Several countries are investigating more reports of blood clots in people who received the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, including the Netherlands, which has suspended use in people under the age of 60.
In other international developments, more countries where virus activity is increasing have reported record levels of daily cases.
Blood clot reports request probes, breaks
Health groups continue to argue that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine far outweigh the risks, but reports of rare blood clotting problems in people who received the vaccine continue to emerge.
In the Netherlands, the health ministry today announced a pause in vaccinating people under the age of 60 as a precaution against possible side effects. The measure was motivated by new reports of thrombosis and low platelet count after vaccination, which involved five women aged between 25 and 65 years. So far, about 400,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the Netherlands.
Elsewhere, UK regulators said that a thorough review of rare and specific types of blood clots continues, and as of March 24, employees received 22 notifications of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and 8 notifications of stroke events. thrombosis with low platelets. The events occurred between 18.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine administered to that date.
Based on an ongoing review, the UK Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency said the benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh any risks.
A panel of the British Society of Hematology today released provisional guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases, which they say are definitely not related to vaccination. However, they say that the cases are uncommon, because despite thrombocytopenia, patients have progressive thrombosis, mainly venous, with a high preponderance of TSCV.
Meanwhile, Australia’s vaccine advisory group said today that authorities are investigating a likely case of a rare clotting event after vaccination. Media reports said blood clots occurred in a 44-year-old man who was admitted to a Melbourne hospital with severe thrombosis and low platelet count.
To date, more than 400,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered in the country. Authorities said they have not changed their recommendations and will meet again on April 7.
In Germany, continuing questions about side effects led to another policy change over vaccine use, following an announcement earlier this week of a break in people under 60. dose of AstraZeneca vaccine should receive a different product for its second dose, according to Reuters. The country’s vaccine commission recognizes that there is no scientific evidence of safety in the use of mixed vaccines.
More defined daily case records
More countries in different parts of the world reported new cases of discharge in a single day, including Europe, where Turkey reported an additional 42,308 cases and Ukraine reported 19,893 new infections.
Elsewhere, the Philippines reported 11,601 new cases and Chile reported a daily record of 8,112 cases.
In other global headlines:
- In Canada, the P1 SARS-CoV-2 variant is spreading rapidly in British Columbia and causing what is believed to be the largest known outbreak of the virus outside Brazil, according to the Globe and Mail. The report states that many of the cases occur in young adults and that the spread of the virus has forced the closure of a ski resort in Whistler.
- In another Canadian development, Ontario authorities ordered the province’s third blockade, triggered by the increase in cases and hospitalizations.
- In the southwestern city of Ruili, on the border with Myanmar and currently blocked due to local spread, authorities have launched a mass vaccination campaign targeting 300,000 people, according to CNN.
- The global total today approaches 130 million cases and currently stands at 129,972,423, with 2,832,474 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins online panel.