Japan OKs Moderna, AstraZeneca vaccines, but AstraZeneca to be put on hold

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine: EMA finds possible link to very rare cases of unusual blood clots with low blood platelets.

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/astrazenecas-covid-19-vaccine-ema-finds-possible-link-very-rare-cases-unusual-blood-clots-low-blood

The Absolute Risk of Venous Thrombosis after Air Travel: A Cohort Study of 8,755 Employees of International Organizations

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1989755/

Too studies, one EMA into the possible link to very rare cases of unusual blood clots with low blood platelets.

The Committee carried out an in-depth review of 62 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and 24 cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis reported in the EU drug safety database (EudraVigilance) as of 22 March 2021, 18 of which were fatal.1 The cases came mainly from spontaneous reporting systems of the EEA and the UK, where around 25 million people had received the vaccine.

The other an absolute Risk of Venous Thrombosis after Air Travel.......

The fact statically are clear, one has a far great risk of suffering of suffering Venous Thrombosis after Air Travel, than contracting these rare blood clots with low blood platelets.

So with this information would you suggest that we all give up air travel?

Theundering reasoning is pariona mixed with polictic

People more worried about vaccine side effects than covid-19 effects, crazy

Sorry I'll just add one note since I can't edit the previous comment:

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Tokyo cannot have people be distanced from one another but expect the whole country to do it. Alright.

Tom, the AstraZenica's vaccine is best reserved for the trash bin, the British monkey scam vaccine, your own words, undoubtedly saved the lives of senior members of my UK family.

Did you read the risk of hospitalization and death on contraction of Covid through refusal to take the AstraZenica's vaccine contained in the EMA link?

You didn't, did you?

Red Cross Japan is refusing to take blood donations from those people who have been vaccinated. Is that a normal thing to do around the world, refusing vaccinated blood?

That pic: I would not be surprised if everyone that is on the monitor in the Zoom call is actually only everyone in that room.

I've had the AZ vaccine and I'm fine... You're more likely to get hit by a car driven by a nun on a quiet road than get a blood clot.

zichi, whatever vaccine you are comfortable taking, or not.

It's yours, and your families decision alone to make.

All venerable UK family have received the AstraZenica vaccine, their age groups range from 42 to 93.

Some felt fatigue and nausea for a period of time, 24 to 36 hours but all are still alive and breathing.

I can also state honestly, the younger members of the family have not received the AstraZenica vaccine.

This is a precautional measure, safe and sorry mode.

There is an awful lot of nonsense contained in many of these comments that is based on the "what I think" / "what I've been told" model of research and reporting.

Let's look at some facts.

Based on reported worldwide figures, 2% of officially reported cases end in death. (UK fractionally over, Japan about 1.7%)

Even if the number of officially reported cases are 1/10th of actual (which I have no evidence that that is or isn't the case) that would still mean that 2 in a thousand people who get COVID will die.

It doesn't take a genius to work out that your chances of surviving the AZ jab is significantly greater than surviving COVID.

So is the AZ as effective as other? Stats are too early to say for certain but there is evidence that it is performing at a higher rate than the 60% many quote and it is strongly believed (based on the figures of AZ vs the Indian variant in the UK) that it is also effective against other strains.

So what? Prior to the vaccine role out in the UK (largely AZ), we were averaging over a thousand deaths a day from COVID (that's the equivalent of 3 or 4 passenger planes crashing every day) yet in the 4 months since roll out began, numbers are in double digits more commonly nearer 1 than 99.

Other countries that have had a robust vaccine programme of whatever vaccine have seen similar drops. I don't know anyone who has died or been seriously ill after receiving the AZ vaccine but unfortunately I do know too many who have either died or become very ill from COVID.

Red Cross Japan is refusing to take blood donations from those people who have been vaccinated.

Is that true? The link below suggests it's not entirely accurate.

https://www.factcheck.org/2021/05/post-misleads-on-japans-policy-for-donating-blood-after-covid-19-vaccination/

Is that a normal thing to do around the world, refusing vaccinated blood?

In the UK, donors are asked to wait for 7 days after vaccination before donating blood. And if you had any side effects from the vaccine (fever, headaches, etc.) then wait 28 days.

https://www.blood.co.uk/news-and-campaigns/news-and-statements/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/

The AstraZeneca shot, however, will not be used immediately amid lingering concerns over rare cases of blood clots being reported overseas, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said.

