Pakistan began vaccination drive for the Covid-19 on 10th March, with elderly people being the priority. Along with Sinopharm, the country has approved the CanSinoBio, Oxford-AstraZeneca, and Sputnik V vaccines for emergency use among the general public. However, despite all government efforts, the air is still filled with buzzes of confusion over efficacy data, dosing regimen, and possible side-effects of the vaccines. Among all the vaccines available in the country, AstraZeneca is particularly criticized due to the alleged presence of “Haram” products and its linkage to infertility and blood clots.
Amid the unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases during the 3rd wave, The Blind Side contacted Dr. Samara Afzal, a Pakistani-born doctor in the UK, to clear the doubts related to the vaccines. Dr. Samara Afzal works at Netherton health center and she is also serving as a lead doctor at Covid Clinic of Russells Hall Hospital.
Dr. Samara clarifies rumors surrounding the AstraZeneca vaccine
In an exclusive interview with The Blind Side, Dr. Samara explained the pandemic situation in the UK before and after the vaccine was introduced. According to her, the situation has completely changed due to vaccines, and the graph of hospital admissions and deaths has taken a massive plunge. Only 50% population of the UK has been vaccinated and things have taken a significant turn.
Last year at the beginning of the pandemic, we doctors were also scared as we were not familiar with the virus and often its symptoms don’t appear. But we feel safe now since the vaccine has been introduced.
Earlier this month, many European countries including Germany and France prohibited the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after some reports that it was linked to blood clots. After a regional regulator said it was safe, France and some other countries have since resumed inoculation.
Dr. Samara explained the rumors associated with AstraZeneca, that the vaccine increases the risk of a specific condition called cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) which is a clot in one of the veins in the brain.
Dr. Samara Afzal after attending the vaccination clinic.
Busting the rumor, Dr. Samara emphasized that a total of 17 blood clots cases have been reported in a population of 17 million and it has still not been proved that they were due to AstraZeneca.
Blood clots are common like strokes or heart attacks. Even during pregnancy, its risk increases manifold but it does not stop people from reproducing. People affected by Corona have a high risk of death due to blood clots, in this way vaccine prevents the risk of a blood clot.
There is a lot of talk about the inefficacy of vaccines after Prime Minister Imran Khan was tested positive for Covid a day after his vaccination. He received his first dose of the Chinese-produced Sinopharm vaccine on Thursday. According to Dr. Samara, Prime Minister was Covid positive when he took the vaccine shot and was unaware of it since the symptoms hadn’t appeared then.
People need to understand how vaccines work. The vaccine does not make you completely immune, you can still catch the infection. But it will be very mild rendering the mortality risk minimum.
All vaccines are effective after 2 doses up to 97% except Sinopharm which is effective up to 75-80%. Prior to AstraZeneca, the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm was the epicenter of criticism. None of the vaccines have proved to be 100% effective but AstraZeneca is currently under the radar of detractors. AstraZeneca had only three more cases of blood clots than Pfizer-BioNTech but due to certain political factors, only AstraZeneca was suspended in Germany and France.
Here is what Neelam Aslam has to say on the issue:
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