates are much lower than many widely prescribed medicines. For example, the combined contraception pill, prescribed widely to women, has blood clot-related risks of around one in 1,000. With women taking postmenopausal hormone therapy, around one in 300 per year are likely to develop a blood clot.

The AstraZeneca vaccine did suffer from a poor public profile, arguably much of it undeserved. There was some poor quality reporting in Germany in January 2021, with claims that the vaccine was only 8% effective in the elderly. This claim was widely repeated, but it turns out that 8% figure referred to the percentage of people aged over 65 years in the study and not the efficacy measure.

The antivaccine lobby had a field day with fuelling the infodemic, including other false claims such as fabricated links between the vaccine and female infertility. As with the blood clots, COVID infection is known to increase the risks of infertility, but there is no link between infertility and the vaccine.

For individuals and families likely to have been injured by any medicine, including any of the COVID vaccines, compensation schemes are available. Many claimants report difficulties and frustrations with accessing the compensation. This is an area where the government-led schemes should be more transparent, and also where the misinformation from the anti-vaccine lobby hinders those groups they are claiming to support.

So, why would AstraZeneca withdraw this high-profile product? One reason for the withdrawal is likely to be that other COVID vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna, are essentially better products.

AstraZeneca is very good, but the mRNA versions have better effectiveness and safety levels.

Read more: Our new vaccine could protect against coronaviruses that havent even emerged yet new study

The initial concerns around the difficulties of the specialist refrigeration needed to transport and store the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been overcome, including in low-income countries. The mRNA vaccines are also easier to update when new variants emerge.

With those factors, orders for the AstraZeneca vaccine are probably much lower now than they were in previous years. It is being overlooked in favour of better-performing vaccines.

For the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, perhaps its time has indeed passed. But it has been a safe and effective vaccine and a key part of the pandemic response for most countries around the world.

Correction. The sentence that read: It is well established that COVID itself caused a significantly increased risk of these related blood clots (thrombocytopenia). Now says: It is well established that COVID itself caused a significantly increased risk of these related blood clots and also thrombocytopenia (low platelet count).

Continue reading here:

AstraZeneca's COVID vaccine withdrawn right to the end it was the victim of misinformation - The Conversation

As the U.S. grapples with the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to highlight the ongoing challenges faced by the 7 million immunocompromised Americans. For them, the battle against Covid-19 is far from over. Often overlooked or sidelined by newsmakers and policymakers, these individuals continue to confront a heightened risk of severe illness or death due to their compromised immune systems, while society largely adjusts to life with the virus.

Among this vulnerable group are people with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, recipients of organ transplants, those with autoimmune conditions, and others. They endure prolonged isolation and sacrifice vital economic, emotional, and societal connections, yearning for a return to normalcy even as the coronavirus remains indifferent to their pleas. Their unique circumstances demand a comprehensive and tailored approach to health care that is both accessible and inclusive.

While commendable progress has been made in developing and distributing Covid-19 antivirals and vaccines benefiting billions the same cannot be said for other innovative prevention and treatment options, such as monoclonal antibodies (mABs), which have only been recently authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration.

Consumer Action, the national nonprofit dedicated to consumer advocacy, education, and empowerment that I work for, commends the FDA for prioritizing this decision and focusing on this often-overlooked segment of the population. Its swift review and approval of cutting-edge Covid-19 treatment therapies, including mABs that have been reformulated and updated to combat the newest strains of the virus, will provide a level and sense of relief for the immunocompromised patient population.

But approval is just the first step. These lifesaving interventions must be made accessible, affordable, and available to those who need them most. The level of accessibility for medications like mABs must mirror the widespread availability of Covid-19 antivirals and vaccines (such as in clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies), seamlessly integrating them into both private and public health care systems to ensure access for all Americans, regardless of their location or socioeconomic background.

