A report submitted by the National AEFI (Adverse Event Following Immunisation) Committee, on Monday, said that bleeding and clotting cases following the COVID-19 vaccination in India are ‘minuscule’. The report further stated that it is in line with the expected number of diagnoses of the adverse effects in India.

This report comes after concerns were voiced in some countries on post-vaccination “embolic and thrombotic events” on March 11, 2021, particularly with AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine (Covishield in India).

According to the AEFI data, the reported cases in India are around 0.61 cases/million doses, which is much lower than the 4 cases/million reported by UK’s MHRA.

Based on this, the MOHFW has separately issued advisories to Healthcare Workers and Vaccine Beneficiaries to spread awareness about the symptoms of thromboembolic. These symptoms usually occur within 20 days of receiving the vaccine.

* Breathlessness

* Pain in chest

* Pain in limbs/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 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

The study reviewed 498 serious and severe events, out of which 26 cases were reported to be potential thromboembolic in nature.

“The National AEFI committee noted that as of April 3, 2021, 75,435,381 vaccine doses had been administered (Covishield – 68,650,819; Covaxin – 6,784,562),” the report stated.

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Out of which, 65,944,106 were first doses and 9,491,275 were the second dose. Since the vaccination drive started in India, more than 23,000 adverse events were reported. Of these, only 700 cases (@ 9.3 cases /million doses administered) were reported to be “serious and severe nature”.

According to the report, over 13.4 crore doses of the Covishield vaccine have been administered as of April 27, 2021 in India.