Random Analytica: AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and cases of Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) by Age Group as at 25 July 2021

by Shane Granger

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has updated its latest safety report. No new deaths were reported. Via the TGA. COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report – 29-07-2021. Summary:

  • The most frequently reported suspected side effects 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 many vaccines.
  • Over the last week, 6 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, one was confirmed and 5 were deemed probable TTS.
  • An external Vaccine Safety Investigation Group (VSIG), convened by the TGA on 28 July 2021, concluded that three previously reported cases of probable TTS that occurred after a second AstraZeneca dose were unlikely to be related to the vaccine. They also considered a fatal case and concluded it was not related to vaccination.
  • This brings the total number of cases of TTS to 90 from approximately 6.3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine administered to date.

Simplistically put and based on the above figures you are likely to have an adverse reaction to AstraZeneca in approx. every 70,000th dose (-100 from the previous week) and a fatal reaction in approx. every 1.050-million doses (+33,000 from the previous week). For context Australia has had 33,726 cases and 923-deaths with a Case Fatality Rate of 2.73% (source: Worldometer).

Here are the stories of the six deaths linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine to date:

1. 48-year old woman from NSW. Posted 16 April 2021 via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. NSW woman’s fatal blood clotting likely linked to AstraZeneca COVID vaccine, Therapeutic Goods Administration says.

2. A 52-year old woman from NSW. Posted 10 June 2021 via the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report – 10-06-2021.

3. A 61-year old woman from WA. Posted 8 July 2021 via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Death of 61-year-old WA woman last month likely linked to AstraZeneca vaccine.

4. A 72-year old woman from SA. Posted 12 July 2021 via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. South Australian woman dies from rare blood clots after receiving AstraZeneca vaccine.

5. A 48-year old woman from Victoria. Posted 22 July 2021 via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. TGA links deaths of 44yo Tasmanian man and 48yo Victorian woman to AstraZeneca vaccine

6. A 44-year old man from Tasmania. Posted 22 July 2021 via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. TGA links deaths of 44yo Tasmanian man and 48yo Victorian woman to AstraZeneca vaccine