Position Statement on  

COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca 

SUMMARY  

The British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) has consulted various experts in infectious diseases, the
pharmaceutical industry, clinical medicine, commissioning, public health, and bioethicists to produce the
following statement on the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca (hereafter referred to as the AZ Covid-19
vaccine) and how it relates to the Muslim community in Britain. This is the second vaccine that the UK
Government has procured against Covid-19 to get regulatory approval by the MHRA.

Following consultation with experts, this is a position statement specific to the AZ Covid-19 vaccine and is
based on our knowledge at the time of publication. This is a rapidly evolving situation with more vaccines
expected to be made available and more clinical trial data pending publication. We may revise our
statement should the evidence compel us to do so.

We recommend the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca for eligible individuals in the Muslim
community for protection against Covid-19 when used in accordance with the MHRA authorisation.
Prioritised risk groups are outlined in the JCVI guidance.

Individuals should seek the advice of their medical practitioner and make their decision following informed
consent.

Despite the availability of vaccines, vigilance with wearing masks, social distancing, adequate ventilation,
and good hand hygiene remain paramount and highly effective in managing this pandemic.

At the time of publication there are very high rates of Covid-19 transmission across the UK, with a
disproportionate burden on ethnic minorities yet again.

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 BACKGROUND 
We have discussed the pre-existing health and socioeconomic inequalities, as well as the disproportionate
impact of Covid-19 in the Muslim community during the first wave, in our earlier statement on the
Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine published on 6 December 2020.​1

Further evidence has since emerged that suggests ethnic minority populations, of which Muslims make up a
significant proportion, ​sadly continue to experience a disproportionate impact in Covid cases and deaths in
Britain.​2

This statement is to help inform Muslim community leaders, scholars, and the Muslim public on how they
can make informed decisions about the AZ Covid-19 vaccine. We also provide a brief update on the
Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine and issues around equitable access.

EFFICACY & SAFETY  

This AZ Covid-19 vaccine uses “a replication deficient chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAd) as a vector to deliver
the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein genetic sequence into the host cell.”​3 This triggers the body’s immune
system and there is a natural production of antibodies and stimulation of immune cells to protect against
Covid-19 disease. The vaccine is given as 2 injections, the second one within 4 to 12 weeks of the first
dose. This method of using a chimpanzee adenovirus vector has been used in vaccines previously, for
example, in the vaccine to protect against the MERS virus. It is important to stress that this is a modified
virus found in chimpanzees.

Efficacy

The AZ Covid-19 vaccine has been assessed based on an interim analysis of pooled data from four
on-going randomised, blinded, controlled trials of 23,745 subjects.​4

● A Phase I/II Study, COV001, in healthy adults 18 to 55 years of age in the UK

● A Phase II/III Study, COV002, in adults ≥18 years of age (including the elderly) in the UK
● A Phase III Study, COV003, in adults ≥18 years of age (including the elderly) in Brazil
● A Phase I/II study, COV005, in adults aged 18 to 65 years of age in South Africa.

All participants are planned to be followed for up to 12 months, for assessments of safety and efficacy
against Covid-19 disease. 11,636 participants (7,548 in the UK and 4,088 in Brazil) were included in the
interim primary efficacy analysis which has been published in peer reviewed literature and available on the
MHRA data. Of these ​5,807 received the AZ Covid-19 vaccine and 5,829 participants received a meningitis
ACWY vaccine or saline as a control.​4,5

“Overall, among the participants who received the vaccine:

● 94.1% of participants were 18 to 64 years old (with 5.9% aged 65 or older)

● 60.7% of subjects were female

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 ● 82.8% were White, 4.6% were Asian, and 4.4% were Black.
● A total of 2,070 (35.6%) participants had at least one pre-existing comorbidity.
● The median follow-up time post-dose 1 and post-dose 2 was 132 days and 63 days,
respectively.”

The level of protection gained from a single dose of the AZ Covid-19 vaccine was assessed in an
exploratory analysis which showed that increased immunogenicity was associated with a longer dose
interval. “Efficacy is currently demonstrated with more certainty for dose intervals from 8 to 12 weeks. Data
for intervals longer than 12 weeks are limited.”

Overall vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease was 70.42% (95.84% CI: 54.8-80.6). Participants who
had one or more comorbidities had a vaccine efficacy of 73.43% [95% CI: 48.49-86.29] which was similar to
the vaccine efficacy observed in the overall trial population.

Following vaccination with the AZ Covid-19 vaccine, in participants who were seronegative at baseline,
seroconversion (as measured by a ≥4 fold increase from baseline in S-binding antibodies) was
demonstrated in ≥98% of participants at 28 days after the first dose and >99% at 28 days after the second.
Higher S-binding antibodies were observed with increasing dose intervals. Long term durability of the
immune protection is also unknown at this stage. More data is required for the effectiveness of the vaccine
in older age groups and regarding the ability of the vaccine to reduce transmission.​5

These data are reassuring in terms of efficacy, however trial participants were predominantly female and
from White ethnic backgrounds, both of which are less likely to contract severe Covid-19 disease compared
with ethnic minority populations.

