It has been announced today that adult Britons under the age of 30 will be offered an alternative to the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine where possible.
The decision follows advice after a review by the drugs regulator, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), found that by the end of March, 79 people in the UK suffered rare blood clots after receiving the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, and 19 of whom died.
The regulator has said that this was not proof that the jab had caused the clots, however.
It said that the side-effects were extremely rare, the vaccine’s effectiveness was proven, and the benefits of taking the vaccine were still very favourable for the vast majority.
But it did confirm the link was getting firmer.
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"The risk of this rare suspected side effect remains extremely small"
Head of UK medicines regulator Dr June Raine says the risk of rare blood clot is "about 4 people in a million" who receive the AstraZeneca vaccine
Dr June Raine – Chief Executive of the MHRA – confirmed a total of 51 women and 28 men aged 18 to 79 were affected by blood clots, and of those 19 people who have sadly died, three were under the age of 30.
“The risk is four people in a million,” Dr Raine said.
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She also urged anybody suffering the following side effects four days after getting the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab to seek medical attention:
Headaches
Blurred vision
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Leg swelling
Abdominal pain
Bruising or pinpoint spots beyond the vaccination site
Professor Lim Wei Shen – Chair of COVID-19 Immunisation at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) – assured that the decision to prioritise a different jab for under 30s was made “out of utmost caution rather than because we have any serious safety concerns”.
England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, has said the new advice is a “course correction” for the UK’s “very successful” vaccine rollout.
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Prof Jonathan Van Tam says change in clinical advice for under-30s around Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will have "zero or negligible" effect on "timing of our overall programme" https://t.co/rRyUdgcsszpic.twitter.com/4TFIoJ8xdc
Prime Minister Boris Johnson previously during a visit to Cornwall earlier today that the government believes the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is “safe”, but added: “The crucial thing for everybody is to listen to what the scientists [and] the medical experts have to say later on today.”
For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Family pay tribute to ‘fun-loving’ son who died in Wythenshawe as man charged with murder
Emily Sergeant
The family of a man who died in Wythenshawe last week have now paid a touching tribute to him.
It comes after at around 11:35pm last Thursday (5 February), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of an incident on Southwick Road in the Northern Moor area of Wythenshawe, and when emergency services attended the scene, they discovered a man in his 20s had been ‘seriously injured’.
Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, the man sadly at the scene.
The victim has since been formally identified as Drew McCormick, who was aged 29, and another man was also subsequently arrested.
19-year-old Lewis Morley, of Ryecroft Grove in Manchester, was charged with murder and has been remanded to next appear at Manchester Crown Square Court on Tuesday 10 March 2026.
A police investigation into the incident is now being run by GMP’s Major Incident Team (MIT) and enquiries are ongoing.
In the meantime, Drew’s family have paid tribute: “There are just not enough words to describe Drew and the impact he had on many lives. He was a fun-loving person that brought laughter and joy to the world with his big bright smile and loud laugh.
“Drew had the biggest heart and would do anything for those he loved. He loved his family deeply even more than TikTok.
“He has left a huge hole in our hearts, and our lives will never be the same. We love you Drew and will keep you in our hearts forever.”
With investigations ongoing, anyone who has any information or footage in relation to the incident that may assist GMP with its enquiries is urged to report them via the dedicated major incident portal here.
Featured Image – GMP
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Plans officially submitted for ‘vibrant’ new food hall in Wythenshawe
Emily Sergeant
Are you feeling hungry? Good, because a new food hall is on the horizon.
That’s right – plans to transform Wythenshawe Civic have taken another exciting leap forward this week, as Manchester City Council and placemaker Muse have submitted a planning application to bring a brand-new food hall to the town.
Set to be housed within the three units next to the former Peacocks store – which has now been demolished – the new food hall will become a ‘vibrant’ destination for independent and local food vendors to attract people with ‘delicious and diverse’ offerings.
Developers also hope the new food hall will keep the suburban Manchester town’s centre ‘bustling’ throughout the day and into the evening.
The announcement that the new food hall is in the works comes as part of the already-announced plans for Wythenshawe Civic – with work to soon begin on everything from the public realm, and outside space, to the vacant office space above the existing Iceland-store, which will also be transformed into modern new workspace to support local start-ups and bring new jobs into the town centre.
Developers also recently submitted three separate applications to create 422 new affordable homes for social rent across three locations in the town centre.
“Listening to local people over the last year and more, we know that Wythenshawe residents want more from their town centre – more things to do, opportunities to spend time in Civic and night time attractions that give the area a lift and attract visitors,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“This is the drive behind the Culture Hub. A place for local people with an interest in the arts to take part in creative activities, see a show or enjoy the cinema space – right in the heart of their community.
“This is another exciting chapter in the transformation of Wythenshawe Town Centre.”
Joel Chandler, who is the Senior Development Manager at Muse, added that developers are ‘moving at pace’ with plans to give the town centre the ‘regeneration it deserves’.
“The food hall will be a hive for a range of local outlets and will provide new spaces for the community to spend time in and give the town’s nighttime economy a major boost.”
The Manc -
7th April 2021 
