Australia to continue AstraZeneca vaccination despite blood clotting case

Australia’s vaccine rollout is set to continue despite a Melbourne man being hospitalised with a rare blood clot condition after receiving the AstraZeneca jab.

This was disclosed by health officials on Saturday, after a case raised concern about the safety of the vaccine.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulator and a panel, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), met late Friday and early Saturday to discuss further advice on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“We have not been advised at this time by ATAGI or the TGA to pause the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia,” Australia’s deputy chief medical officer, Michael Kidd, told a televised briefing on Saturday afternoon.

Kidd said, however, that the blood clotting case is “likely” related to the vaccine.

“The risks of serious side effects remain very low, but safety is paramount and that is why TAGI and the TGA are continuing to do due diligence on this case,” Kidd said, adding that further announcements would come next week.

Possible complications with the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine could further slow the already delayed inoculation drive in Australia.

Australia launched mass vaccinations for its 25 million people in February, with most expected to receive the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, as 50 million doses are being produced domestically by CSL Ltd.The country has had troubles, however, rolling out the programme, missing a March target by about 3.3 million doses as states and the federal government bickered over the blame.

The troubles follow a year of significant success curbing the virus, with snap lockdowns, border closures and swift tracking limiting coronavirus infections to just under 29,300 infections, with 909 COVID-19 deaths.

MTO/Reuters