Random Analytica: AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and cases of Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) by Age Group as at 4 July 2021

by Shane Granger

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has updated its latest safety report with one new confirmed death announced. Via the TGA. COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report – 08-07-2021. Summary:

  • The most frequently reported suspected side effects (link is external) associated with Comirnaty (Pfizer) and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines continue to be events that were seen in the clinical trials, and are commonly experienced with vaccines generally.
  • An external Vaccine Safety Investigation Group (VSIG), convened by the TGA on 2 July 2021, concluded that a very rare but fatal case of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in a 61-year-old woman who had received the AstraZeneca vaccine was likely to be related to immunisation.
  • Seven additional cases of blood clots with low blood platelets have been assessed as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) likely to be linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. When assessed using the United Kingdom (UK) case definition, three were confirmed TTS and four were deemed probable TTS. This brings the total number of cases of TTS to 76 out of five million doses to date.

Simplistically put and based on the above figures you are likely to have an adverse reaction in every approx. 65,000 doses and a fatal reaction in approx. every 1.6-million doses.

To date there have been three deaths linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. The latest reported fatality via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Death of 61-year-old WA woman last month likely linked to AstraZeneca vaccine. Excerpt:

Health authorities have concluded the death of a 61-year-old woman in hospital last month was likely linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The West Australian woman received the vaccine in early June and was admitted to Royal Perth Hospital later that month, where she died of a blood disorder.

The federal government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) investigated the woman’s death, with an external vaccine safety investigation group of experts deeming the vaccination the likely cause. It based that conclusion on a strong lack of evidence for other causes and the timeframe within which she died after taking the vaccine.