Wednesday, March 31, 2021 12:51:11 AM
AstraZeneca and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines should be deferred for small group of Australians amid blood clot concerns, advisory group says
"Vaccinating the Philippines could take two years. Health workers fear it will be a hotbed of variants by then
More than 85 poor countries will not have widespread access to coronavirus vaccines before 2023
"Most poor nations 'will take until 2024 to achieve mass Covid-19 immunisation'""
ABC Health & Wellbeing
By Will Ockenden for Coronacast
Posted 6 days ago, updated 6 days ago
The recommendation applies to vaccines developed by AstraZeneca, which most Australians will get, and Pfizer.
(Getty Images: KONTROLAB)
Australia’s expert advisory group on vaccines has recommended the COVID-19 vaccine be deferred for people who have a history of specific rare blood clotting disorders.
Key points:
* ATAGI says it has made the recommendation as a "precautionary" measure
* The recommendation follows concerns from Europe about blood clots post vaccination
* Experts are waiting for more European data before making their next move
This is the first time a warning has been given for COVID-19 vaccines in Australia, and the recommendation applies to both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, although the current concerns have been focussed on the latter.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) said "for the time being, ATAGI recommends that vaccination with any COVID-19 vaccine should be deferred for people who have a history of ... rare conditions."
It listed the rare conditions as people with a confirmed medical history of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and people with a confirmed medical history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
CVST is clotting in the veins of the brain that carry blood back to the heart. It's rare and primarily affects younger people.
HIT is related to the use of the commonly used drug heparin, which reduces the risk of clots.
However, in rare cases, the drug can react to a chemical in the blood, which then induces antibodies and can lead to clotting.
In the case of the AstraZeneca vaccine, German researchers have found that the same antibodies appear to have formed; however, the patients had not been taking the drug heparin.
ATAGI co-chair Professor Allen Cheng said the clinical advice for both AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccine was only "precautionary".
"As of yesterday, there were 18 cases reported in about 20 million vaccinations," he said.
"It's early data, but these are unusual thrombosis — different from the usual DVTs (deep vein thrombosis) that people get."
"We don't know at this stage if this is a real signal, so as a precaution, people who have had heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in the past probably should hold off on vaccination.
"And people who have cerebral venous sinus thrombosis should also probably hold off.
"It's just precautionary, but these conditions are incredibly rare."
[...]
ATAGI agrees with current European advice that "the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh this potential risk".
However, it has reminded doctors that they should continue to watch out for unexpected events.
"As for all vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, healthcare providers should be alert for persistent, unexpected and/or severe adverse events following immunisation in their patients, particularly those that occur 1–2 weeks after vaccination," ATAGI's statement said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2021-03-25/covid-19-astrazeneca-pfizer-vaccines-blood-clots-recommendation/100027624
-
AstraZeneca vaccine suspended for under-60s in two German cities after 'rare blood clots'
Posted 6 hours ago
Authorities in Berlin and Munich have again suspended the use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine for residents under the age of 60, due to new reports of unusual blood clots.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-31/german-cities-suspend-astrazeneca-vaccine-use-for-under-60s/100039846
"Vaccinating the Philippines could take two years. Health workers fear it will be a hotbed of variants by then
More than 85 poor countries will not have widespread access to coronavirus vaccines before 2023
"Most poor nations 'will take until 2024 to achieve mass Covid-19 immunisation'""
ABC Health & Wellbeing
By Will Ockenden for Coronacast
Posted 6 days ago, updated 6 days ago
The recommendation applies to vaccines developed by AstraZeneca, which most Australians will get, and Pfizer.
(Getty Images: KONTROLAB)
Australia’s expert advisory group on vaccines has recommended the COVID-19 vaccine be deferred for people who have a history of specific rare blood clotting disorders.
Key points:
* ATAGI says it has made the recommendation as a "precautionary" measure
* The recommendation follows concerns from Europe about blood clots post vaccination
* Experts are waiting for more European data before making their next move
This is the first time a warning has been given for COVID-19 vaccines in Australia, and the recommendation applies to both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, although the current concerns have been focussed on the latter.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) said "for the time being, ATAGI recommends that vaccination with any COVID-19 vaccine should be deferred for people who have a history of ... rare conditions."
It listed the rare conditions as people with a confirmed medical history of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and people with a confirmed medical history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
CVST is clotting in the veins of the brain that carry blood back to the heart. It's rare and primarily affects younger people.
HIT is related to the use of the commonly used drug heparin, which reduces the risk of clots.
However, in rare cases, the drug can react to a chemical in the blood, which then induces antibodies and can lead to clotting.
In the case of the AstraZeneca vaccine, German researchers have found that the same antibodies appear to have formed; however, the patients had not been taking the drug heparin.
ATAGI co-chair Professor Allen Cheng said the clinical advice for both AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccine was only "precautionary".
"As of yesterday, there were 18 cases reported in about 20 million vaccinations," he said.
"It's early data, but these are unusual thrombosis — different from the usual DVTs (deep vein thrombosis) that people get."
"We don't know at this stage if this is a real signal, so as a precaution, people who have had heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in the past probably should hold off on vaccination.
"And people who have cerebral venous sinus thrombosis should also probably hold off.
"It's just precautionary, but these conditions are incredibly rare."
[...]
ATAGI agrees with current European advice that "the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh this potential risk".
However, it has reminded doctors that they should continue to watch out for unexpected events.
"As for all vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, healthcare providers should be alert for persistent, unexpected and/or severe adverse events following immunisation in their patients, particularly those that occur 1–2 weeks after vaccination," ATAGI's statement said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2021-03-25/covid-19-astrazeneca-pfizer-vaccines-blood-clots-recommendation/100027624
-
AstraZeneca vaccine suspended for under-60s in two German cities after 'rare blood clots'
Posted 6 hours ago
Authorities in Berlin and Munich have again suspended the use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine for residents under the age of 60, due to new reports of unusual blood clots.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-31/german-cities-suspend-astrazeneca-vaccine-use-for-under-60s/100039846
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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