Public-private partnerships will play a crucial role in connecting immunocompromised people with these new lifesaving therapies. A key first step would be for the Department of Health and Human Services to instruct insurance providers, nonprofits, pharmaceutical companies, and government health programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Health Administration to ensure these treatments are affordable, akin to the Biden administrations actions with Covid-19 vaccines in fall 2023. That collaboration showed how government can work with the private sector to establish a more accessible and inclusive health care system that effectively addresses disease and illness for all Americans.

A comprehensive public health education campaign tailored to the needs of immunocompromised individuals will also be imperative to ensure they understand precautions, risks, and support. This campaign, which should feature input from administration officials, industry stakeholders, and health care professionals from white coats to the White House must address the unique challenges faced by this population. Clear guidance on innovative prevention and treatment options, including mABs, must be provided to empower the immunocompromised and ensure their active involvement in their health care decisions. Engaging the patient advocacy community will help ensure that immunocompromised people know how and where to get these innovative treatments.

We're hosting events nationwide (and virtually) to tackle the biggest questions in health and medicine. Browse our upcoming events to see what's on the horizon.

The ongoing fight against Covid-19 requires a collective effort that leaves no one behind. Championing inclusive and innovative prevention and treatment options for all Americans, particularly the immunocompromised, is not merely a public health concern; it reflects a societal commitment to fundamental rights such as healthcare access, equity, and inclusion.

As Americans strive to move beyond Covid-19, it is important to acknowledge that for the 7 million immunocompromised individuals, the pandemic remains an ongoing challenge. Despite easing restrictions, Covid-19 continues to pose a significant threat to their well-being. Through decisive action, collaboration, and education, we can empower them to navigate this reality alongside their co-workers, family, friends, and neighbors, fostering a stronger sense of community resilience and support.

Ken McEldowney is a senior fellow at Consumer Action, a national consumer advocacy and education membership organization.

Read more:

How to improve immunocompromised access to mAb treatments - STAT

8 May 2024

A former Sinn Fin minister has said she accepts now that she should not have attended a controversial funeral during the Covid pandemic.

Carl N Chuiln was Communities Minister from June 2020 until December that year.

She was among a group of senior Sinn Fin politicians who attended the funeral of republican Bobby Storey in June 2020.

The gathering was criticised at the time as being in breach of Covid rules.

She was asked by Brenda Campbell KC, representing the Covid-19 bereaved families in Northern Ireland about her attendance at the funeral.

Ms N Chuiln told the inquiry she was "very sorry" and that attending the funeral had an impact on public confidence.

She also said she accepted she should not have attended the funeral using her ministerial car, and had later reimbursed the costs to the department.

But Ms Campbell added: "Do you accept you should not have gone to the funeral at all given your role as minister for communities?"

Ms N Chuiln replied: "I can see the hurt and the anger and I accept that now... yes I do."

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Former Education Minister Peter Weir also gave evidence on Wednesday.

He said he regrets that the debate over closing schools in Northern Ireland at the onset of the Covid pandemic created political division.

Lord Weir, a former DUP MLA, was Stormont's education minister from January 2020 until mid-2021.

He said debate within the Northern Ireland Executive over closing schools created a "level of division".

The context for closing schools, the inquiry was told, was in mid-March 2020, days before the UK government announced a national lockdown.

But the inquiry heard that the Stormont Executive met on 16 March where disagreement between ministers broke out over whether to follow suit.

Lord Weir said he took the view that ministers should be following scientific and medical advice, which at that point did not recommend shutting down all schools.

But he said Sinn Fin and Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) ministers had "one eye towards what was happening in the Republic of Ireland".

"There was a little bit of an element... the situation was that not only would they want to follow the Republic of Ireland, but there was a natural inclination not to follow what was happening in London," he said.

Lord Weir also suggested those ministers held a "level of antipathy" against the Conservative government under Boris Johnson.

The inquiry was shown handwritten notes from that meeting which showed divisions behind the scenes between the parties.

