British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has made the admission in court documents that its Covid-19 vaccine can cause a rare side effect known as Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS). Court documents state that this condition may, in rare cases, result from the Covishield vaccine, which was developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and is produced by the Serum Institute of India. Covishield was extensively administered to Indians during the waves of Covid-19.
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Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) refers to the clot in blood vessels, and it occurs in very rare cases, following the use of certain types of vaccines, according to medical expert Dr Rajeev Jayadevan who was quoted by ANI. “TTS is thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, which is basically clot in blood vessels of the brain or elsewhere, along with a low platelet count. It is known to occur in very rare instances following certain types of vaccines and also from other causes. According to the WHO, adenovirus vector vaccines in particular have been rarely associated with this condition,” he told ANI. The World Health Organization has flagged the condition as rare but serious and life-threatening.
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Condition observed in many
Notably in 2023, WHO said in its report that TTS emerged as a new adverse event following immunisation in individuals vaccinated with COVID-19 non-replicant adenovirus vector-based vaccines. According to several UK media reports, AstraZeneca has made the admission in court documents in connection with a case that alleges that the vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, caused death and serious injury in dozens of cases.
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The Center for Diseases Control (CDC) has classified TTS into 2 tiers: Tier 1 > Blood clots in rare areas like the brain or gut, along with in common areas like lungs and legs. > Platelet count will be less than 1.5 lakh per microlitre > Positive anti-PF4 ELISA result can be done, but not required for diagnosis Tier 2 > Blood clot in more common areas like legs and lungs > Low platelet count (less than 1.5 lakh per microlitre) > Positive anti-PF4 ELISA result is required
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In addition to easy bruising or small blood spots under the skin beyond the injection site, symptoms may include severe or ongoing headaches, blurred vision, shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling, and persistent abdominal pain.
