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Doctor vows there is ‘no link’ between Oxford Covid-19 vaccine and blood clots amid fears
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Dr Amir Khan insisted there is no link between the Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots.
It was revealed that Denmark, Norway and Iceland were among the countries which have suspended the use of the Oxford jab to investigate a possible side effect of clots.
Appearing on today’s Good Morning Britain, Dr Khan explained that this was simply a ‘precautionary measure’, and that the numbers ‘don’t add up’.
Speaking to hosts Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard, he said: ‘Denmark, Norway, Iceland have paused the rollout of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine because there were some reports of blood clots in those other people who had had them.
‘The European Medicines Agency has come out very clearly to say that there is no link between the vaccine, the Oxford vaccine, and blood clots. Oxford AstraZeneca themselves have said that the vaccine went through rigorous clinical trials and this is not a known side effect.
‘And when you look at the numbers, it doesn’t really add up. 5 million people across Europe had the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, 30 of them developed blood clots. When you look at the background to that, one in 1000 people would develop blood clots anyway, without the vaccine.
‘So I do want to allay people’s concerns, there is no link between the vaccine and blood clots.’
When Kate asked about the link between coronavirus and blood clots, and whether this has sparked concern over the vaccine, the health expert emphasised that the jab has nothing to do with this.
‘The two are very separate,’ he continued. ‘Coronavirus itself can affect the way your blood clots, and increase your risk of clotting, it increases inflammation in the body which again can increase your risk of of blood clotting. However, the vaccines don’t contain coronavirus.
‘It can’t give you coronavirus by having the vaccine, and the method by which the immune system is triggered is very, very different.
‘So the two are very separate.’
The suspension of the Oxford AstraZeneca jab in Denmark comes after an Austrian woman died of ‘severe blood coagulation problems’ after taking the jab, and three more cases of blood clotting issues have been reported in the country.
Health authorities say they are ‘acting early’ to fully investigate the reports, with the European Medicines Agency announcing it had found no link between the Oxford vaccine and the woman’s death.
‘There is currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects with this vaccine,’ it said in a statement.
‘The information available so far indicates that the number of thromboembolic events in vaccinated people is no higher than that seen in the general population.
AstraZeneca said its vaccine doses are subject to strict and rigorous quality controls, and that there have been ‘no confirmed serious adverse events associated with the vaccine’.
It said it was in contact with Austrian authorities and would fully support the investigation.
Good Morning Britain continues on weekdays, at 6am, on ITV.
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