EXPLAINER: Why countries are halting the AstraZeneca shot
In response to the suspensions of its vaccine, AstraZeneca said it had carefully reviewed the data on 17 million people who received doses across Europe and found there were 37 cases of people who developed blood clots. It said there was “no evidence of an increased risk” of blood clots in any age group or gender in any country.
“This is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar across other licensed COVID-19 vaccines,” the company said.
IS THERE ANY PROOF THE VACCINE IS RESPONSIBLE?
No. The European Medicines Agency says there is “no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions." The EU regulator said its investigation into the reported blood clots had continued over the weekend and that a “rigorous analysis” of all data would be carried out in the coming days. To date, it said there was no evidence there was a higher incidence of blood clots in people who got the AstraZeneca vaccine than in those that didn't.
The EMA said it was convening its expert safety committee Tuesday and would hold an “extraordinary meeting” on Thursday “to conclude on the information gathered and any further actions that may need to be taken.”
In Britain, where 11 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered — more than any other country — there have been reports of about 11 people who developed blood clots after getting a shot. None were proven to have been caused by the vaccine.
Some doctors pointed out that since vaccination campaigns started by giving doses to the most vulnerable people, those now being immunized are more likely to already have health problems. Experts say that could make it difficult to determine whether a vaccine shot is responsible.
Blood clots that form in the arms, legs or elsewhere can sometimes break free and travel to the heart, brain or lungs, causing strokes, heart attacks or a deadly blockage of blood flow.
SO WHY DID THEY STOP VACCINATION?
Any time vaccines are rolled out widely, scientists expect some serious health issues and deaths to be reported — simply because millions of people are receiving the shots and problems would be expected to occur randomly in a group so large. The vast majority of these end up not being connected to the vaccine, but because COVID-19 vaccines are still experimental, scientists must investigate every possibility that the shot could have some unforeseen side effects. The shots are considered experimental because the vaccines were only developed in the last year, so there is no long-term data for any of them.
“People die every day, and we have more than 300 million people globally who have been immunized who will die of other causes,” said Dr. Mariangela Simao, an assistant director-general at WHO.
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