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Dr Amir Khan details signs of a blood clot as he dispels fears over Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine
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Dr Amir Khan has described the signs of a blood clot, as he dispelled fears over the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
The jab has been linked to 79 cases of blood clots and 19 deaths out of the 20 million people who have been given the jab across the UK, with UK regulators suggesting that people under 30 should be given the Pfizer or Morderna injections instead to ward against coronavirus.
Appearing on Lorraine, Dr Amir helpfully shared what the symptoms of a rare blood clot are in different areas of the body.
‘It depends on where the clot is, so if it’s that very rare one that’s in your brain, the signs are a headache that persists beyond four days of the vaccine and blurred vision,’ he told Cat Deeley, who is standing for Lorraine.
‘If it’s in your lungs, you could get shortness of breath and perhaps even chest pains. If it’s in your leg or arm, you could get swelling or redness around that area.
‘And it’s very rare but a clot in your tummy, you could get a swollen tummy and increased abdominal pain.
‘So if you get any of those symptoms beyond four days of the vaccine, you should seek medical help.’
The health expert also emphasised that the risk of clots is ‘incredibly low’ – stating that there are side effects from any vaccine.
‘At the same time, it’s important to know that after any vaccines, including these ones, it’s very common to get side effects such as sore arms, sore muscles, headaches,’ he continued.
‘It’s only if it persists beyond four days, you should contact your GP.
‘The risk of clots from the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine remain incredibly low.’
‘You’ve got to remember that this vaccine has so far saved thousands of lives, it’s kept people out of hospital,’ Dr Amir added. ‘We’ve seen the prevalence of coronavirus cases in the UK come down quite significantly.
‘60% between February and March and much of that is because of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
‘For the vast majority of people over 30, the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine remains safe and will keep you safe from coronavirus.’
Dr Amir’s message comes after UK regulators announced the suggestion to give under-30s the Pfizer or Moderna jab, on Wednesday.
Executive director Emer Cooke told a Brussels press briefing: ‘Covid-19 is a very serious disease with high hospitalisation and death rates and every day Covid is still causing thousands of deaths across the EU.
‘This vaccine has proven to be highly effective – it prevents severe disease and hospitalisation, and it is saving lives.
‘Vaccination is extremely important in helping us in the fight against Covid-19 and we need to use the vaccines we have to protect us from the devastating effects.
‘The PRAC, after a very in-depth analysis, has concluded that the reported cases of unusual blood clotting following vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine should be listed as possible side effects of the vaccine.’
Lorraine continues on weekday mornings, at 9am, on ITV.
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