Worried about my mum getting the AZ vaccine

[Lala1]

My mum is getting her first Astra Zeneca jab in a couple of weeks and I am so anxious that she may get bad side effects or a blood clot. She is 85 years old. I know it’s critical that at her age she gets vaccinated but my anxiety is going into overdrive. I would love to hear from others who have elderly family members or friends - how did they respond to the vaccine? Thank you for your replies.

[Carys]

Okay, well all my family bar one have had AZ vaccine, but regarding older people in the family - I have 5 close family members between the ages of 75 and 84 who have had it (way back in Jan) and know 7 or 8 non-family members of that age group, with only one of them having a few days of flue-ish symptoms. None of the others had any side effects at all, it appears that statistically the younger you are the more likely you are to get side effects. Once they got to the 50 ish age group loads seemed to be getting minor expected immunological issues for a couple of days. I think you might be surprised how 'nothingy' the vaccine is for your Mum Her age-group it is deemed the most safe for.

[JulieJay92]

i work in a care home were are residents are all 80+, not 1 had passed since having our vaccines in dec and jan, but ours was pfizer

hth

[Lala1]

Thank you, your message has alleviated my anxiety.

[elizabethalice]

My mum is getting her first Astra Zeneca jab in a couple of weeks and I am so anxious that she may get bad side effects or a blood clot. She is 85 years old. I know it’s critical that at her age she gets vaccinated but my anxiety is going into overdrive. I would love to hear from others who have elderly family members or friends - how did they respond to the vaccine? Thank you for your replies.

My gran is 89 and had both shots of Pfizer in December. She didn't report any side effects at all, not even a sore arm! My boyfriends gran is 84 and similar with her I think. As someone has said, it seems older people have less side effects.

My parents are younger - in their mid 60s - but again, no side effects. The only people who seemed to have side effects are me and my boyfriend who are 28/30 and had previous covid infection. Still, the side effects from jab were 100x better than covid itself and we will get our 2nd as soon as we can!

The AZ clot risk is so so low - one in half a million. Many other things are much riskier, including the risk of getting a blood clot with covid.

She'll be fine

[EKB]

Just to echo, AZ clot risk is really low, and even lower for those in the 80+ age group. It's more younger people who have more pronounced side effects because certain parts of their immune system tend to be more robust. I'm 40, and my AZ experience wasn't great (fever, chills) but still only lasted a few days, and (aside from my own anxiety) I was fine.

[dorabella]

Both my parents in their late 80s had the AZ vaccine - much against their wishes as they don't believe in vaccs for seasonal viruses. Didn't seem to affect my dad apart from some fatigue, but my mum on the other hand had some weird effects from the AZ 2nd dose. She woke up with what looked like a black eye one morning which spread down her face, accompanied by similar splodges on her arm. Looked like blood bruises on the skin. Took a while for them to fade. Both of them have actually reported suddenly feeling chilled at various points and this has persisted for a few months now.

Seems to affect everyone differently or not at al.

[Magic]

My husband has had both covid jabs at eighty years old. He has had no after aftects. i am slightly younger, the second jab was okish,but it might have been me------having an off day!!!!

[pulisa]

Both my parents in their late 80s had the AZ vaccine - much against their wishes as they don't believe in vaccs for seasonal viruses. Didn't seem to affect my dad apart from some fatigue, but my mum on the other hand had some weird effects from the AZ 2nd dose. She woke up with what looked like a black eye one morning which spread down her face, accompanied by similar splodges on her arm. Looked like blood bruises on the skin. Took a while for them to fade. Both of them have actually reported suddenly feeling chilled at various points and this has persisted for a few months now.

Seems to affect everyone differently or not at al.

I think covid's a bit more than a seasonal virus though.