Here’s What You Should Know About Blood Clots and the AstraZeneca Vaccine

Here’s What You Should Know About Blood Clots and the AstraZeneca Vaccine

They are somewhat rare. Blood clots are also common enough for several countries to have slowed down the vaccine’s rollout, however.

Allergic reactions were one of the first concerns with coronavirus vaccines. While rare events, some people did experience them. This included reactions to vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Generally speaking, it is now advised that if you have known allergies to anything, you should talk with your doctor about receiving the coronavirus vaccine, just to be on the safe side. Yes, the vast majority of people do not experience anaphylaxis after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. The very few cases that have occurred show that caution should be exercised for some individuals, however.

And now there is something new for us to confront: blood clots. As with the allergic reactions, suffering from a blood clot after receiving a coronavirus vaccine is something that is not common. Not common at all. On the other hand, it is not entirely unheard of. It’s true that four people in Norway died after receiving the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. This is thought to have been caused by blood clots they developed as a result of being vaccinated. As a result, the AstraZeneca is now on hold in various countries. It is also being restricted to use in certain age groups.

All About the VIPIT (ie, What the Heck is That?)

So, what exactly is causing these blood clots? Something called VIPIT is the answer. VIPIT is short for Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia. This can cause cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. This event happens when blood clots form in the venous sinuses of the brain. When this happens, your blood is prevented from draining from your brain, and this can lead to a cerebral hemorrhage. In the worst case scenario, blood is then leaked into your brain’s tissues with potentially deadly consequences.

So far, most cases of VIPIT have been reported in Europe. Who has it targeted? According to Canada’s vaccine information, these reactions have occurred largely in women under 55 years of age, although at least one man has died as well.

So, yes, this serious but rare side effect is nothing to gawk at.

               Related: Do You Want to Boost Your Immune System? Sleep. 

How do you know if you are experiencing VIPIT? According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the symptoms of blood clots on the brain include blurred vision, a headache, seizures, fainting, coma, loss of consciousness, and being unable to control one side of your body. It is thought VIPIT happens if and when your body forms antibodies which activate the formation of platelets. These platelets are what stimulate the formation of the blood clots.

No one yet knows exactly how and why the AstraZeneca vaccine has this effect on some people. Neither do officials yet know at what rate this adverse event tends to occur. Some officials have said VIPIT happens in about 1 in every 1 million people vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, and others have cited much lower numbers. Unfortunately, what is known is that about 40% of people who do develop VIPIT die.

Is the AstraZeneca Vaccine Coming to the US?

Every country is different and some are having to rely on the AstraZeneca vaccine to protect their people from COVID-19. This is good, but there are a lot of unknowns. The safe news is that the vaccine, which was developed in conjunction with the University of Oxford in England, has yet to be approved for use in the US. And according to CNN, federal vaccine advisers do not foresee it being approved any time soon, either. About 70 other countries at the time of this writing ARE going ahead and administering the controversial jab but it isn’t being given on American soil.

Yes, this decision will undoubtedly have a ripple effect. It will likely contribute to some vaccine hesitancy around the globe. The good thing is that it won’t leave Americans in short supply of protection. Officials have reported the US already has enough doses of coronavirus vaccine from other sources to inoculate its entire population by the end of May 2021.  Consequently, cutting out the AstraZeneca vaccine should not be a worry.

Who is Getting the AstraZeneca Vaccine in Canada?

It is widely known Canada is in short supply when it comes to coronavirus vaccines.  Perhaps as a consequence, its federal government has not suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. In light of the threat of blood clots in younger populations, however, Canada has restricted the vaccine’s use at the time of this writing to those aged 55 and over. This is at the advice of the country’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).

Thankfully, VIPIT is extremely rare, and has not been noted in conjunction with MRNA- based coronavirus vaccines. So, is vaccination safe? Most of the time, yes. In fact, your chances of developing a blood clot from getting the coronavirus itself are much, much higher than they are from getting the AstraZeneca vaccine. Please get your coronavirus vaccine and help the world end the pandemic.

photo credits: Ascannio/Shutterstock.com

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