Lord Weir was asked by inquiry counsel Clair Dobbin KC how well children in Northern Ireland were being served when it came to the decision over closing schools, asking whether it had become "political and divisive".

He replied: "I regret it became that, I felt there had been a level of consensus a few days before.

"Others wanted to take it in a different direction.

"At various levels it may have been seen as being directly political."

Asked about notes provided to the inquiry about "confusion" about public messaging on schools at that point, Lord Weir said the executive's position had initially been joined up, prior to the Irish government closing schools.

Lord Weir also said that once the UK Government announced that schools in England were closing, advice from health officials at Stormont also changed and that schools in Northern Ireland should shut.

He acknowledged that it was "doable at that stage", with furlough schemes and finances available from Westminster to help support parents with childcare.

Former Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey disputed a text message that claimed she showed "no interest in Covid" prior to mid-March 2020.

Details of the text were revealed during evidence to the Covid-19 inquiry by counsel Leah Trainor.

She said the then-head of the civil service Sir David Sterling sent the message to another official, Chris Stewart, on 10 March 2020.

Ms Hargey, a Sinn Fin MLA, said it was not her reflection of the time.

The text from Sir David read: "I spoke to Tracey earlier, she's briefing her minister (who has shown no interest in Covid up to now) tomorrow."

It referred to Tracey Meharg, who was the top civil servant in the Department for Communities then advising Ms Hargey.

Asked by inquiry counsel if that was a fair assessment, Ms Hargey said she was "disappointed" to have seen the text message and its contents.

She said she had spoken an executive meeting on that date and was looking at contingency plans for her department as well as how to support key sectors.

"We would have been planning at the start of March and late February for that to happen, so I am disappointed at that text message. I don't think it reflects where we were or conversations I had with Tracey Meharg," she added.

Ms Hargey was Stormont's communities minister from January 2020 until June that year, before stepping aside temporarily due to illness.

Her party colleague Carl N Chuiln filled in during that period of sickness until December 2020 when Ms Hargey returned to work.

Former DUP Economy Minister Diane Dodds also appeared at the inquiry on Wednesday.

She was asked about the impact of the funeral of republican Bobby Storey on the public adhering to Covid restrictions.

Mrs Dodds said the event "damaged relations" within the executive.

"It was really difficult to then stand at another press conference and say to the public, 'we're going to allow you to do this', when all of this had taken place just a few days before it."

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Covid Inquiry: Sinn Fin minister 'accepts' she should not have gone to Storey funeral - BBC.com

Many medical institutions in Japan are still providing a significant number of consultations for patients with prolonged aftereffects of COVID-19, a year after the country downgraded the disease to a lower-risk category under the infectious disease control law.

Wednesday marked a year since the government lowered the classification of COVID-19 from Category II to Category V, which includes seasonal influenza. While the usual hustle and bustle has returned to the streets of Japan, many people are still left with COVID-19 aftereffects in some cases with symptoms that greatly hamper people's daily activities.

The World Health Organization defines COVID-19 aftereffects as symptoms that last for at least two months after infection and cannot be attributed to other diseases.

Read more:

Many still face COVID aftereffects a year after assessment downgrade - The Japan Times

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic four years ago, there have been reports that the number of children around the world suffering from ADHD has increased significantly. Many teachers, parents, and doctors have spoken of children having difficulty making eye contact, being immersed in screens, and losing the ability to pay attention over longer periods of time.

A new Israeli study sought to find out whether there has been an increase in the prevalence of the disorder and, if so, whether it is related to coronavirus.

The study, which was presented at the Israel Pediatric Association Conference on Wednesday in Tel Aviv, was conducted by Dr. Nitzan Shahar from Tel Aviv University, Dr. Vered Shekalim Zemer, and Prof. Iris Manor, a specialist in child psychiatry with Clalit. The researchers gathered data on three million cases of children aged 6 to 18 years from the electronic database of Clalit Health Services and examined the rate of diagnoses before, during, and after the Corona epidemic.