This is BS and again characteristic of the Japanese being inapt at being effective and fast. They could just swallow their stupid arrogance and follow the experience of countries which have demonstrated to be way more effective in logistics and organization. Most of European countries have decided that the AstraZeneca vaccine will be used solely for people aged 55 years and older since the data shows the vaccine to be totally safe for those people concerning the blood clots issue. Having the largest choice of vaccines and hence available doses would speed up the vaccination of the elderly and help us get out of this circus as fast as possible.

The AZ vaccine is fine, it’s the backbone of the UKs vaccine programme. I’ve had it.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9600797/Two-AstraZeneca-COVID-shots-85-90-effective-UK-real-world-analysis.html

The AstraZeneca vaccine has a slightly lower efficacy rate compared to the other two -- 76 percent compared with 94 percent for Moderna and 95 percent for Pfizer.

NOT TRUE.

Sorry JT, but this is WRONG.

This was the estimated effectiveness which the company reported in March - two months ago.

Furthermore, this was the effectiveness in preventing infection, *not in preventing death - this was* 100%. I would suggest that preventing death is what really matters, since if you become infected but are asymptomatic, or the symptoms are very mild (no more than a common cold), then frankkly what does it matter?

But in any case, since then it has been tried and tested in the real world - especially the UK - and we now have more up-to-date figures. We now know that the effectiveness in preventing infection (of any kind) is 89% - in other words, it is just as good as the other vaccines. And it is easier to handle, which means it can be distributed more effectively. And it has also been shown that its 100% effectiveness in preventing death also applies to all the variants, including the Indian one.

@Eyeblack: Why is that? Just posting blanket comments like that is very unhelpful.

The underlying problem with all of these mRNA vaccines is that they are untested technology and by definition nobody knows about long-term effects yet. 

Yeah that's not true at all.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html

mRNA Vaccines Are New, But Not Unknown

Researchers have been studying and working with mRNA vaccines for decades. Interest has grown in these vaccines because they can be developed in a laboratory using readily available materials. This means the process can be standardized and scaled up, making vaccine development faster than traditional methods of making vaccines.

mRNA vaccines have been studied before for flu, Zika, rabies, and cytomegalovirus (CMV). As soon as the necessary information about the virus that causes COVID-19 was available, scientists began designing the mRNA instructions for cells to build the unique spike protein into an mRNA vaccine.

Once again, seem to happen in every photo in the COVID category:

I think it is great to see people part of these matters take social distancing (and other recommendations preached) seriously, sitting bunched up and attend in person as much as they can.

There have been reports of deaths and complications from all types of vaccines.

Having now had the AstraZeneca vaccine I can personally report that there are side effects which I found unusual.

However, nothing to really impact my daily life.

If they are worried about AZ then give it to me and anyone else willing to agree.

My siblings back home got theirs no problem.

I am not young, not a woman on any hormone therapy or the pill so bring it on!

And I know plenty of people that are ready to do the same!

They needed to sit closer together!

The typical Sputnik V, comment. Immunizations in Russia, less than 10%. Sufficient numbers of vaccines are available in differing varieties. That it is from Russia is irrelevant. Production numbers:  Russia had produced just 33 million vaccines as of May 12 and exported fewer than 15 million.  

Mexican authorities said Monday that the Russians have been having so many problems producing the second dose of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine that Russia probably will be unable to supply enough to people who got the first dose.

Mexico has so far received only 1.9 million Sputnik doses, out of a total of 24 million it signed a contract for. It has been forced to rely more on the Pfizer vaccine, of which it has received 10.6 million doses, as well as about 10 million doses of two Chinese vaccines. It also received about 4.6 million does of AstraZeneca's vaccine.

Also in April, Brazil's health regulator cited safety concerns while rejecting several states' requests to import almost 30 million doses of Sputnik.

The five-person board of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency unanimously decided late Monday that consistent and trustworthy data required was lacking for approval of the requests from 10 states, according to a statement. The agency, known as Anvisa, said there were faults in all clinical studies of the vaccine's development as well as absent or insufficient data.

All venerable UK family have received the AstraZenica vaccine, their age groups range from 42 to 93.

Some felt fatigue and nausea for a period of time, 24 to 36 hours but all are still alive and breathing.

Most of my siblings got the AZ no problem as did most other friends in Canada.

The fatigue, nausea even a slight fever is common with all the Vaccines this even applies to the influenza vaccine.

This usually means that your immune system has been triggered and starting to produce the antibodies.

Pfizer, Moderna, AZ all two jabs. J&J single.

