Australians cancelling second AstraZeneca shots
Due to concerns over the rare blood clots linked to the AstraZeneca jab, people are now hesitant to take the second dose.
CAPE TOWN, June 22 (ANA) – Australian officials are urging people to take their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine after doctors reported a surge in the number of vaccine appointment cancellations.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), a Singapore-based broadcaster, many locals received their first jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine when the country initially rolled out its nationwide campaign. However, due to concerns over the rare blood clots linked to the jab, people are now hesitant to take the second dose.
Last week, officials raised the recommended age for receiving the AstraZeneca jab from 50 to 60 after the death of a 52-year-old woman who died from a rare blood clot.
“It is a very effective vaccine, the risk of this very rare side effect is extremely rare… So please, we are not mixing and matching vaccines at this point,” Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said in a press conference.
Following the death of the New South Wales woman, Kelly added that she had received her vaccine weeks ago and that it was only the second death, from over 3.6 million doses of the vaccine administered.
ABC News reported that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) had not provided further details on whether the woman had underlying medical conditions and that they were now breaking down cases of clots into two “tiers”, with one being a more severe form of clotting.
“So we now have 15 cases either confirmed or probably that are a very serious clotting event,” said Kelly.
“So again, 15 out of 3.6 million doses, so extremely rare,” he said.
Meanwhile, with the country’s low infection numbers, locals are not in a rush to get vaccinated and those under-60 are advised to get the Pfizer jab.
To date, just 3% of Australian adults have been fully vaccinated, with nearly 25% having received just the first shot.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher