Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #genxzeneca
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A word on #AstraZeneca (making the decision about your 2nd shot, and when the ๐คฌ you can get your 2nd shot)... 1/x
The frustration of Ontarians who got AZ for dose #1, and now feel hung out to dry since their 2nd dose hasn't been accelerated, is palpable. Think the insistence on a 12 week gap isn't science based? You're right. It sucks, and it's scary (esp if you're in a hotspot!) 2/x
I have yet to meet a scientist or health care professional who thinks that a 12 week gap between AZ and mRNA is carved in stone. And NACI - the TRUE vaccine experts - have already said 4-12 weeks is fine. Their recommendations should hold a lot of weight. 3/x
THREAD: In light of the confusing communications from the Ontario govt about AstraZeneca, I thought I would share some common communications principles that would have really helped put people at ease yesterday. Number one is always: know your audience, write for your audience.
What's more important is what an audience wants and needs to hear. Not simply what you want to communicate. Yesterday, the Ontario public and particularly #GenXZeneca needed to hear: You did the right thing. Thank you for taking this life-saving vaccine.
Throwing facts at people does not get your message across and does not reassure people. Lead with empathy. And tell the story using the simplest language possible. Example: AstraZeneca is an extremely effective vaccine. But now we are changing strategies and here's why.
"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ถ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ 1๐ด๐ต ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ธ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ. ๐๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฅ. ๐๐ฐ๐ธ i๐ต'๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต '๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ง๐ฆ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ'? ๐๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ช๐ต?"
Ya. It sounds confusing. But I made the most concise summary I could of why with the help of @MPaiMD
Ya. It sounds confusing. But I made the most concise summary I could of why with the help of @MPaiMD
And at the risk of sounding like a broken record:
1) No, you didn't "take one for the team" by getting AZ. It's still a very effective vaccine.
2) If you got it within the last month, here the symptoms you can to look for (Thanks @heysciencesam). Odds are still very rare.
1) No, you didn't "take one for the team" by getting AZ. It's still a very effective vaccine.
2) If you got it within the last month, here the symptoms you can to look for (Thanks @heysciencesam). Odds are still very rare.
3) Yes, you'll likely be offered another vaccine for dose #2. 1st study of it comes out this month. We're optimistic
4) Part of the reason COVID has fallen in many areas is because of those that got AZ (#GenXZeneca). You didn't just protect yourself, you protected your community
4) Part of the reason COVID has fallen in many areas is because of those that got AZ (#GenXZeneca). You didn't just protect yourself, you protected your community
I know there are a lot of people who recently got the AstraZeneca vaccine who feel ... snubbed ... after last week's communications.
This thread is for you. I hope it re-affirms your smart decision to get protected from COVID asap & empowers you to know the signs of VITT.
This thread is for you. I hope it re-affirms your smart decision to get protected from COVID asap & empowers you to know the signs of VITT.
Vaccines prevent disease. So any potential risk from a vaccine must ALWAYS be discussed in the context of risks from the disease it prevents.
Risks from an infectious disease like COVID vary w/ time, age, location, & personal risk profile.
That's why it changes & is confusing.
Risks from an infectious disease like COVID vary w/ time, age, location, & personal risk profile.
That's why it changes & is confusing.
For places in Canada in the midst of a third wave, especially for those who don't work from home, the up to 94% protection against hospitalization from COVID that one dose of AstraZeneca offers was (and is) valuable.
LONG week on call @HamHealthSci. Lots of calls about #VITT post AZ vaccine. I'm transparent w my patients - I believe empowerment leads to earlier detection, better outcomes, less stress. So I'm grateful to @heysciencesam for creating tools to help me be transparent with YOU! ๐งต
If you've had AZ 4-28 days ago, be on the lookout for the following symptoms. If you have them, seek medical attention! (Sam, thx for making the doctor in this graphic look JUST LIKE ME ๐ #GenXZeneca #WomenInMedicine)
How do migraine sufferers know if this is a VITT headache? VITT headache often worse, more persistent, or has diff features than your usual headache. It might go with visual changes. When in doubt: seek care. We're educating clinicians about VITT here: covid19-sciencetable.ca/sciencebrief/vโฆ
First Dose!
I'm very excited to be joining #GenXZeneca . Even though it took a bit to get an appointment, the process itself was super fast and painless.
#FirstShotOffered
I'm very excited to be joining #GenXZeneca . Even though it took a bit to get an appointment, the process itself was super fast and painless.
#FirstShotOffered
This week also marks the conclusion of the undergraduate immunology course I run. As getting vaccinated is basically a live-demo summary of the entire course, I thought I'd celebrate by live-tweeting my immune response to the vaccine.
#Nerdy , but fun!
#Nerdy , but fun!
(I'm not sure how many of my students would agree about the "fun" part, but I doubt any are on twitter anyway and so they get out of this impromptu lab component).
Let the #LiveTweet begin!
Let the #LiveTweet begin!
Let's take a look at the updated NACI recommendations for the AstraZeneca vaccine...
Thread based on Appendix E, analyzing benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine (preventing ICU admissions & deaths from COVID) vs risks of waiting for a later mRNA vaccine: canada.ca/content/dam/phโฆ
Thread based on Appendix E, analyzing benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine (preventing ICU admissions & deaths from COVID) vs risks of waiting for a later mRNA vaccine: canada.ca/content/dam/phโฆ
QUICK SUMMARY: if you're in AB or ON, or anywhere with high COVD cases, the protections the AstraZeneca vaccine offer outweigh the rare but real risks -- at any age.
Also seems true for 30+ in areas with medium COVID levels.
Note current supply & provincial eligibility criteria
Also seems true for 30+ in areas with medium COVID levels.
Note current supply & provincial eligibility criteria
IMPORTANT: I'm trained as a scientist, but in neuroscience/molecular genetics -- fields completely unrelated to this topic.
Only expertise I bring to this, besides a love of data, is based on my work as a science communicator, particularly one specialized in vaccine confidence
Only expertise I bring to this, besides a love of data, is based on my work as a science communicator, particularly one specialized in vaccine confidence