The risk from Corona virus is far greater than the risk from any vaccine. The decision of the Japanese government in respect of the AstraZenica vaccine is patently absurd. A simple epidemiological survey of the outcomes in countries already using the vaccine would resolve all doubts and remove ignorant and emotion driven political interference from the decision making process. Japan might then be in a position to actually do something about its abysmal vaccine roll out record (always supposing they can get round the self imposed logistical problems).

AZ is Not a very bad vaccine. It is 21st century use internet do your own research . Don’t believe 1 opinion

The Japanese government formally approved two COVID-19 vaccines developed by Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca Plc on Friday, taking a major step toward speeding up its sluggish inoculation drive.

Very misleading because the fact remains that 85%+ Pfizer vaccines remain in storage and are yet to be administered. So it’s not the lack of vaccine causing the slow vaccination

Sorry, greasy fingers, plus pumping this out on a tram.

last sentence.....

The underlining reasoning is paranoia mixed with politics.

As the Games approach the horizon and start making global news (not just on Japan news websites), the floodlights are getting ready to shine in onto just how truly backward this 'modern' country, Japan, really is.

@zichi

covid-19 which is the safest vaccine?

Based on current side effect rates, Pfizer(3.5%).

Moderna has a substantially higher side effect rate(9%), nothing fatal or blood clotting, but in terms of fever, muscle pain, tiredness, etc.

Both AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines are surrounded by blood-clotting controversies.

I'll take my chances with the virus before taking any vaccine other than the most effective which is also exceptionally safe, Sputnik V

That is false according to the best available science, and specially with the myriad of problems that are becoming clear with the apparently heavy manipulated data the Russians have produced. It may be still better than the virus, but the best option until now are the mRNA vaccines.

Asking for the raw data of the trials is a rational, normal, minimum requirement to approve a vaccine, that the Russians are so resistant to hand it points out to much more serious problems there.

It is true that we do not yet know anything about the long term effects of these vaccines.

The mRNA-based technology has been around for a little while, but it is only now that it has been administered on a large scale.

Hundreds of different clinical trials its already a large scale, and half a year of data of a vaccine that degrades in the body in the matter of days at much is a very long time. What we know about the long term effects of the vaccine is that they are much less likely to develop when compared with the natural infeciton.

One problem with expressing these engineered spike proteins is that they do cause some damage to the human body. Another problem is that any new mRNA vaccine created in response to emerging variants will produce a slightly different spike protein that may produce a different physiological response; i.e. just because the current vaccines are relatively safe is no guarantee the next ones will be equally safe.

And do you know what makes a million times more of those proteins? the natural infection, the virus is much more likely then to produce any kind of problem than the vaccine, and this applies also to new variants, for which a new version of the vaccine may not even be necessary.

This is one of the best arguments to push for vaccination, if the spike protein is a danger then getting immunity with a million times less of it is always better, much more if you include non-structural proteins.

Wow! Approved! Just in time for distribution in 2022.

Supply is not the problem with Japan. Japan have tens of millions of doses of Pfizer vaccines sitting in storage. The problem is with distribution, which the Japanese government have not done anything to improve the # of daily dosages, which is still, and forever will be, stuck at around 200,000 average per day.

Wow! Approved! Just in time for distribution in 2022.

For the general population, at least 2022 2H is needed.

Just the elderly alone needs 36M x 2 = 72M doses, even if we assume 70M is still needed, that is still 70M / 200,000 = 350 more days necessary to finish vaccinating the elderly.

But by next year, the 200 person Phase 1/2 tested domestic vaccine will be approved, and most people will be funneled into that vaccine. Would you really want to trust a vaccine that is developed and approved based on political connections and cannot even prove efficacy considering phase1/2 studies are never meant to do that?

zichi,

Yes it certainly wise, if time allows, to consider all the risks and options.

It is quite correct under your risks and concerns, to carefully study the clinical necessity to rush, when there are personally medical concerns to hold off.

Especially, with the added benefit residing in a more rural isolated environment.

I won't be travelling back to Brighton, or London in the foreseeable future.

I will remain in Kochi.

I can conference with family online, I miss the hugs though

I worry that we are slowly becoming dehumanized.

And this while some literature are now surfacing of the evidence of RNA integrating human genome, papers contributed by Rudolf Jaenisch :

https://www.pnas.org/content/118/21/e2105968118

So why approving it, if it won't be used and people won't want it. This government is set up all dumb.

Not that I would take any of those experimental things right now, but if I eventually get it, it won't be the AZeneca one.