Information was collected on the age groups, gender, socioeconomic status, and dates of diagnosis of ADHD from the data. The researchers found that the coronavirus epidemic had no effect on the rates of ADHD diagnoses and that there was no significant change in the number of diagnoses during the epidemic.

The study explained that the theory that the coronavirus causes ADHD may adversely affect children who actually have ADHD as they may not be diagnosed, thinking that their symptoms were due to the virus and not the neurodevelopmental disorder itself.

"The rumor that the coronavirus causes attention deficit disorder has been circulating for several years," explains Prof. Iris Menor. However, from all the information collected in the global medical literature and from our research, no difference was found in the rate of attention deficit disorder before and after the epidemic. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a genetic and neurological basis, not a response to virus infection."

According to Prof. Manor, it may be the exposure to screens and social media that causes developmental damage that may affect the ability to listen: "Children now rarely make eye contact, express themselves with emojis, hardly ever read books, and are exposed to videos on Tiktok and Instagram that last a few seconds."

"All of these may impair their ability to maintain attention for a long time and their need for immediate stimulation. However, it is not a medical attention disorder, which begins in childhood and continues throughout life. Either way, the recommendation is for any parent in doubt to go to a specialist for a diagnosis," she added.

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Did the corona virus cause an increase in ADHD? - The Jerusalem Post

Many lacked savings and were forced to endure cramped living conditions that strained family relationships. Those who sought mental health support through the public system faced a daunting 40-month waiting list.

Two Hongkongers who spent the pandemic in the city recall in my book Pandemic Minds: Covid-19 and Mental Health in Hong Kong what we may have forgotten, perhaps not absorbed, and from which we have questionably healed. The following are extracts from the book:

In mid-March 2022, Hong Kong recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths per population size in the world, a rate of more than 25 deaths per 100,000 residents.

In this climate of fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty, the city saw an increase in people taking their own lives. The Suicide Index maintained by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong reached crisis level. In the seven days from March 22, there were 21 news reports about people killing themselves.

Forty-year-old Tai Lui (not his real name) was living a modest, stable life working as a mechanic and living alone in Kowloon. However, when the pandemic struck, he lost his job and became homeless and his life quickly spiralled.

At the start of the pandemic, I was living on the top floor of a walk-up building in Prince Edward and working for the Cross Harbour Tunnel.

My job was to retrieve the vehicles that broke down in the tunnel. Id been in the job almost seven years and enjoyed it.

A year into the pandemic, in 2021, two of my colleagues got Covid-19 and died suddenly. I knew them and was really shocked and sad. They were only in their early 30s and vaccinated. Both of them lived in a hotel on Tsing Yi Island. I dont know why they got Covid-19.

My boss wanted me to move onto their team to replace one of them. I didnt want to. I was very sad and afraid, so I quit my job.

I couldnt afford my rent. Im not in contact with my family; its been that way for many years. I had nowhere to go, and had the idea of living on the rooftop of the building where Id been renting.

I found some black canvas and made a shelter, a bit like a tent. I started living on the rooftop in July 2021 and stayed there for nine months. Living outside, under the sun and the rain, it was like camping.

For quite some time no one seemed to notice, or care, that I was there.

Then I lost my wallet with my ID card and driving licence. That really stressed me out. I needed to replace the cards. I knew if I didnt, it would be hard to get another job.

My stress got worse. I started thinking, What if I was dead? I spent four days just lying under the canvas, not getting up to eat or anything.

I thought about ending my life it would be very easy to do it quickly. But then I thought I should try everything to stay alive before doing anything like that.

My thoughts were going around and around my head, and I couldnt sleep. I didnt know what was going on with me.

I wondered if I had a mental problem, so I went to Yau Ma Tei Specialist Clinic. I spoke to the nurse and told her Id been having negative thoughts and couldnt sleep at night. She said, You look OK. That was it.

