2021-04-20
This site reported in February on the UK Yellow Card System run by the MHRA for the reporting of adverse reactions to medication.
This is essentially a passive system that relies on the general public (including medical staff and clinicians) to file reports on their own initiative.
The MHRA claims to have additional proactive methods to ensure that the significant information about adverse events is captured. These amount to statistical studies based on medical records of GPs to flag up any likely linkage of subsequent sickness to vaccination, but frankly I am not convinced that an intention to mount ad hoc studies on an as needed basis to check out such identified linkages can be said to constitute timely and effective proactive monitoring appropriate to the current situation of mass vaccination.
So - to vaccinate or not to vaccinate?
The Covid vaccination programme is controversial for its relentless messaging to get all ages, even apparently down to babes in arms, vaccinated - with untried vaccines whose stage three trials will not be concluded until - 2023?
It's worth pointing out that currently in the UK there is no emergency. All covid measures ("cases", hospitalisations, ICU/HDU admissions, deaths) are falling close to zero according to Public Health England.
Bear in mind also that according to the WHO, a PCR test is not sufficient to identify an infection because in a population of low disease prevalence, many positive test results will not represent infection. Thus the true prevalence of Covid in England today will be a fraction of the currently tiny prevalence reported by PHE.
In which case are we are not now for all practical purposes at zero Covid?
So is the "emergency use" authorisation for these vaccines still valid? Is it sensible to continue to vaccinate those young people who are at no statistical risk from this disease (but will be at risk of vaccine adverse reactions)?
UK Column have been assessing the situation:
19 Apr: UK Column News
10 Apr - Part 4:
28 Mar - Part 3:
12 Mar - Part 2:
16 Feb - Part 1:
