COVAXIN, Covishield not linked to increased risk of blood clotting
There is no heightened risk of blood clotting after vaccinations with indigenous COVAXIN and Covishield, the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, a top government committee concluded, reports Indian Express. To arrive at these results, over 400 major adverse reactions were studied. India went for a review after European nations had paused their vaccination drives over blood clot fears.
412 adverse events were analyzed
In total, 412 cases of severe AEFI and serious AEFI, deaths and hospitalizations included, until March 13 were considered. Revealing the results, Dr. NK Arora, Executive Director of the INCLEN Trust and an advisor to the National Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Committee, said, "These cases have been analyzed and there is no unusual bleeding or clotting manifestations either with Covishield or COVAXIN."
The situation will be monitored, assured Dr. Arora
Dr. Arora added that the situation will be continuously monitored. The government hopes to reduce the time between an AEFI being reported and the investigation and its results. The delivery of laboratory and post-mortem reports will be quickened. We are trying to make results for each AEFI available within two or three weeks, he further stated. "It will be almost real-time," he told IE.
Earlier, Europe's top agency had called AstraZeneca's vaccine safe
The findings of the panel have emerged days after the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Medicines Authority (EMA) dubbed the AstraZeneca vaccine as safe. "The committee concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events or blood clots," EMA had said last week. Subsequently, countries like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands resumed vaccinations.
WHO also arrived at similar conclusions
"While very rare and unique thromboembolic events in combination with thrombocytopenia, such as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), have also been reported following vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Europe, it is not certain that they have been caused by vaccination," WHO said earlier.
Over 32 lakh were vaccinated across India yesterday
The AstraZeneca jab, which is cheaper than its rivals, is being seen as the savior for poorer nations. Millions of doses of the vaccine are being developed by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). India, which started its vaccination drive in January, has so far vaccinated 4,84,94,594 people, with 32,53,095 getting the dose yesterday, data from the Ministry of Health disclosed.
