Oxford-AstraZeneca blood clot cases “minuscule” in number: Indian health ministry

Bleeding and blood clotting cases following Covid-19 vaccination using Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield jabs in India are "minuscule" in number, the Health Ministry said today, quoting a report submitted by the National Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) Committee.

The AEFI Committee has completed an in-depth case review of 498 serious and severe events, of which 26 cases have been reported to be potential thromboembolic (formation of a clot in a blood vessel that breaks loose and carried by the bloodstream to plug another vessel) events, with a reporting rate of 0.61 cases per million doses, the report said.

There were no potential thromboembolic events reported after administering the Covaxin vaccine, it added.

AEFI data in India showed that there is a very minuscule but definitive risk of thromboembolic events. The reporting rate of these events in India is around 0.61/million doses, which is much lower than the four cases per million reported by the Medical and Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) in the UK, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Covishield continues to have a positive benefit-risk profile, with tremendous potential to prevent infections and reduce Covid-19 deaths, according to the AEFI committee report.

Over 13.4 crore doses of Covishield vaccine have been administered across India as of April 27 this year. The Health Ministry is continuously monitoring the safety of all Covid-19 vaccines and is promoting reportage of suspected adverse events.