AstraZeneca and thrombosis, vaccine stop in Austria: today’s news

AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine will no longer be used in Austria. This was announced by the Minister of Health, Wolfgang Mueckstein, motivating the decision with delays in deliveries by the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company and with the fears aroused in the population by the rare side effects of serum, including thrombosis. Austria thus becomes the third European country, after Norway and Denmark, to cancel AstraZeneca from its vaccination campaign. “We will probably continue to do the first doses with AstraZeneca until early June and then it will be discontinued,” Mueckstein told private TV ‘Puls 24’. The minister specified that people who have been given the first dose of AstraZeneca will receive the second dose of the same vaccine, with subsequent doses being decided by health authorities. Mueckstein insisted that AstraZeneca is “safe”, explaining that the The decision to stop administration is linked to the “bad press” of the vaccine and to the “delivery problems”. Vaccines and thrombosis risk, the study The rare cases of thrombosis found after the Covid vaccine can be cured. This was suggested, in an article published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, by the scientists of the General Hospital of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna according to which the serious side effect – which in Italy was reported in 34 people vaccinated with Astrazeneca , while in the United States in 8 immunized with Johnson & Johnson – could be prevented thanks to a fast therapy based on non-heparin anticoagulants, high-dose immunoglobulins and prednisolone. The team, led by coagulation specialist Paul Knöbl, successfully treated a 62-year-old patient who, following the inoculation of ChAdOx1, the AstraZeneca vaccine, had developed vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia, or VITT. VITT is most likely caused by a defective immune response, producing thrombocyte activating antibodies resulting in thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) and thrombosis. The mortality rate in VITT is high (40-50%) and the syndrome requires immediate and appropriate treatment. The patient, who came to the emergency room because of some skin spots and hematomas, showed “thrombocytopenia, low levels of fibrinogen, high D-dimer and positive immunoassay for platelet factor 4. All indications of a developing thrombosis” Knöbl explained that the doctors acted quickly and the patient responded immediately to treatment with a high dose of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin, cortisone and specific anticoagulants, in order to prevent thrombosis. Immunoglobulin concentrates contain antibodies that can block the misdirected immune response. The usual heparin-based preparations, the experts point out, should not be used to prevent clotting, as they can trigger thrombosis or aggravate it. “In this case, we were able to describe for the first time the effectiveness of a potentially life-saving treatment strategy for vaccine-induced thrombosis, “explained Knöbl, stressing that” this experience could be of great help in the treatment of other patients with similar conditions. “AstraZeneca in Italy ” AstraZeneca continues to distribute, now they will come to weekend 400 thousand doses and then at the end of the month we will still have 1,750,000 at national level ”, said the special commissioner for the Covid emergency, Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, during the visit to the Nelson Mandela Forum vaccination center in Florence. Anglo-Swedish, which ended up in the spotlight for rare reported cases of thrombosis and recommended in Italy to over 60s, in recent days it has risen or in the limelight for the initiative of the Lazio region. On Saturday and Sunday thousands of people queued to receive the first dose reserved for over 40s. In summer, the second dose will be given (between the end of July and the beginning of August) which has always been regularly fixed for those who have also received the first in the last few months. “Given the success it has been, the very simple access modalities and also the very small queues, we will repeat it during every weekend. Next weekend will be again for the over 40s. Then, gradually, we will also go down on the other bands in a manner consistent with the regional and national programming. For the high school students we are thinking of making an ad hoc one around 2 June, the Republic Day “, said the Lazio councilor for Welfare. , Alessio D’Amato. In short, the skepticism of many citizens seems like a memory. A similar initiative is looming in Sicily: From tomorrow, for three days, over 40s will be able to get vaccinated with AstraZeneca in all the hubs of the island, even without a reservation. The initiative of the Musumeci junta aims to immunize the majority of people who voluntarily accept the Anglo-Swedish drug. Aifa, moreover, through the words of President Giorgio Palù recently recalled that “there has never been a prohibition “on the administration of AstraZeneca in the under 60s. The European Medicines Agency” Ema has not placed any restrictions on age, while Aifa has only given an indication for preferential use to the over 60s. it is so “. THE LIE It is always useful to refer to the package leaflet, updated after rare thrombosis cases in Europe. In the sheet on the Aifa website (here the Pdf), which indicates 18 years as the minimum age limit for administration, the paragraph ‘Blood disorders’ reads: “Very rare blood clots, often in unusual sites (for eg brain, intestine, liver, spleen), in association with low blood platelet levels, in some cases accompanied by bleeding, have been observed after vaccination with Vaxzevria (the new name of the drug, ed). This condition included cases severe with blood clots at different or unusual sites as well as excessive clotting or bleeding throughout the body. Most of these cases occurred in the first fourteen days after vaccination and mainly occurred in women under 60 years of age . In some cases this condition has resulted in death. “The section on ‘Possible side effects’ reads again:” Like all medicines, this vaccine can cause side effects, although it does not all people manifest them. If you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. Get urgent medical attention if you experience symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. These reactions may include a combination of any of the following symptoms: – feeling faint or lightheaded – changes in heartbeat – shortness of breath – wheezing – swelling of the lips, face or throat – hives or rash – nausea or vomiting – stomach pain The following side effects may occur with Vaxzevria: Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people) – tenderness, pain, warmth, itching or bruising where the injection is given – feeling tired (fatigue) ) or general ill feeling – chills or feverish feeling – headache – feeling sick (nausea) – joint pain or muscle pain Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people) – swelling or redness where it is used injection – fever (> 38 ° C) – being sick (vomiting) or diarrhea – low blood platelet levels Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people) – sleepiness or feeling dizzy – decreased appetite – swollen lymph nodes – excessive sweating, itching or rash Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people) – blood clots often in unusual sites (eg. brain, intestine, liver, spleen), associated with low levels of platelets in the blood “.