Ireland Joins the Queue

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine accounts for around 20% of all shots given to combat Covid-19 in Ireland. Ireland is, however, 'temporarily deferring' the use of this vaccine out of, what they describe themselves, as an 'abundance of caution' (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/14/ireland-suspends-oxford-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-over-blood-clot-concerns). The Irish deferral is a response to a Norwegian report. The report claimed 4 people, under 50, receiving the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, had developed blood clots in the brain. One patient died and the others were hospitalised. All showed reductions in blood platelets (part of their blood clotting mechanism). Given their ages, there seems a possibility they come from a group likely to have already been exposed to the Sars-CoV-2 virus. If they were already carrying an infection, this (rather than the vaccine) could account for their symptoms. People seem agreed there is (at least currently?) no proof the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine caused the blood clots. Interestingly, the vaccine's manufacturers say the incidence of clotting disorders in people receiving their preparation is lower than in the general population. There is already substantial evidence that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is largely safe (I appreciate that no medical procedure is entirely without risk). It is, consequently, difficult to know what kind of additional evidence Ireland, could use to reverse its deferral. I have two major concerns. My first is that any delay in vaccine roll-outs, put many more people at risk (and those associated with a Covid-19 infection can be very high). My second concern (I have said it before), is this kind of response from national medical teams, makes it very difficult to reassure vaccine hesitants. This applies in their own countries and elsewhere. Tiny numbers of, as yet unexplained, problematic cases, appear to have much stronger impact than a wealth of positive findings.