In what could be termed a major development, one of the top names in the pharmaceutical industry, AstraZeneca, has officially admitted that its COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, can cause side effects—though rarely, they will be very serious.
During that dangerous COVID era, most of the people have followed government’s appeal to get vaccinated. This news of Covishield’s side effects is not making people happy at all.
AstraZeneca’s Covishield: Legal and Public Concerns
This came to light in a UK High Court legal battle, with the news raising concerns among the public and increasing the safety debate about vaccines.
What Made AstraZeneca Admit AstraZeneca’s acknowledgment came amidst a class-action lawsuit where the firm represented its claimants, citing cases where the vaccine had caused severe injuries or even death. A case in point is that of Jamie Scott—a father of two—who, in April 2021, had a severe reaction post his Covishield shot. He suffered a blood clot and, in that context, a brain bleed, which has now caused permanent brain damage. His plight, along with a few others, prompted the deeper investigation into the vaccine’s safety profile.
People seem baffled with this news and there are multiple tweets and posts regarding this on social media :
Understanding Thrombosis with Thromboc
This has put serious concerns on the condition central to these worries, which is now referred to as Thrombosis with Thromboc.
TTS is the short form for vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) and occurs when clots form in the blood concurrently with a reduced number of platelets. These clots may occur anywhere in the body and often in delicate places such as the brain or abdominal area.
Although really rare, the implications of such cl are serious and may be a fatality.
Causal Link and Its Implication
This has grim implications: while AstraZeneca’s vaccine has a good history, the recognition of the danger of TTS changes the story.
In its legal papers, the company said, “It is admitted that the AZ vaccine can very rarely cause TTS.” It also said that the exact mechanism of the disease causing TTS was not known and that TTS also could occur de novo outside of vaccination.
This admission assumes particular significance in that it represents a departure from AstraZeneca’s earlier position, which was that there was no cause-and-effect relationship of the vaccine with TTS at a generic level. The admission might open up ways to compensate the persons affected and their families once all legal wrangles have been put to rest in this matter. AstraZeneca has handled each case of side effect with AstraZeneca said it sympathizes with those who have had to face side effects post-vaccination, legal suit, and public uproar.
The company, however, has put forth a guarantee to patient safety, stating that its products were tested stringently and had the highest regulatory requirement around the world. That will be a mixed bag in terms of reception from the public. There will be some who appreciate the transparency and the fact that the risk was acknowledged, albeit remote. Some of these are likely to have awaited booster doses, or they may not have been vaccinated themselves.
FAQs on Covishield Side Effects
TTS), otherwise known as COVID-19 vaccine-induced immune thrombot TTS is a unique condition where there is a coagulation of blood in the body along with low platelets. If promptly treated, then severe health complications, and even death, can be avoided.
How usual are the TTS occurrences post-Covishield vaccination?
TTS is a very rare syndrome. In fact, according to data about the condition, this syndrome has emerged in the form of a very small fraction of vaccinated people.
What are the post-symptoms of my Covishield vaccine shot that I should be on the lookout for?
Symptoms of TTS include bad headache, blurred vision, shortness of breath, chest pain, or swelling in your legs, persistent stomach, or abdominal pain and unusual skin bruising. Consult your doctor promptly when any of the above symptoms are experienced.
Should I still get vaccinated with Covishield?
Most of the health experts worldwide agree that the benefit of vaccination far outweighs the possible risk of vaccination to prevent COVID-19. However, it should be the final decision that consulting your health provider about the health history should be done.
What measures are in place to ensure the safety of these vaccines?
Vaccine safety is a major concern to health authorities all over the world. Vaccines are put under tight trials to establish their safety and effectiveness in clinical trials. Post-marketing surveillance is carried out to follow up on any adverse events that may take place. This serves as an important reminder of how complicated vaccine production is and how, like all things with drugs and medicine, transparent communication is key to keeping public trust in pharmaceutical companies.