Scientists from the UK have claimed that after a decision to restrict the use of AstraZeneca COVID19 shot on people who are below 40 years, there have been no new incidents of rare blood clots after vaccination with the shot in the country. Earlier there have been many cases of severe blood clots following vaccination with AstraZeneca COVID19 shot across the country. Health experts have said that the rare side effect of the AstraZeneca shot is vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT). It is a blend of blood clots and low platelet count. This side effect has been linked to the viral vector COVID19 shot that has been developed by Johnson & Johnson as well. A higher prevalence of this adverse reaction among young people has prompted many countries around the world to apply an age restriction on the AstraZeneca shot.
The study has found that nearly 85 percent of people who have been suffering from this rare blood clot disorder after being vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine have been below 60 years of age even after more of the shots have been used on elderly people. The authors of the study that has been conducted to determine the cause and effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine have said that they have seen one case of this side effect in 50000 people when people below 50 years of age have been vaccinated with the shot. Health experts have said that the findings of the study have reestablished the prior outlook of risk and benefit estimate of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The lead author of the study, Sue Pavord has said that usually young people who have been otherwise healthy have been affected by this side effect after vaccination with AstraZeneca shot. She is a hematology consultant at Oxford University Hospitals. The side effect of rare blood clots has been fatal if it has led to bleeding in the brain, said the lead author. She has said that the initial surge in the number of blood clot incidents has reduced after Britain has decided to restrict its use on people who are below 40 years.
Dr. Sue Pavord has said that there have been no new cases of this side effect in the last four weeks and it has given tremendous relief to the healthcare system of the country. Health experts have said that the mortality rate of this side effect has been 23 percent. However, the rate of death due to this side effect has shot up by 73 percent in incidents where they have been blood clots in the brains of the patients. Blood clot in the brain is a condition that is known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). Health experts have said that treatments such as blood plasma exchange have been able to boost the survival rate in severe patients by 90 percent. The authors of the study have said that the findings of the study will help in the vaccination strategy of the country. Health officials have clearly mentioned that despite the side effects, getting the vaccine is very crucial. In the study, nearly 294 cases of rare blood clots have been observed. Around 220 of them have been identified as confirmed incidents of VITT. All these patients have been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine rather than the Pfizer COVID19 shot. Nearly one-third of these cases have been detected with multiple blood clots. Experts have said that almost all of these patients have been admitted to the hospital and have started experiencing the symptoms of the side effects 5 to 30 days after they have been given the first dose of AstraZeneca shot. At present, the singly-dose shot developed by the Johnson & Johnson is not being used in the UK. The outcomes of the study have been released in the New England Journal of Medicine.
