By Lusa Basilio, Civic Reporter
Picture courtesy of Pexels
After the distribution of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine suspended by Health regulators in more than 20 European countries, worldwide organisations reported that incidents of blood clots in some patients were linked to the vaccine administration. In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events caused by the administration of the Oxford vaccine, and seven deaths out of 18.1 million doses of the jab administered up to March 24.
MHRA stated that they are reviewing guidance because of concerns that the risk of blood clots could be marginally higher among younger people. Following this concern, the UK vaccines regulator and MHRA is reportedly considering advising young people under 30 years old to not take the AstraZeneca vaccine. Channel 4 reported that higher sources revealed that a decision on restricting the vaccine administration is expected as early as this week.
The European Medicines Agency, the main drug regulator in Europe reported that 30 blood clots have been identified out of 5 million people administrated with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Germany’s Paul Ehrlich Institute has also revealed that 31 cerebral venous sinus thromboses and nine deaths were reported out of 2.7 million people vaccinated there.
According to the Germany vaccine authority seven cases out of the nine deaths involved previously healthy people aged between 20 and 50. The UK has not yet stopped the administration of the jab in younger people, but several other countries including Germany, Denmark, have already done so, as a preventive measure after the possibility of higher risks in young people. However, some experts and regulators mentioned that these decisions were based on fear as there is no concrete information between the vaccine administration and getting a blood clot.
Both the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency said, they will investigate the cases, but reassured that as far as they are concerned the vaccine is safe and effective. AstraZeneca stated that its data of more than 10 million patient records proofed the incidence of blood clots was lower than the general population’s rate.
Dr. June Raine, the MHRA CEO, has also confirmed that “people should continue to get their vaccine as the benefits of the vaccine in preventing coronavirus far outweigh any risks.”
A few Londoners expressed their concerns over the blood clots incidents linked to the Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine.