Pfizer or AstraZeneca, and what are the risks? Some pointers for young Australians We’re sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss By Robert Booy Normal text size Advertisement Suppose you’re a 25-year-old young person, male or female. How do you weigh up the risks of catching COVID, and the complications of that, with the risk of having a COVID vaccine, Pfizer or AstraZeneca? First of all, we know that COVID is less severe in young adults and the risk of hospitalisation or death from COVID is much lower than an older person. So, what is needed is a way in which to calculate a risk-benefit ratio that’s relevant to you, as a young person. Such a calculator is available on the web from Britain. It was set up by the Oxford group. It’s extremely helpful if you live in the UK where disease is common but we need a risk calculator for Australian circumstances.