European vaccine linked to rare blood clots
April 7, 2021
An international medical board has confirmed a link between AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine and a rare form of blood clots.
A safety committee of the European Medicines Agency concluded that “unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as very rare side effects of the vaccine.”
Experts added that the benefits of the vaccine-which prevented infection in American test subjects- far outweigh the risks.
“This vaccine has been proven to be highly effective to prevent severe disease and hospitalization and it is saving lives,” said Emer Cooke the agency’s executive director.
Several European countries stopped administering the vaccine when news of its side effects were revealed last month. The committee studied 62 clotting cases- including 18 deaths- out of the 25 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Officials at first dismissed the findings, saying the number of cases was no larger than those found in a normal population.
Blood clots can cause heart attacks and strokes. But the vaccine’s side effects involve lower than normal levels of blood platelets which cause clotting. Agency investigators said Wednesday that the problem is being reported in 1 in 100,000 people.
Still, UK officials are recommending that people under 30 receive other vaccines.
The announcement could have far reaching consequences in the European Union which purchased 400 million doses and in the United States which is scheduled to receive 300 million doses.
AsrtaZeneca has not applied for permission to use the vaccine in the United States and its future may be in doubt.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief coronavirus consultant to the Biden administration, said the vaccine may not be needed.
“My general feeling is that given the contractional relationships that we have with a number of companies, that we have enough vaccine to fulfill all of our needs without invoking AstraZeneca,” he said.
Golden State may return to near normal
California, the first state to impose public restrictions during the pandemic, may completely reopen in June, officials said Tuesday.
The move would allow restaurants, bars, movie theaters and houses of worship to operate without capacity limits which have been in force for more than a year. Large indoor conventions and other events of more than 5,000 patrons would still be limited to help prevent viral spread. An order mandating that members of the public wear masks when outside their homes would also remain in effect.
But a series of benchmarks-including enough vaccine available for all Californians 16 and older and a low rate of hospitalizations- must be met for the state to reopen on June 15.
California has been averaging 2,700 new COVID-19 cases per day, the lowest rate since June of 2020. More than 35 percent of the state’s 40 million residents have received at least one shot and 18 percent are fully vaccinated.
“With 20 million vaccines administered around the state, it is time to turn the page on our tier system and being looking to fully reopen California’s economy,” Gov Gavin Newsom said. “We can now begin planning for our lives post-pandemic.”
Newsom has been under pressure from a Republican backed statewide recall effort centering on his handling of the pandemic and his attending a party at a posh restaurant during the height of the quarantine.
The state’s positive outlook contrasts with other states nationwide that are experiencing a slight uptick in new cases. President Joe Biden has been urging those states not to reopen prematurely.
“I think if everyone continues on the road we are on now it will be behind us but it’s not over yet,” Biden said Tuesday.
Nationwide, about three million vaccine doses have been administered per day totaling 152 million shots since Biden took office in January.
An international medical board has confirmed a link between AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine and a rare form of blood clots.
A safety committee of the European Medicines Agency concluded that “unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as very rare side effects of the vaccine.”
Experts added that the benefits of the vaccine-which prevented infection in American test subjects- far outweigh the risks.
“This vaccine has been proven to be highly effective to prevent severe disease and hospitalization and it is saving lives,” said Emer Cooke the agency’s executive director.
Several European countries stopped administering the vaccine when news of its side effects were revealed last month. The committee studied 62 clotting cases- including 18 deaths- out of the 25 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Officials at first dismissed the findings, saying the number of cases was no larger than those found in a normal population.
Blood clots can cause heart attacks and strokes. But the vaccine’s side effects involve lower than normal levels of blood platelets which cause clotting. Agency investigators said Wednesday that the problem is being reported in 1 in 100,000 people.
Still, UK officials are recommending that people under 30 receive other vaccines.
The announcement could have far reaching consequences in the European Union which purchased 400 million doses and in the United States which is scheduled to receive 300 million doses.
AsrtaZeneca has not applied for permission to use the vaccine in the United States and its future may be in doubt.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief coronavirus consultant to the Biden administration, said the vaccine may not be needed.
“My general feeling is that given the contractional relationships that we have with a number of companies, that we have enough vaccine to fulfill all of our needs without invoking AstraZeneca,” he said.
Golden State may return to near normal
California, the first state to impose public restrictions during the pandemic, may completely reopen in June, officials said Tuesday.
The move would allow restaurants, bars, movie theaters and houses of worship to operate without capacity limits which have been in force for more than a year. Large indoor conventions and other events of more than 5,000 patrons would still be limited to help prevent viral spread. An order mandating that members of the public wear masks when outside their homes would also remain in effect.
But a series of benchmarks-including enough vaccine available for all Californians 16 and older and a low rate of hospitalizations- must be met for the state to reopen on June 15.
California has been averaging 2,700 new COVID-19 cases per day, the lowest rate since June of 2020. More than 35 percent of the state’s 40 million residents have received at least one shot and 18 percent are fully vaccinated.
“With 20 million vaccines administered around the state, it is time to turn the page on our tier system and being looking to fully reopen California’s economy,” Gov Gavin Newsom said. “We can now begin planning for our lives post-pandemic.”
Newsom has been under pressure from a Republican backed statewide recall effort centering on his handling of the pandemic and his attending a party at a posh restaurant during the height of the quarantine.
The state’s positive outlook contrasts with other states nationwide that are experiencing a slight uptick in new cases. President Joe Biden has been urging those states not to reopen prematurely.
“I think if everyone continues on the road we are on now it will be behind us but it’s not over yet,” Biden said Tuesday.
Nationwide, about three million vaccine doses have been administered per day totaling 152 million shots since Biden took office in January.
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LATEST CORONAVIRUS STATISTICS 3/7/2021
GLOBAL
CASES: 132,768,361
DEATHS: 2,880,566
United States
CASES: 30,904,409
DEATHS: 558,931
U.S.VACCINE DOSES
DELIVERED: 225,294,435
ADMINISTERED: 171,476,655
source: Johns Hopkins University and Centers for Disease Control
Meet an expert on viruses and the pandemic: http://www.scienceinview.com/meet-the-scientists.html
LATEST CORONAVIRUS STATISTICS 3/7/2021
GLOBAL
CASES: 132,768,361
DEATHS: 2,880,566
United States
CASES: 30,904,409
DEATHS: 558,931
U.S.VACCINE DOSES
DELIVERED: 225,294,435
ADMINISTERED: 171,476,655
source: Johns Hopkins University and Centers for Disease Control
Meet an expert on viruses and the pandemic: http://www.scienceinview.com/meet-the-scientists.html
Need break from pandemic news? You can visit zoos, aquariums and even take an African safari online. Check out my recommendations for the best webcam experiences at http://www.scienceinview.com/