Id tried to get help, and they didnt think I needed the service. It made me feel even more helpless.

After more than six months living on the roof, someone noticed that I was staying there illegally. The landlord of the top flat was legally responsible for the rooftop. They sent him a letter, and I was evicted.

I was referred to ImpactHK, an NGO that helps the homeless, to assess my situation.

They let me stay in their hostel [and] in August 2022, I got a job working [there], helping manage the activities at the sports centre. I would rather work than claim a government benefit.

Its easy to say, Just talk to someone. But if youve tried and are rejected, it feels easier not to. The caseworker at ImpactHK was kind and really listened. That helped me open up and be more willing to share.

In Hong Kong, foreign domestic workers are required by law to live in their employers home. As flats in the city are small, it is common for these workers to be forced to share a room with a child or older people or to sleep in the living room, kitchen, or even toilet.

Tasked with keeping their employers home clean, these women were frontline workers in fighting the virus. Yet during the pandemic they were often portrayed as people spreading the virus.

Catalina has been working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong for 23 years. During the pandemic, she faced a challenging period when three sets of employers left Hong Kong within the span of just three years.

The financial pressure and stress of finding new employment, compounded by testing positive for Covid-19 twice, led her into a state of depression.

In 2020, my employer left Hong Kong because of Covid-19, so I needed to find another employer. After one year with my new employer, they also left because of the situation in Hong Kong.

I got Covid-19 for the first time in 2021; it was a bad year. Moving jobs three times in three years was stressful.

In February 2022, my new employer was pregnant and expecting a baby in three weeks when I got Covid-19 again.

I couldnt stay at my employers house because I didnt want to infect them, and I couldnt go to hospital because then she wouldnt be able to deliver her baby at the hospital.

If the hospital knew there was a Covid-19-positive person in the same house they wouldnt have let her enter.

So I stayed at a boarding house. I was in a small room by myself because I didnt want anyone to catch the virus. I just stayed in that room waiting for whatever help I could get.

It was difficult. When I recovered from Covid-19, I wasnt feeling like my old self.

My employer had her baby. Although work was busy, the baby gave me a lot of happiness. Then, when the baby was three months old, my employers went away for two months. The house was quiet; there was nothing to do.

It was a time when there were heavy restrictions about gatherings. I was lonely and alone I felt so alone. There was fear. I didnt go out; I just wanted to lie down.

I felt so weak and tired and wanted to sleep all day and night. I didnt want to bathe. I didnt feel hungry. One day I realised I hadnt eaten for a day and went to the fridge. It was empty.

I left the flat and the security guard downstairs said I hadnt been out for two weeks. He didnt know there was anyone in the flat.

That was when I realised I had to do something. I thought if I didnt ask for help, I might hurt myself, but I hadnt reached that point yet.

I called my friends and told them I was very lonely. One of them put me in touch with a counsellor in the Philippines.

After my depression, I started volunteering and doing migrant initiatives. For me, my depression was a turning point where I rediscovered my strength.

One of my friends thinks of depression as a way to find out your deeper person. I definitely changed through that dark time and I am stronger now.

In the migrant worker community, there is a lot of stigma about mental health. There is a thinking that if you ask for help you are weak, which means that many people dont ask for help when they need it.

There is a culture in the Philippines that makes people afraid to tell their story. You are afraid that people will talk about you and that what you say will go back to the Philippines.

Many of my friends dont tell their problems to their family. We try to pretend that we are superhuman, but in reality, we are not.

Pandemic Minds: Covid-19 and Mental Health in Hong Kong is published by Hong Kong University Press (May 2024) and available at Bookazine.

If you have suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 18111 for the government-run Mental Health Support Hotline or +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans and +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Continued here:

Lonely, depressed, lacking mental health help: Covid-19 pandemic's toll on Hong Kong's working class, in their own ... - South China Morning Post

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The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford scientists during the pandemic has been withdrawn from the market.

