Boris Johnson gambles with lives in a vaccine second dose crisis as care residents still die and doctors warn Tories that the long delay between injections could lead to thousands of excess deaths as first jab is ‘not effective’… 223 Comments at The Daily Mirror
Meanwhile more EU states ban the UK’s AstraZeneca vaccine for over 65’s where most Covid deaths occur, and growing evidence suggests the South African variant may end up evading antibodies produced by vaccines or natural infection. On top of all that it’s snowing and BLOODY FREEZING
Care home residents dying after first jab as Boris Johnson gambles on vaccine delays
main text by Nicola Small, John Siddle at The Daily Mirror shared with thanks
Boris Johnson is taking the biggest gamble of his career over delays to the Covid vaccine programme.
The PM ordered vital second doses to be delayed by up to 12 weeks after the first so millions more people could have their initial injection.
But dozens of care home residents have died with Covid after the jab, the Sunday People has discovered. /continues below
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British AstraZeneca Vaccine banned for over 65’s in various states after safety and effectivity reports.. but Covid deaths are nearly all over 65’s
Sweden Bans The AstraZeneca Vaccine For Over 65shttp://www.euronews.com › Germany says AstraZeneca vaccine isn’t for people 65 and older European affairs › Europe3 days ago — EU approves AstraZeneca COVID vaccine despite concern over older people · Germany bans entry from the UK, Ireland, Brazil, Portugal and South Africa over … that there was not enough data of .Covid: France restricts AstraZeneca vaccine to under 65s
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/ continued from above … Now care home chiefs and doctors have called for the UK to cut the gap between first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine to six weeks over fears that deaths could soar again.
One social care charity chief said: “Until we get to the bottom of what percentage of immunity we truly get on average, we’re gambling.”
UK’s 100 year old NHS fundraising hero Capt. Sir Tom Moore dies of Covid …Britain’s fundraising hero Captain Sir Tom Moore has died after a short battle with COVID-19. The 100-year-old World War II veteran, who raised millions for health charities, had been taken to hospital on Sunday after having trouble with his breathing. RIP.
The British Medical Association warned England’s Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris Whitty that no other country in the world has adopted the UK’s 12-week wait between jabs and said it was proving “ever more difficult to justify”.
There were also fears that in 12 weeks there could be a vaccine shortage with both Pfizer and AstraZeneca facing issues.
- see also….MORE B AD NEWS.. The South African variant of coronavirus has been discovered in eight different areas of England where people had no clear travel links to South Africa, There is growing evidence that suggests the South African variant may end up evading antibodies produced by vaccines or natural infection
The BMA warning came as official figures revealed care home Covid-linked deaths in England last week increased by the highest amount since last May.
Some of those deaths include residents who had the first jab in December and were still waiting for the second.
Doctors and scientists told the Sunday People the UK is effectively running its own clinical trial with its jabs policy while fears about a Covid mutation are rising.
“But no other nation adopted the UK’s approach.”
But Prof Whitty tonight defended the policy – signed off by the PM – saying it allowed many more people to be vaccinated quickly.
More than 5.8 million Brits have had jabs but only around 440,000 have had a second.
Dr David Strain, a hospital consultant in Exeter, said: “The UK is going against world opinion by sticking out for 12 weeks.
“Effectively the whole of the UK has been enrolled in a clinical trial.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “The decision to change vaccine dosage intervals followed a thorough review of the data and was in line with recommendations of the UK’s four Chief Medical Officers as both vaccines provide a high degree of protection after the first dose.
“Protection after dose one takes up to three weeks to kick in and the impact on transmission is not yet known so it’s vital people continue to take precautions.”
It comes amid warnings the new UK Covid variant is more lethal than the original.
Today’s new infections were 33,552 – nearly 20% lower than last Saturday
But recorded deaths – a lagging indicator – rose 4% to 1,348.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the BMA’s council chairman said: “Most nations in the world are facing challenges similar to the UK in having limited vaccine supply and also wanting to protect their population maximally.
One support group for grieving relatives, Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said the UK’s looming 100,000 death toll “isn’t a milestone, it’s a tombstone”.
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