AstraZeneca acknowledges rare blood clot risk in COVID-19 vaccine

AFRICA—AstraZeneca, a global research-based biopharmaceutical corporation, has acknowledged for the first time in court records that their vaccination may cause TTS (thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome) in extremely rare cases.

This disclosure was made in February of this year, with legal filings with the UK High Court stating that the pharmaceutical company acknowledged its Covid-19 vaccination “can, in extremely uncommon instances, result in TTS”.

According to Dr. Jagadish J Hiremath, founder of the AASRA Group of Hospitals in India, TTS is a rare disorder characterized by the production of blood clots (thrombosis) in blood vessels and a low quantity of blood platelets.

He went on to explain that this has been identified as an exceedingly rare adverse effect related with certain COVID-19 vaccinations, particularly those that use adenovirus vectors, such as the AstraZeneca vaccine (Covishield).

Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University developed was widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, notably in India, where it was made by the Serum Institute and introduced in 2021.

Its launch came at a time when the virus’s death toll had reached historic proportions around the world, with AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine being supplied globally under a variety of brand names, including Covishield and Vaxzevria.

According to the court document, Jamie Scott, a father of two, filed the original action against the corporation, informing the court that he received the vaccine at the age of 44.

However, within ten days, he developed fatigue, vomiting, and decreased speech, and a medical examination revealed a possible case of Vaccine-induced Immune Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis (VITT).

Despite surviving the incident, Scott has suffered a permanent brain injury.

So far, 51 lawsuits have been launched against the business, demanding damages of an estimated £100 million ($125.36 million), with patients and bereaved families seeking compensation in legal settlements, since the class-action lawsuits believe the vaccination caused significant injuries and fatalities in multiple cases.

Dr. Hiremath went on to say that AstraZeneca’s acknowledgment of the relationship between Covishield and TTS may result in increased vaccination safety monitoring and regulatory supervision.

He feels that this revelation may impact public trust in vaccinations, underlining the importance of open communication and robust vaccine surveillance systems in sustaining public trust in immunization programs around the world.

With this new development, hundreds of Africans who may have been affected by AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines may be eligible for a class action lawsuit against the pharmaceutical corporation.

These African originate from South Africa, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Rwanda, and where AstraZeneca vaccines were used.

Meanwhile, apart from the UK, Austria banned the use of a specific batch in March 2021 due to two occurrences of blood clotting, one of which resulted in death, immediately after immunization.

As a result, various countries, particularly in Europe, suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccination.

Denmark, Ireland, Thailand, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Congo, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Sweden, Latvia, Slovenia, Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia are among the countries involved.

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