Blood clots ‘very rare’ side effect of AstraZeneca

THE HAGUE: The EU’s drug regulator said on Wednesday that blood clots should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine but that the jab’s benefits continue to outweigh the risks. No specific risk factors, including age, have been identified for thrombosis with the AstraZeneca shot, which could stem from an immune response, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said. “EMA’s safety committee has concluded today that unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as very rare side effects” of the AstraZeneca jab, the Amsterdam-based watchdog said. But it stressed that it believed people should continue to take the vaccine as part of the battle against the disease. “The safety committee has confirmed that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 overall outweigh the risk of side effects,” EMA chief Emer Cooke said. — AFP