So.... they've approved it, but not approved the use of it? Lip-service approval, I guess, much like most things here.

Japan must donate its AstraZeneca vaccines to the WHO COVAX scheme.

@zichi

Thank you.

The first shot is nothing, it's actually less painful than your typical flu shot.

It's the second shot that knocks you down. I got knocked down for a day but recovered as nothing happened a day later. My manager and college got knocked down for 3 to 5 days.

No rush, take your time.

taking a major step toward speeding up its sluggish inoculation drive.

I don’t see how this will speed up the inoculation. Is Kyodo wishing on a well?

@Scarce

You know what hasn't affected my daily life? COVID19.

Good for you.

Almost everyone I know has had some type of repercussion-economic, social, psychological etc

I would suggest meeting more people or maybe not....

I think many, many more meetings are required before any decisive action (lol) is taken. Nero and his fiddle come to mind.

Wow 90% of cases mild to moderate but yeh why not risk illness from unproven vaccines... maybe in 2026 when they pass the final hurdles...

I'll take my chances with the virus before taking any vaccine other than the most effective which is also exceptionally safe, Sputnik V. If the Japanese regime, heading up the quisling government in occupied Japan, won't get the Russian vaccine, I'd also take the second most effective vaccine which also exceptionally safe, the Sinopharm vaccine. Given China is by far Japan's No.1 trading partner and rapidly pulling still further ahead of the Fourth Reich and USA, there is no excuse at all for the quisling government not to get the Sinopharm vaccine.

Comparing the preventable treatable clot risks of airflight or other body position immobility to AZ autoimmune clotting+bleeding used to be meaningless, as the latter used to untreatable by traditional methods.

But l assume that all countries by now have a diagnosis and treatment guideline for the VIPIT, so the risk has dropped considerably, as long as the warning signs are observed long enough

AZ is okay.... but not okay..... okay, got it! 「(°ヘ°)

AstraZenica and JJ use a more traditional design (an Adenovirus instead of those fat molecules that BioN Tech designed), so depending on your philosphy you might prefer those. The underlying problem with all of these mRNA vaccines is that they are untested technology and by definition nobody knows about long-term effects yet. Which is a fact that is always blanked out in the mainstream narrative.

The WHO says that the actual amount of people who have contracted Corona is incorrect by 10-20 times. So actually about 2-3 billion people have already had it. 30-40% of the world population...

If you have a secondary illness that puts you at high risk get vaccinated if not....

The underlying problem with all of these mRNA vaccines is that they are untested technology and by definition nobody knows about long-term effects yet. 

Yeah that's not true at all.

It is true that we do not yet know anything about the long term effects of these vaccines.

The mRNA-based technology has been around for a little while, but it is only now that it has been administered on a large scale.

But the main concern is not just on this mRNA-based technology itself, but perhaps more so on the protein expressed by this technology. One problem with expressing these engineered spike proteins is that they do cause some damage to the human body. Another problem is that any new mRNA vaccine created in response to emerging variants will produce a slightly different spike protein that may produce a different physiological response; i.e. just because the current vaccines are relatively safe is no guarantee the next ones will be equally safe.

but AstraZeneca to be put on hold

And please keep it strong in that hold. lol

Btw, how come that you still calculate with those theoretical efficacy rates? Now, with those new variants you can subtract quite a percentage, let’s say 15%-25%. And that of course from the practical rates, not the maximum taken out of those companies product brochures. Ready with that first step? Ok, let’s go on. Now we have reality near efficacies of 50%-80%. Let’s take the pessimistic 50% first. Then you have after two vaccination jabs still 25% people that are equal to those not vaccinated at all and 25% with an insufficient immunity level. Some better at 80%, the optimistic efficacy. That would result in 64% immune vaccination receivers, 32% with still insufficient or reduced immunity and 4% like as they would have been vaccinated not at all, although having received two vaccinations. And with those estimates they tell you and me for example, vaccination of all athletes and staff will result in totally safe Tokyo games. Come on, tell that your microwave....lol

@kurisupsi

You know what hasn't affected my daily life? COVID19.

mRNA has been keeping living organisms alive and thriving for a long long time. Get with the program kids.

The AZ one is junk, almost as bad as the Chinese ones.

AstraZeneca. Very bad vaccine. Good decision not to use it.

I'm sorry, but AstraZenica's vaccine is best reserved for the trash bin. British monkey scam vaccine.

Good that Moderna is finally getting approved though.