THE government has given a deadline for all civil servants to be vaccinated by December 1st 2021. The government says that this is in the interest of public health. Whether it is for public safety or a violation of individual rights, the government has spoken. What does the think of this? Is this decision to make Covid-19 vaccines mandatory a purely technocratic decision or does it have the real voice of consultation and people representation? I am just soliloquizing. We should, however, research and know what constitutes a medical emergency and what does not and/or endeavour to know our vaccines very well before we take them so that we know how to manage any outcomes.
Today, we ask the question “how well do you know your Covid-19 vaccines?”. Every civil servant and government official should know their vaccines. It is within their medical rights to be well informed about what they are about to be injected with and how to manage any adverse event resulting from the vaccination, especially if such a medication is mandatory. AztraZeneca (Vaxzevria) calls this: Package leaflet information for the user. It therefore means that before a civil servant is vaccinated, he has to have access to user information and counseling, comprehensively, and he has to have all his questions medically and legally answered before he/she is vaccinated. One of such questions concerns the No-fault covid-19 vaccination scheme.
What about the no-fault Covid-19 vaccine compensation? what does it mean? How does it work? How much is the amount? Can it cover for permanent vaccine injuries such as paralysis and the inability to work? Does it provide for death as a result of Covid-19 vaccination adverse events/side effects? Since the Vaccine is not medically approved? Is the Government aware of the Nuremberg code and the Helsinski declaration as far as its employees are concerned? According to the WHO, speaking of the covid-19 no-fault compensation scheme: “As the first and only vaccine injury compensation mechanism operating on an international scale, the programme will offer eligible individuals in AMC-eligible countries and economies a fast, fair, robust and transparent process to receive compensation for rare but serious adverse events associated with COVAX-distributed vaccines until 30 June 2022.By providing a no-fault lump-sum compensation in full and final settlement of any claims, the COVAX programme aims to significantly reduce the need for recourse to the law courts, a potentially lengthy and costly process”.
This means that the Government has to put in place a Covid-19 Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VEARS) tied to this compensation scheme before it makes the vaccines mandatory so that civil servant who take the vaccine to keep their jobs can reserve the right to collect compensation or sue their employer in the event of any vaccine injury. The Covid-19 VAERS will protect both Government and civil servant. Fair enough, since we cannot beat a child and stop him from crying.
Today and for the next two weeks or so, we shall endeavour to read the vaccine leaflets or fact sheets of Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer. We shall also look at medical health emergency and public health laws in light of the covid-19 vaccinations, as we go along.The package leaflet for Aztrazeneca (now called vaxzevria) is what we will start with.
In other to remain objective. I shall be sharing little or no opinion of mine. I shall be quoting from these vaccine leaflets, copiously. So today, I shall be sharing the vaccine leaflet for AstraZeneca, verbatim. Please note that Vaxzervria is the new name for AstraZeneca.According to the leaflet, the following is the composition of the AztraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine:
Contents of the pack and other information
What Vaxzevria contains: One dose (0.5 ml) contains: Chimpanzee Adenovirus encoding the SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein ChAdOx1-S * , not less than 2.5 × 108 infectious units *Produced in genetically modified human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells and by recombinant DNA technology. This product contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The other excipients are L-histidine, L-histidine hydrochloride monohydrate, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, polysorbate 80 (E 433), sucrose, disodium edetate (dihydrate), water for injections (see section 2 “Vaxzevria contains sodium and alcohol”).
What Vaxzevria looks like and contents of the pack
Suspension for injection (injection). The suspension is colourless to slightly brown, clear to slightly opaque. Pack sizes: – 8-dose multidose vial (4 ml) with stopper (elastomeric with aluminium overseal) in a pack of 10 vials. Each vial contains 8 doses of 0.5 ml. – 10-dose multidose vial (5 ml) with stopper (elastomeric with aluminium overseal) in a pack of 10 vials. Each vial contains 10 doses of 0.5 ml.
The following is the comprehensive Vaccine leaflet for AztraZeneca/ Vaxzevria Covid-19 vaccine:
Package leaflet: Information for the user
Vaxzevria suspension for injection Covid-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1-S [recombinant])
This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information. You can help by reporting any side affects you may get. See the end of section 4 for how to report side effects.
Read all of this leaflet carefully before the vaccine is given because it contains important information for you. – Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. – If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. – If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
What is in this leaflet:
What Vaxzevria is and what it is used for 2. What you need to know before you are given Vaxzevria 3. How Vaxzevria is given 4. Possible side effects 5. How to store Vaxzevria 6. Contents of the pack and other information 1.
What Vaxzevria is and what it is used for:
Vaxzevria is used for preventing Covid-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Vaxzevria is given to adults aged 18 years and older. The vaccine causes the immune system (the body’s natural defences) to produce antibodies and specialised white blood cells that work against the virus, so giving protection against Covid-19. None of the ingredients in this vaccine can cause Covid-19.
What you need to know before you are given Vaxzevria :
The vaccine must not be given: –
If you are allergic to the active substance or any of the other ingredients of this vaccine (listed in section 6). – If you have had a blood clot occurring at the same time as having low levels of blood platelets (thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, TTS) after receiving Vaxzevria. – If you have a previous diagnosis of capillary leak syndrome (a condition causing fluid leakage from small blood vessels).
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before you are given Vaxzevria: – If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction after any other vaccine injection or after you were given Vaxzevria in the past; – If you have ever fainted following any needle injection; – If you have a severe infection with a high temperature (over 38°C). However, you can have your vaccination if you have a mild fever or upper airway infection like a cold; – If you have a problem with bleeding or bruising, or if you are taking an anticoagulant medicine (to prevent blood clots); 2 – If your immune system does not work properly (immunodeficiency) or you are taking medicines that weaken the immune system (such as high-dose corticosteroids, immunosuppressants or cancer medicines); – If you previously had Guillain-Barré syndrome (temporary loss of feeling and movement) after being given Vaxzevria. If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before you are given the vaccine. As with any vaccine, the 2-dose vaccination course of Vaxzevria may not fully protect all those who receive it. It is not known how long you will be protected for. Currently there are limited data on the efficacy of Vaxzevria in individuals aged 55 and older.
The forgoing is the information contained in the product leaflet of AztraZenenca (Vaxzevria) covid-19 vaccine, published by the vaccine manufacturer, meant for the end user of their product. This does not express my personal preference or the lack of it, for the vaccine. Neither does it express the corporate preference of the publisher or the lack of it. It is purely for medical educational purposes.
We shall continue reading the last part of the Aztrazeneca (Vaxzevria) vaccine leaflet next week and then we will read those of moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 leaflet.
Sources:
Patient Information Leaflet for Vaxzevria – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Vaxzevria, COVID-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1-S [recombinant]) (azcovid-19.com)
No-fault compensation programme for COVID-19 vaccines is a world first (who.int) Happy Sunday to you and yours