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said that it was incredibly proud of the vaccine, but that it had been withdrawn due to plummeting demand.

In December 2020, the vaccine became the second Covid-19 jab to be approved for use in the UK and former prime minister Boris Johnson hailed it as a triumph for British science.

Vaccine makers agreed that it could be manufactured on a not-for-profit basis for the duration of the pandemic across the world, and in perpetuity to low- and middle-income countries.

Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic

AstraZeneca spokesperson

Billions of doses were created and made available across 183 countries.

Estimates suggest that the rollout of the jab saved 6.3 million lives around the world.

But AstraZeneca said that the rise of new variants in the virus which causes Covid-19 has shifted market demand towards newer vaccines geared towards tackling these variants.

A spokesperson for AstraZeneca said: We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic. According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone and over three billion doses were supplied globally.

Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic.

As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have since been developed there is a surplus of available updated vaccines. This has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied. AstraZeneca has therefore taken the decision to initiate withdrawal of the marketing authorisations for Vaxzevria within Europe.

We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path forward to conclude this chapter and significant contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It has been an excellent and vital vaccine, a key part of the pandemic response for most countries around the world

Dr Michael Head, University of Southampton

AstraZeneca has faced a number of claims of vaccine injury linked to the jab.

On April 7 2021, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued updated information on the possible risk of extremely rare and unlikely to occur specific types of blood clots following vaccination with the AstraZeneca jab.

The regulator said the benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh any risks but advised careful consideration be given to people who are at higher risk of specific types of blood clots because of their medical condition.

Last year lawyers acting on behalf of father-of-two Jamie Scott told the High Court that he has suffered brain injury after receiving the vaccine.

Commenting on the withdrawal, Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, said: It has been an excellent and vital vaccine, a key part of the pandemic response for most countries around the world.

There would have been far more deaths, hospitalisations, illness and transmission, if we hadnt had the AstraZeneca vaccine, alongside the other key vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna.

There are known adverse events, such as the blood clots, but these are rare, and the safety profile is overall very good. For comparison, the accepted rate of blood clots is much higher in medicines prescribed in areas of womens health, such as the combined pill.

The key reason for the withdrawal is likely to be that other Covid vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna, are essentially better products. AstraZeneca is very good, but the mRNA products (and probably Novavax too) are better.

They have higher effectiveness and the mRNA platforms are more easily adapted towards the latest Covid variants. Thus, they form a key part of most countries longer-term strategies.

Excerpt from:

AstraZeneca withdraws Covid-19 jab from the market - The Independent

Key Takeaways

Its common for viruses to mutate, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is no exception. A slew of variants have developed since the start of the pandemic, and some have been more noteworthy than others.

A new variant gaining attention is KP.2, part of a larger group known as the FLiRT variants. These variants are offshoots of Omicron and get their name from their spike protein mutations: The amino phenylalanine (abbreviated as F) replaces the amino acid leucine (abbreviated as L), while the amino acid arginine (R) is replaced by threonine (T).

As KP.2 appears around the world, heres what you need to know.

Its not clear where the KP.2 variant originated. However, its been detected in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Canada. It is not currently the dominant strain anywhere, but its quickly becoming more common in several countries.

It makes up about 20% of the infections in the U.K. and about 25% of the infections here, William Schaffner, MD,an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told Verywell. It wouldnt be surprising if this becomes the most common variant in the next month or two in the U.S.

The KP.2 variant has quickly spread in the U.S. This variant made up less than 4% of COVID cases in the country in late March and has steadily caused a greater proportion of infections each week.

Its normal for viruses to mutate. There will always be new variants arising for all respiratory viruses, Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Verywell. This is how evolution works.

Given that the general population now has a high level of immunity against COVID, the virus needs to mutate in order to survive.

Preliminary data show that while KP.2 is more transmissible, it has a 10.5-fold lower level of infectiousness than JN.1, which is currently the dominant strain in the U.S.

