AstraZenica vaccine is "safe and effective"

The vaccine is "safe and effective" say Public Health England

The regional director of Public Health England is encouraging people get the AstraZenica Covid vaccine, following concerns about it's safety.

In a video, Dr Andrew Furber said "It's really important that we differenciate  coincidence from causation.  All the evidence that we've looked at so far, indicates that all the vaccines available in the UK are very safe, and importantly, they're very effective too."

The statement comes after a number of countries have suspended use of the vaccine, including Germany, France, Italy and Spain.  This followed news that some people in those nations suffered blood clots in the days and weeks that followed the jab.

But Dr Furber was keen to reassure the public about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

"I had my first dose of the AstraZenica vaccine last night and I feel absolutely fine today.  I'm certainly encouraging my family to get vaccinated, and I hope that when you receive your invitation, you'll take that opportunity to get vaccinated too."

The World Health Organisation (WHO) continues to support the rollout of the vaccination.  "It is routine for countries to signal potential adverse events following immunisation. This does not necessarily mean that the events are linked to vaccination itself, but it is good practice to investigate them. It also shows that the surveillance system works and that effective controls are in place.

"At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue."  

Latest figures show that the number of first dose vaccinations given to Oldham registered patients is 78,375.

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