Safety

The most frequently reported adverse reactions were:

● Injection site tenderness (>60%)

● Injection site pain, headache, fatigue (>50%)
● Myalgia, malaise (>40%)
● Pyrexia, chills (>30%)
● Arthralgia, nausea (>20%)

The majority of adverse reactions were mild to moderate in severity and usually resolved within a few days
of vaccination.​4 Of 12,174 participants who received the vaccine, there were 84 participants who
experienced a serious adverse event, one of which, transverse myelitis (spinal cord inflammation), was
possibly related to the intervention. There were three cases of transverse myelitis in total although two were
considered to be unlikely to be related to the intervention. All the participants with this condition have
recovered or are recovering.​5 As millions of doses are administered there may be some other rare side
effects. Additional data will be provided as the trials complete and data from real world use will give a better
idea of the safety profile of this vaccination. This process has been demonstrated by the updated guidance
for the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine mentioned below.

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Concerns around the speed of vaccine development and approval have been previously discussed in our
Pfizer/BioNTech position statement.​1 As with any new product, there is the Yellow Card scheme – an
established reporting mechanism of monitoring adverse reactions. A special reporting site has been created
for this: ​https://coronavirus-yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk​. Anyone, including members of the public, can report
side effects they may have experienced. Further surveillance data will be undertaken by Public Health
England and the MHRA by linking electronic health records in as close to real time as possible.

Excipients

There are no components of animal origin (i.e. no gelatine) in this vaccine.​6 The vaccine has been produced
in genetically modified human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. Cell lines are often required to help the
active vaccine ingredients grow. The cell lines used to make some vaccines were originally taken from an
aborted foetus many years ago, however it is important to understand that the foetuses were not aborted for
this purpose and cells from foetuses have not directly been used in this vaccine. Once grown, these viruses
are purified to remove the cell culture material. It is highly unlikely that any human material remains in the
final vaccines.​7 The subject of cell lines has been discussed by Muslim scholars for this and other vaccines
and has been deemed permissible by a number of renowned scholars.​8,9,10,11

The vaccine contains alcohol in the form of ethanol which is used as a solvent. There is 0.002mg of alcohol
(ethanol) per dose of 0.5ml. This is “​not enough to cause any noticeable effects”​12 and has been described
as negligible by Muslim scholars.​8,10 ​It is comparable or less than the amount of ethanol found in natural
foods or bread, for example.

COVID-19 VACCINES UPDATE 

As of 8 January 2021, more than 17.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered
throughout the world.​13 As part of the ongoing surveillance and following reports of anaphylaxis in the
Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, The Commission on Human Medicines has reviewed the data and
guidance regarding vaccinating those with allergies has been updated twice so far.​14 This was first done
within days following the introduction of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, restricting it for those with any
documented severe allergy. Guidance on allergies was then subsequently relaxed as further data and
analysis showed this was too cautious.

There has also been updated guidance regarding the administration of the Covid-19 vaccines in pregnant
and breastfeeding women. The JCVI have advised consideration of the vaccine in these women where the
risk of exposure to the infection is high and cannot be avoided or if a pregnant woman has underlying
conditions that put them at high risk of serious complications of Covid-19. The current advice is that with
regards to children, only those at very high risk of exposure and serious outcomes should be offered a
Covid-19 vaccine where appropriate and after consultation with their specialist clinicians.​15

There are very few categories of people who cannot receive the Pfizer/BioNTech or AZ Covid-19 Vaccine.
The vaccines should not be given to those who have had a previous systemic allergic reaction such as
anaphylaxis to a previous dose of the same vaccine or a component of the Covid-19 vaccines.​3

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 ONGOING INEQUITY 
The JCVI have not as of yet made any changes in their recommendations to include minority communities in
their priority framework despite several calls to do so.​16 This remains a concern given the ongoing
disproportionate burden these communities face, and the inequity in the response when compared to the
decision to prioritise the elderly and those who are shielding. There has also been consistent inaction in
collecting or acting on data regarding minorities or occupations that are disproportionately impacted.​17
These are the same people, especially in frontline roles, that will pay the highest price.

Recently the UK Chief Medical Officers and JCVI have advised increasing the gap in the vaccination
schedule for the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine from 3 weeks to within 3 months.​15 In exceptional times
pragmatic decisions are necessary. This decision is balancing the provision of effective immunity from
Covid-19 to vulnerable populations and workforce, and scaling up vaccination to cover as much of the
population as possible by delaying the second dose. Whilst this decision is based on modeling and
evidence, it has not been universally welcomed by the medical community - including the BMA, WHO, and
Pfizer.​18,19 Good communication is a hallmark of delivering good healthcare. Implementing major changes
with little consultation, explanation, or notice tends to cloud even the most legitimate and well-meaning
actions.

We reiterate the point made in our earlier Pfizer/BioNTech statement: as trust in public health messaging
from Government sources is low, especially amongst minority communities,​20 a failure to undertake effective
engagement with these communities will have disastrous consequences.

