WhatsApp Message on Coronavirus Vaccine: Indian Government Responds on Covishield Causing Clots, Lists Blood Clot Symptoms

WhatsApp message on Coronavirus vaccine Covishield causing clots seems to have caused mild panic amongst citizens who have opted for the vaccine. The Indian Government has responded to these concerns by saying that bleeding and clotting events following the COVID vaccine Covishield have been minuscule in India. The government has also issued blood clot symptoms that need to be reported to the vaccination centre within 20 days of taking the Covishield vaccine.

A viral WhatsApp message from Padma Shree Dr KK Agarwal says that people have reported clots being formed after getting vaccinated with Covishield, and have also reported heart attacks. The doctor had advised people to check their CRP levels prior to taking the Covishield vaccination. However, there were no potential thromboembolic events reported following administration of the Covaxin vaccine.

The National Adverse Event Following Immunization has completed an in-depth case review of 498 serious and severe events, of which 26 cases have been reported to be potential thromboembolic events, which means the formation of a clot in a blood vessel that might also break loose and carried by the bloodstream to plug another vessel events – following the administration of Covishield vaccine – with a reporting rate of 0.61 cases/ million doses. Out of 75,435,381 doses administered so far, AEFI says 700 cases, which amounts to 9.3 cases per million doses administered, were reported to be serious and severe in nature.

“AEFI data in India showed that there is a very minuscule but definitive risk of thromboembolic events. The reporting rate of these events in India is around 0.61/million doses, which is much lower than the 4 cases/million reported by UK’s regulator Medical and Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA). Germany has reported 10 events per million doses,” said a PIB release.

Blood Clots Symptoms that Need to be Reported Within 20 Days of Taking Covishield

• Breathlessness.
• Pain in chest.
• Pain in limbs or pain on pressing limbs or swelling in limbs (arm or calf).
• Multiple, pinhead size red spots or bruising of skin in an area beyond the injection site.
• Persistent abdominal pain with or without vomiting.
• Seizures in the absence of previous history of seizures with or without vomiting.
• Severe and persistent headache with or without vomiting (in the absence of previous history of migraine or chronic headache).
• Weakness/paralysis of limbs or any particular side or part of the body (including face).
• Persistent vomiting without any obvious reason.
• Blurred vision or pain in the eyes or having double vision.
• Change in mental status or having confusion or depressed level of consciousness.
• Any other symptom or health condition which is of concern to the recipient or the family.