Are the People who got AstraZeneca Vaccine for Covid-19 at a Risk of Blood Clotting and Reduction of Platelet Count?

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AstraZeneca, one of the leading vaccine manufacturers, has admitted in a legal submission that the COVID-19 vaccine they have manufactured can cause blood clotting and a reduction of platelet count in the body. With this news, many social media users in Sri Lanka started to blame the Indian government and the government in Sri Lanka that made attempts to bring these vaccines to Sri Lanka for allowing Covishield, the Indian version of the AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine, to be injected into people. Also, these posts have indicated that the people vaccinated with this vaccine are at a health risk. So, we fact-checked this issue that had been shared on social media. However, our investigations indicate that though the claim about the risk of blood clotting and platelet count reduction due to the vaccine is valid, the probability of such a situation is low.

Social Media Posts:

Social media posts say that the AstraZeneca company has admitted that the accusation about their COVID-19 vaccine produced in India can cause blood clotting and reduction of platelet count of the body .

Facebook | Archived link

This was in international social media news like the ones below.

In Sri Lanka, this was also reported on many platforms. This news frightened the Sri Lankan people.

So, we decided to fact-check this.

Explainer:

What is TTS? What are the symptoms of TTS?

TTS, or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, is a severe health condition that causes a reduction in platelet count (thrombocytopenia) and blood clotting inside the body (thrombosis). This situation is connected with the adenovirus vector vaccine, which was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main symptoms of this situation are suffocation, chest pain, swollen legs, severe and continuous headache, and stomach cramps. Also, the affected people can be easily bruised.

Does the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine cause TTS with blood clotting?

Yes, but this may occur as a side effect. It is important to note that, as the company explained and proved with prior tests, not everyone who got AstraZeneca is at risk of TTS.

The AstraZeneca multinational company has accepted that their COVID-19 vaccine, AZD 1222, can cause blood clotting and reduction of platelets. So, the company has accepted that there is a relationship between these situations and the vaccine. They have accepted this in answering the lawsuit against them in the court of the United Kingdom. The culprit is the Covishield vaccine produced in India under the supervision of AstraZeneca company in the UK. This news was reported in The Telegraph news service. Here is the article. Archived Link

However, AstraZeneca mentioned in its legal documents that although such a situation is probable, it is rare.

How do Covishield and AstraZeneca connect?

British–Swedish drug manufacturing company AstraZeneca manufactured their COVID-19 vaccine with the collaboration of Oxford University. That vaccine had gotten the license to be produced at the Serum Institute under the name of Covishield. In Europe, this vaccine was under the trade name of Vaxzevria. Both of these Covishield and Vaxzevria have the same composition in them, but their trade names and geographical regions that are produced are the only differences between them.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is classified under the adenovirus vector vaccine. Based on clinical trials, both vaccines show 60-80% protection against COVID-19 infection, beginning two weeks after the second dose.

Is AstraZeneca the only vaccine against Covid-19, which poses a risk of TTS and blood clotting?

No. This situation can occur with another vaccine as well. The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson is also related to this situation. In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted TTS as an adverse effect of adenovirus vector-based vaccines.

A report published in 2023 by Hematologist Robert Bona, MD, from Yale Medicine, indicates that “those clots usually occur in people who are bedridden, hospitalized, or have other medical problems related to inflammation, infection, or cancer.”

So, the latest disclosure cannot be considered new to the world.

Are the people vaccinated with the Covishield vaccine at risk of TTS?

Yes, there is a risk. But according to doctors, there is no reason to panic for now. Covishield, the Indian version of AstraZeneca, is the most widely administered Indian vaccine. However, only a limited number of TTS cases have been reported across the country in the last few years. If there were large-scale deaths due to TTS from vaccination, it would certainly attract attention and be reported on International media platforms.

It should be understood that blood clots with reduced platelet count, including vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), are an infrequent side effect that can be seen post-primary vaccination. Previous research has shown that other vaccine-induced complications, such as CVST, in India despite Covishield’s widespread use.

Vaccines are the most effective and protective method of controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this method can rarely cause complications such as TTS and VITT. For these rare situations, it is essential to early diagnosis and early intervention for key management. It should be emphasized that regulatory authorities closely monitor the safety profile of vaccines.

It is an exaggeration and misrepresentation to say that all the recipients of this vaccine are at risk of death due to blood clots and low platelet count

The Healthy Indian Project (THIP) is a WHO’s Vaccine Safety Network (VSN) member and provides accurate information about vaccines.

Are side effects common to all vaccines?

Yes, it may be. It is not uncommon for mild side effects in most vaccines. However, the side effects, such as fever and pain due to vaccination, are temporary. Regarding vaccinations, most medical professionals believe that the side effects are very few compared to the benefits of vaccines.

The World Health Organization (WHO) website states, “Vaccines are very safe. Like any medicine, vaccines can cause side effects. However, these are usually minor and short-lived, such as a sore arm or a mild fever. Most serious side effects can also occur but are extremely rare.”

Should you be concerned about this if you have been vaccinated with Covishield?

No, there is no reason to panic at this time. Dr. Jayadevan, Co-chairman of the COVID Task Force of the National Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Kerala, stated that the above conditions are only rare occurrences due to specific types of vaccines and other causes. That mostly happens within a few weeks after vaccination, so if you experience any symptoms of low platelets, be vigilant and consult a doctor immediately. More information on this is available here and here.

Senior Indian Virologist Dr. Shahid Jameel joined the latest episode of ‘We the People’ to explain the issues surrounding the Covishield vaccine. He stated, “No vaccine is 100% safe or 100% effective.”

Key information for this article has been sourced from a fact-check conducted by The Healthy Indian Project (THIP).The Healthy Indian Project (THIP) is a WHO’s Vaccine Safety Network (VSN) member and provides accurate information about vaccines.The related fact check of THIP can be found here.

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