Still, its expanding in the population, which means it must have some advantage over JN.1, Thomas Russo, MD,professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Verywell. This particular variant has four new mutations, including three in the spike protein, which is what the virus uses to latch onto your cells and infect you.

Currently available information also does not suggest that KP.2 is more severe than previous variants, Schaffner said.

There is no hard and fast data on the risk of reinfection from KP.2 if youve already had COVID. However, doctors said youre likely to be reinfected if its been a while since you last had the virus.

Protection wanes over time and it wanes more rapidly in older people, as well as those who are frail, Schaffner said. Thats why the program in the U.S. is to get everyone re-vaccinated at least on an annual basis.

Most people can expect protection for up to six months after an initial infection, Russo said.

The KP.2 variant could be more immune evasive than previous strains, Schaffner said. He cites early lab data that show this variant is more evasive of antibodies that people have developed.

KP.2 is a little more distant from the protection we get in the vaccines, although the vaccines in the lab have been shown to provide protection, he said.

Russo also pointed out that many people havent had the updated vaccine. The uptake of the vaccine was less than excellent this fall, he said. Its imperfect against preventing infection but pretty good at preventing hospitalization and severe disease.

Experts are not particularly worried about the KP.2 variant and more than other forms of COVID. This is not a cause for concern, Schaffner said. However, Russo said that this is a reminder that COVID is still around. The virus continues to evolve and is trying to be immune evasive, he said.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

Faraone JN, Qu P, Goodarzi N, et al. Immune evasion and membrane fusion of SARS-CoV-2 XBB subvariants EG.5.1 and XBB.2.3. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2023;12(2):2270069. doi:10.1080/22221751.2023.2270069

Scarpa F, Sanna D, Benvenuto D, et al. Genetic and structural data on the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BQ.1 variant reveal its low potential for epidemiological expansion. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(23):15264. doi:10.3390/ijms232315264

Kaku Y, Uriu K, Kosugi Y, et al. Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 KP.2 variant. bioRxiv. Preprint posted online April 26, 2024. doi:10.1101/2024.04.24.590786

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID data tracker: summary of variant surveillance.

By Korin Miller Miller is a health and lifestyle journalist with a master's degree in online journalism. Her work appears in The Washington Post, Prevention, SELF, Women's Health, and more.

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What You Need to Know About the KP.2 'FLiRT' COVID Variant - Verywell Health

AstraZenecasays it is withdrawing Vaxzevria, its vaccine to protect against COVID-19, from global markets. The vaccine was used early on in the pandemic in many countries, including Canada.

In an update on the European Medicines Agency's website on Wednesday, the regulator said that the approval for Vaxzevria had been withdrawn "at the request of the marketing authorization holder."

More than threebillion doses of the vaccine have been supplied since it first was administered in the United Kingdom in January 2021.

AstraZenecasaid as multiple vaccines against newer variants of the pandemic coronavirus have been developed, there is a surplus. Demand forVaxzevriadeclined and the company said it is no longer being manufactured or supplied.

Dr. Samir Gupta, a respirologist atSt Michael's Hospital in Toronto, said what's important is that the creation of the AstraZeneca vaccine, testing, roll out,discovery of complications and stopping of vaccine distribution played out as it should for a new pandemic virus.

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According to media reports, AstraZeneca previously admitted in court documents that the vaccine can cause rareside-effects such as blood clots and low blood platelet counts.

"Ultimately we can't forget that the virus is worse than the vaccine, even with this complication," Gupta said in an interview on CBC News Network.

AstraZeneca'sapplication to withdraw the vaccine was made onMarch 5 and came into effect on May 7, according to theTelegraph, which first reported the development.

The Serum Institute of India (SII), which producedAstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine under the brand name Covishield, stopped manufacturing and supply of the doses since December 2021, an SII spokesperson said.

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AstraZeneca withdraws its vaccine to protect against COVID-19 worldwide - Yahoo Life