Seven deaths linked to AstraZeneca vaccine in UK after 18 million doses administered

Seven people who received the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine have died from blood clots in the UK, out of a total of 30 cases identified so far, after more than 18 million doses administered, British Medicines said today Agency (MHRA).

Of the 30 cases recorded until March 24, “unfortunately seven are dead,” said the MHRA in a statement reproduced by the AFP news agency.

The regulator said that as of March 24, it had received information on 22 cases of cerebral venous thrombosis and eight other cases of thrombosis associated with platelet deficiency, out of a total of 18.1 million doses administered.

“We continue to carefully review these cases,” MHRA director June Raine said in the statement.

“The benefits of the AstraZeneza vaccine in preventing Covid-19 infection and its complications clearly outweigh the risks, and the public should continue to receive the vaccine,” added the text quoted by the British channel BBC.

Thursday, the MHRA had indicated in a report on the side effects of the vaccines administered in the country that “the risk of having this type of blood clot is very low”.

Generally speaking, “the amount and nature of the side effects reported so far are not unusual compared to other types of commonly used vaccines,” the agency explained.

The possible side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, are being analyzed in several European countries.

The Netherlands announced yesterday the suspension of its use in people under the age of 60 after new cases of clots.

However, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) established last week that the AstraZeneca vaccine is “safe and effective” and that it is “not associated” with an increased risk of thrombosis.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also approved the inoculant two weeks ago.

“The available data does not suggest any overall increase in coagulation, such as venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, after being vaccinated against Covid-19,” said a panel of experts from the United Nations health agency.

“The reported rates of thromboembolic events after vaccines are in line with the expected number of diagnoses of these conditions. Both conditions occur naturally and are not uncommon,” the experts noted.