The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) yesterday issued new advice, having concluded a possible link between the Oxford/Astrazeneca Covid-19 vaccine and extremely rare (and very unlikely to occur) blood clots – although is not definitive.
This followed their recent review, which found that, by the end of March, 79 people had suffered rare blood clots after receiving the vaccination – from which 19 people died. However, it is worth remembering that no treatment or vaccine is ever safe, and the risk of dying from the Oxford/Astrazeneca jab is about one in a million.
The MHRA made it absolutely clear the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh any risks, but the MHRA has advised careful consideration be given to people who are at higher risk of specific types of blood clots because of their medical condition. Additionally, Public Health England (PHE) analysis indicates the COVID-19 vaccination programme prevented 6,100 deaths in those aged 70 and older in England up to the end of February. All safety reports are rigorously investigated and anyone with unexpected symptoms should speak with a healthcare professional.
The review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) found:
- The 79 cases and 19 deaths occurred after 20 million doses were administered - giving a risk of about four in one million of developing a blood clot, and one in a million of dying
- Nearly two-thirds of the cases of rare clots were seen in women
- The people who died were aged between 18 and 79, with three of them aged under 30
- All the recorded cases occurred after the first dose, although the lower number of second doses meant it was not possible to draw any conclusions from this
These reports have been analysed by the Government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) and its COVID-19 Vaccines Benefit Risk Expert Working Group, which includes lay representatives and advice from leading haematologists.
They have reached the conclusion that Under-30s in the UK are to be offered an alternative Covid vaccine to the AstraZeneca jab due to the evidence linking it to rare blood clots. This will not affect our target to have offered the vaccine to every adult by the end of July, which we still remain well on track to achieve.
Following this announcement, a Government’ s spokesperson said:
“The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, effective and has already saved thousands of lives.
“As the MHRA – the UK’s independent regulator – and the JCVI have said, the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks for the vast majority of adults.
“Everybody who has already had a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine should receive a second dose of the same brand, irrespective of age, except for the small number of people who experienced blood clots with low platelet counts from their first vaccination.
“When people are called forward, they should get the jab. Vaccines are the best way out of this pandemic and provide strong protection against Covid-19.
“More than 37 million jabs overall have already been administered, and we are on track to offer jabs to all over 50s by 15 April and all adults by the end of July.”
More detail can be found here: MHRA issues new advice, concluding a possible link between COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and extremely rare, unlikely to occur blood clots - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)