The Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has been approved by the FDA for use in the United States, the European Union, and Japan. The FDA received reports of nine deaths, as well as thousands of serious cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome. The FDA has not yet taken a position on whether the vaccine should be used in other countries.
There are three versions of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, one each to treat children aged six months through 12 years, adolescents between the ages of thirteen to twenty-four, and adults up to forty-five years old. All of these have very high success rates.
Children will be receiving the vaccine to protect them against a particular strain of the virus that causes respiratory tract illness. As most of the strains of the virus affect younger people, the CDC recommends that the vaccine be used only in children whose mothers are pregnant or who have recently given birth. Women who have not given birth for at least a year and pregnant women are also not eligible to receive the vaccine. Some studies indicate that people who have had a weakened immune system due to chemotherapy are at greater risk of developing infections, including those caused by the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. However, a study published in 2020 in the Journal of the American Medical Association did not find this increased risk.
Since the vaccine was developed for adults, it is not known if it would prevent more serious health conditions such as encephalitis and meningitis. However, because the virus causes Guillain Barre Syndrome, it may protect against such illnesses. It is also not known if the vaccine would prevent serious complications and even death.
There have been some cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome with vaccinated individuals, but no serious cases with unvaccinated people have been reported since the FDA approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. One case of Guillain Barre Syndrome was attributed to the vaccine in people who were immunosuppressed. Another case was noted in immunosuppressive children with severe respiratory tract infection, but there was no evidence that the treatment improved the condition.
While many children develop Guillain Barre Syndrome after receiving the vaccine, the majority of these patients develop respiratory tract infection after they get sick. If the infection does not clear up and is left untreated, serious complications can result, including death. The infection may have become resistant to certain antibiotic drugs used to treat pneumonia and other common respiratory illnesses.
In fact, if a child or adult develops an infection, he or she may need a kidney transplant before receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The vaccine is not approved for children and has not been proven safe in adults. The virus remains in the body after treatment and may cause long-term side effects, including the possibility of liver damage, liver failure, and autoimmune reactions. Studies have shown that the virus has been linked to a rare type of cancer. If the infection is left untreated, there is a strong possibility that a child or adult might develop pneumonia.
Although the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine can be dangerous if used incorrectly, some children may be more likely to develop the infection if they are immunocompromised. If a child receives the vaccine while pregnant, she or he may be at increased risk for the virus if her or he has a compromised immune system. Other people may be more susceptible, including people who are HIV-positive and those with kidney or liver problems.
If a healthy child has an adverse reaction to the vaccine, there is a high chance that the same reaction will occur in a teenager who is HIV-positive or who has had a kidney or liver transplant. This could lead to long-term complications, such as liver failure or death.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is also available for people who are planning to have children, although it has not yet been approved for this use. This vaccine is recommended only for use by pregnant women and should be given under medical supervision.
For more information on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, contact your doctor today. He or she can provide you with more information about this important vaccine and other vaccines that are available to protect your family from this virus. There is no way to know how the virus will react in your body without knowing what you may be exposing yourself to. The earlier you begin vaccination, the better your chances for good health.
