Mumbai: AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, has admitted on papers that their Covid vaccine, Covishield, can cause rare cases of side effects during the lawsuit against the vaccine, causing 51 deaths.
During the trial, AstraZeneca, in one of the court papers, admitted that Covishield can "in very rare cases, cause TTS.".
What is TTS?
A rare but dangerous illness is called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), or thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). It is characterized by the formation of blood clots (thrombosis) and thrombocytopenia, or low platelet counts.
Thrombosis: Blood clots, or clumps, can occur in arteries or veins. They have the potential to obstruct blood flow and result in life-threatening side effects like a heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung).
Thrombocytopenia: Platelets are cells in the blood that help with clotting. There is a greater chance of bleeding when your platelet count is low. Despite the extremely low risk of TTS associated with these vaccines, it is crucial to recognize the symptoms.
Symptoms of TTS
Within a few days to several weeks following the COVID-19 vaccination, TTS symptoms may appear. Here are some crucial indicators to be aware of:
Signs of thrombosis:
* Severe headache
* Blurred vision
* Difficulty speaking or weakness on one side of the face
* Shortness of breath
* Chest pain
* Leg pain or swelling
* Abdominal pain
Signs of low platelets:
Easy bruising or bleeding
Petechiae (tiny red or purple spots on the skin)
Diagnosis of TTS
TTS symptoms can mimic those of other conditions, making diagnosis difficult. To confirm a diagnosis, doctors usually take into account your medical history, symptoms, and results of various tests, such as imaging studies and blood tests.
Previous Claims by AstraZeneca
"Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines," AstraZeneca said in a statement.
'Nothing New About The Threat'
In 2021, several reports surfaced suggesting that Covishield might have unfavorable side effects. After that, its use was outlawed in numerous European nations yet the Indian government promoted and continued to set up camps for the Covishield vaccination even after this.
The Actual Risk Of Getting TTS
Some of the studies show that after getting the vaccine, the actual risk of being diagnosed becomes one in a million people. Which, although seemingly high, puts the odds of discovering the pincode of a bank's treasure lock in one go at one in a million. So, to say, it really is a rare condition.
COVID-19 Vaccination In India
Back in 2021, three stages of vaccinations were observed across India. In January, Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca and reported by the Serum Institute of India with the approval of the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI), was injected amongst the Indians in the first phase. Bharat Biotech's developed COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, had emerged and was used in the second phase in March 2021. The third stage included other vaccines like Sputnik V and Corbevex, which had emerged by April. India had recorded 500 million vaccinations against COVID-19 in just 6 months, according to the reports from Johnson & Johnson.
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