Vaccine link to blood clots

Europe’s drug regulator* has reported 222 cases of rare blood clotting among 34 million adults vaccinated with AstraZeneca’s Covid shot – but says the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks


*Reported by European Medicines Agency (EMA) on April 7

1 BRAIN: EMA reports 169 clots (thrombi) located in veins of brain – very rare form of clotting known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST)

Thrombus in brain can block blood flow, causing stroke

Normally one in every 200,000 people of all ages develop CVST in a given year


2 ABDOMEN: EMA reports 53 cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) in stomach

All cases had combination of blood clots, bleeding and low levels of platelets

1 2

EMA stated that most cases were found in women under 60.
There have been no reports of CVST or SVT following second dose of vaccine


Healthy blood flow

Blood vessel
Red blood cell
Platelet
White blood cell

Thrombus: Platelets change shape from round to spiny, stick to each other

Platelets form mesh with blood cells and proteins. Mesh strengthened by strands of insoluble fibrin, producing clot


Sources: EMA, Bloomberg, Reuters, Johns Hopkins University 
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