Covishield: Probability of thrombosis in India is ‘0.000003%’, says government official

Earlier, AstraZeneca had admitted that Covishield has the potential to cause a rare side effect called TTS (thrombocytopenia syndrome). The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said it has begun a global recall of its COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxjavria. TTS is a rare condition in which small blood clots suddenly form throughout the body, leading to a deficiency of platelets.

Reports indicate that around 180 crore doses of Covishield vaccine were administered across the country during the vaccination programme. However, only about 80,000 adverse effects were reported, 98% of which involved mild local reactions such as fever and injection site swelling.

“Broadly speaking, the probability of TTS with Covishield in India was 0.000003 per cent, while the risk globally was 0.0004 per cent,” the government official told the news portal on condition of anonymity.

The official further said that the vaccine does not show any long-term effects on the human body.

He said, if any such side effect occurs, it will probably appear only during the initial doses.

“However, if it has not occurred by then, it is impossible for it to occur later while ensuring your safety,” the official said. news18Adding: “There is no reason to doubt the efficacy of the vaccine or to anticipate any future adverse events.”

The official further said that the incidence of side effects was low in India because the genetic makeup of South Asians makes them less likely to develop thrombotic and thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) compared to the genetic makeup of other populations in Europe and other continents.

Asked whether the low rate of side effects could be due to under-reporting, the official said, “In general, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the minimal risk of harm. “Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, India is continuously monitoring emerging signs of damage.”

Meanwhile, Serum Institute of India, the manufacturer of Covishield (a copy of Vaxjavria), has said that “all uncommon to extremely rare side effects”, including TTS, were fully disclosed in the packaging of its product.

“We fully understand the ongoing concerns and it is important to emphasize our commitment to transparency and security. “Since inception, we have disclosed all rare to very rare side effects, including thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, in the packaging insert in 2021,” SII said in a statement.

The company further said that it stopped manufacturing additional doses of Covishield in India in December 2021.

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Published: 09 May 2024, 05:18 PM IST