REFERENCES 
[1]​
British Islamic Medical Association (2020). ​Position Statement on the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine.​ [online] BIMA. Available at: https://britishima.org/pfizer-biontech-Covid19-vaccine [Accessed 7 Jan. 2020].
[2]​
Intensive care national audit and research centre. (2020). ​ICNARC – Reports.​ [online] icnarc.org Available at: https://www.icnarc.org/Our-Audit/Audits/Cmp/Reports [Accessed 8 Jan. 2021].
[3]​
Public Health England (2020). ​Covid-19: the green book, chapter 14a​. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: ​https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/Covid-19-the-green-book-chapter-14a​ [Accessed 3 Jan. 2021].
[4]​
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (2021). ​Information for Healthcare Professionals on Covid 19 Vaccine AstraZeneca.​ [online] GOV.UK. Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca/information-for-healthcare-professionals-on-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca [Accessed 7 Jan. 2021].
[5]​
Voysey, M., Clemens, S. A. C., A Madhi, S., Weckx, L. Y., Foleggatti, P. M., Aley, P. K (...) (2020). ​Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled
trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK [​ online] The Lancet, 2021(397), 8 Dec 2020. Available at:​https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32661-1​ ​ [Accessed 6 Jan. 2021].
[6]​
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (2020). ​Regulatory approval of Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca​. [online] GOV.UK. Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-Covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca​ [Accessed 3 Jan. 2021].
[7]​
Vaccine Knowledge Project (2019). ​Vaccine ingredients.​ [online] Vaccine Knowledge Project Available at: https://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vk/vaccine-ingredients [Accessed 3 Jan. 2021].
[8]​
Islamic Portal (2021). ​Is it permissible to use the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine?​ [online] Vaccine Knowledge Project Available at: https://islamicportal.co.uk/is-it-permissible-to-use-the-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2021].
[9]​
IRTIS (2018). ​Use of Vaccines from Haram Sources​ [online] IRTIS Available at: https://www.irtis.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/vaccines.pdf [Accessed 7 Jan. 2021].
[10]​
Wifaqul Ulama (2021). Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine [online] Wifaqul Ulama Available at: https://www.wifaqululama.co.uk/wifaq-oxford/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2021].
[11]​
Maravia, U. (2020). ​Vaccines: Religio-cultural arguments from an Islamic perspective ​[online] JBIMA, 6(2), 31 Dec 2020. Available at: https://jbima.com/article/vaccines-religio-cultural-arguments-from-an-islamic-perspective [Accessed
10 Jan. 2021].
[12]​
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (2020). ​Information for UK recipients on Covid 19 Vaccine AstraZeneca.​ [online] GOV.UK. Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-Covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca​ Accessed 7 Jan. 2021].
[13]​
Our World in Data (2021). ​Coronavirus Vaccinations​ [online] Our World in Data Available at: https://ourworldindata.org/Covid-vaccinations [Accessed 8 Jan. 2021].
[14]​
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (2021). ​Covid-19 vaccines (Pfizer/BioNTech and COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca): current advice.​ [online] GOV.UK. Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/covid-19-vaccines-pfizer-slash-biontech-and-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca-current-advice [Accessed 8 Jan. 2021].
[15]​
Department of Health and Social Care (2020). ​Priority groups for coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination: advice from the JCVI, 30 December 2020.​ [online] GOV.UK. Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-30-december-2020/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation-advice-on-priority-groups-for-covid-19-vaccination-
30-december-2020​ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2021].
[16]​
​R​CGP (2020). ​RCGP asks Health Secretary to explain rationale for not including BAME patients in Covid-19 vaccination priority list.​ [online] RCGP. Available at:
https://www.rcgp.org.uk/about-us/news/2020/december/rcgp-asks-health-secretary-to-explain-rationale-for-not-including-bame-patients.aspx​ [Accessed 8 Jan. 2021].
[17] ​
Hanif, W., Ali, S.N., Patel, K. and Khunti, K. (2020). ​Cultural competence in covid-19 vaccine rollout. ​[online] BMJ. Available at: ​https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4845​ [Accessed 8 Jan. 2021].
[18] ​
Boseley, S. (2021). ​No data to support UK delay of vaccines’ second dose, says WHO.​ [online] the Guardian. Available at: ​https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/05/no-data-to-support-uk-delay-of-vaccines-second-dose-says-who
[Accessed 8 Jan. 2021].
[19] ​
British Medical Association (2021). ​COVID-19 vaccine: BMA position on the prioritisation of healthcare workers.​ [online] BMA. Available at:
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/covid-19/your-health/covid-19-vaccine-bma-position-on-the-prioritisation-of-healthcare-workers​ [Accessed 8 Jan. 2021].
[20]​
Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (2020). ​SPI-B: Consensus on BAME communication​, 22 July 2020​. [online] GOV.UK. Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spi-b-consensus-on-bame-communication-22-july-2020​ [Accessed 4 Dec. 2020].

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