Clear messaging needed to avoid vaccine hesitancy, leading GP says

Dr Ray Walley, Covid-19 adviser to the HSE, Irish Medical Organisation, and Irish College of General Practitioners, said he is already getting calls from worried patients who have concerns about the decision to limit the AstraZeneca vaccine to the over 60s while over 70s continue to get either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. 

The State's messaging on Covid-19 must become coherent and consistent to avoid a situation where people become hesitant about receiving vaccines, a leading GP adviser on the pandemic has said.

Dr Ray Walley, Covid-19 adviser to the HSE, Irish Medical Organisation, and Irish College of General Practitioners, said he is already getting calls from worried patients who have concerns about the decision to limit the AstraZeneca vaccine to the over 60s while over 70s continue to get either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

Johnson & Johnson has also decided to delay the roll-out of its vaccine in Europe after US authorities moved to suspend the jab due to blood-clotting concerns.

“It is very, very important that this messaging is coherent, consistent, accurate, and in plain English,” he said.

Dr Walley, also a member of the National Covid-19 GP Liaison Committee, said his practice will receive another delivery of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines next week.

Neither of these are under review but he said: “We have had kickback from some patients, there’s a small percentage who need that personal phone call to have it explained.” 

He said he would take the AstraZeneca vaccine without hesitation based on the current data.

“We have good medical leadership here, we have relatively good political leadership, but the problem is the whole system changes all the time,” Dr Walley said.

He estimated if the 813,000 doses of AstraZeneca, set to arrive here by June, were only given to the 483,000 people aged 60 to 69, there would still be enough other vaccines to complete the full population.

The State’s messaging should clearly promote safe vaccines, he said, as the dangers from Covid-19 are still present.

Look at what happens when you have no restricted movement and you don’t have a coherent approach to vaccines. We can see this in Brazil. They are burying 40-year-olds and it is absolutely heart-rending.

Dr Walley witnessed some confusion yesterday when the online booking portal for people aged 65 to 69 was announced.

“My practice secretary was taking calls, people thought they had to ring their GP about this. There they are thinking that the GP is involved with the portal,” he said.

This portal is run directly by the HSE.

Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a new review of AstraZeneca jabs. 

This will include “ vaccination data and data on disease epidemiology including infection rates, hospitalisations, morbidity, and mortality”. 

EU countries can then compare risks from the vaccine directly with the benefits of vaccinations.

The EMA will publish results from a review of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week. 

Also yesterday, the Danish Health Authority completely halted the use of the AstraZeneca.

They said cases of blood clotting, coupled with the availability of other vaccines, led to the decision.

Meanwhile, Moderna, the third vaccine used in Ireland, announced new results showing more than 90% efficacy against Covid-19 for up to six months. It also showed more than 95% efficacy against severe symptoms.