Essay: A Comparison and Contrast of Two Articles on COVID-19 Vaccines

This essay provides a comparison and contrast of two articles concerning the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The first article, by David Spiegelhalter, discusses the lack of evidence linking the vaccine to blood clots, while the second article, featuring Professor Andrew Pollard, Head of the Oxford University Vaccine Group, reassures the public about the vaccine's safety following suspensions in several countries. Both articles aim to allay public fears by highlighting the vaccine's successful trials, emphasizing minor side effects, and promoting the importance of vaccination to combat the spread of COVID-19. The essay analyzes the arguments presented, the data cited, and the overall messaging of each article, providing a comprehensive overview of the vaccine's safety and efficacy in the face of public concerns.

Essay

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.................................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Comparison and Contrast refers to the way in which two given articles can be used and
conclusions and recommendations can be derived through them (Corey and et.al., 2020).
Therefore, it is quite essential that the use of appropriate methods and techniques is made for this
particular purpose which will be quite helpful in ensuring that the useful outcomes and results
can be obtained quite effectively and efficiently in the right manner. In this essay, a detailed
focus will be made on the comparison and contrast of two specific articles.
MAIN BODY
In Article 1, David Spiegelhalter states that there is no proof that the Oxford Vaccine
causes blood clots among people. Therefore, there is no reason for people to be worried due to
the vaccine.
According to him, there have been many stories that those people who have taken the
vaccine are getting blood clots which have created anxiety among the European leaders. Thus,
due to this particular reason, many countries have suspended the use of the vaccine. However, as
per the views of Ireland’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Ronan Glynn there is no proof that this
vaccine leads towards blood clots. Therefore, in this way it can be said that the vaccine is
completely safe and is very effective against COVID-19 which has spread across the whole
world as a pandemic (Haynes and et.al., 2020).
The article states that the trials are generally smaller in size because they are done on
limited people and tend to include healthy people. Therefore, it is important that the impact
which the vaccine will put on the other people in the population is also calculated and assessed
which will be therefore quite helpful in ensuring that the assessment of the efficacy level of the
vaccine is assessed in the right manner. There will be side-effects on a certain number of people
and thus it is important that the trials are conducted properly before the vaccine is rolled out to
the general public.
According to the article, there are certain side-effects of the vaccine which are being
witnessed. Most of these side-effects are not so serious in nature. However, there are some
people who are witnessing adverse side-effects as a result of taking the vaccine (Jones and Roy,
2021).
The author states that the vaccines have shown themselves to be extraordinarily safe.
Most of the cases of the side-effects are not so serious in nature and there are very few cases of
adverse side-effects being witnessed on the people. Therefore, it can be said that the impact of
the vaccines is quite good and it is advisable for the people to get themselves vaccinated so that
they are able to protect themselves from this disease (There's no proof the Oxford vaccine causes
blood clots. So why are people worried?, 2021).

The article raises a question that would we are able to resist the urge to find the causal
relationships between different events. According to it, one way of doing this will be using the
scientific method so that everyone is able to understand this basic principle. Also, testing a
hypothesis can be helpful in helping us to see the hunches or assumptions which are correct and
the hunches or assumptions which are not correct. The article then points out at the effectiveness
of some Covid treatments through the use of randomized trials and has also pointed out at
overblown claims for hydroxychloroquine and convalescent plasma which were incorrect.
Therefore, it can be stated that such randomized trials were quite effective in understanding the
utility of different types of treatment.
The author then concludes that that he doesn’t think that the rationalization can be carried
out fully from the basic and creative urge to find out patterns where none exist. There can be
hope for just some basic humility before the claim for knowing something which has happened is
made.
According to Article 2, there has been an assurance which has been given by Professor
Andrew Pollard, Head of the Oxford University Vaccine Group. The reassurance is being given
to the public about the COVID-19 vaccine after several countries have suspended its use over its
reported adverse side-effects.
The article states that the vaccine has been given to so many people in UK in the trials
which have proved to be successful and therefore the vaccine is completely safe to be given to
the general public in the other countries. The result from the data of the trials which were
conducted is being used as a base through which this claim is being made. Thus, it has been
stated that the trials have been completed on millions of people in UK and thus it is quite
important that the people are reassured of the safety of the vaccine and can get themselves
vaccinated (Kaur and Gupta, 2020).
The reassurance had to be given because several countries in the world have suspended
the use of vaccine and thus this is creating an impact on the image of the group.
According to the article, the safety of the people is paramount in nature and it has to be
kept at the topmost priority. The people are to be assured that the vaccine is completely safe and
have minor side-effects so that they can get themselves vaccinated. The Government is required
to make sure that it makes people aware about the need for getting a vaccine and can reassure
them about the safety of the vaccine (Oxford professor seeks to reassure public over
AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. 2021).
According to Professor, those people who have not got them vaccinated are at huge risk
of getting COVID-19. Thus, it can be said that it is important for the people that they get
themselves vaccinated and make themselves safe from the impact of COVID-19.

Therefore, it is quite necessary that the awareness campaign for the vaccines is started by
the Governments of the respective countries in which they advise the citizens to get vaccinated
and protect themselves from COVID-19. The trials of the vaccines have been successful and thus
this is likely to increase the confidence among general public so that they can get themselves
jabbed. This will make the strategy of fighting COVID-19 successful and will help in controlling
the spread of the virus (Logunov and et.al., 2021).
Through the comparison of both the articles, it can be said that both of them seek to
reassure the general public about the safety of the Oxford Vaccines. Both of them state that the
vaccine has completed its trial on so many people and therefore it has been proven to be quite
effective against COVID-19. The focus of both of them is to provide various facts and figures
through which the fear of getting vaccinated can be removed.
Both of these articles have been written after there have been certain reports in which
blood clotting was reported among some people who had got the vaccine. Therefore, it can be
said that both of them make strong claims about the need of the general public to get vaccinated
to make themselves safe against the virus. Therefore, as per both of these articles there are only
minor side-effects of the vaccine and there are very few cases in which the adverse side-effects
have been witnessed. Therefore, it can be said that the members of the general public are
required to pay attention towards vaccination and must fulfill their responsibility by getting them
vaccinated to protect themselves against COVID-19.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that Comparison and Contrast refers to the
way in which the use of a given article can be made to derive conclusions and recommendations,
it is helpful so that the findings can be derived and thus they can be used in a proper manner
effectively and efficiently.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Corey, L. and et.al., 2020. A strategic approach to COVID-19 vaccine R&D. Science. 368(6494).
pp.948-950.
Haynes, B. F. and et.al., 2020. Prospects for a safe COVID-19 vaccine. Science translational
medicine. 12(568).
Jones, I. and Roy, P., 2021. Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine candidate appears safe and
effective. The Lancet. 397(10275). pp.642-643.
Kaur, S. P. and Gupta, V., 2020. COVID-19 Vaccine: A comprehensive status report. Virus
research. p.198114.
Logunov, D. Y. and et.al., 2021. Safety and efficacy of an rAd26 and rAd5 vector-based
heterologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccine: an interim analysis of a randomised controlled
phase 3 trial in Russia. The Lancet. 397(10275). pp.671-681.
Online
There's no proof the Oxford vaccine causes blood clots. So why are people worried?. 2021.
[Online]. Available through:
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/15/evidence-oxford-vaccine-blood-
clots-data-causal-links>
Oxford professor seeks to reassure public over AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. 2021. [Online].
Available through: <https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/oxford-mhra-people-thailand-
netherlands-b924118.html>