While the matter is investigated more thoroughly, the MHRA hold the stance that current evidence “does not confirm that the vaccine is the cause” of the blood clot. So what are the official side effects of the jab? Appearing on BBC One today, Dr Sarah Jarvis said: “People have blood clots all the time.” Discussing the AstraZeneca vaccine, the GP mentioned there have been around 30 blood clots worldwide, while there’s been about 10 million of the doses given in the UK.
The above side effects are said to affect more than one in 10 people. In addition, other common side effects – affecting up to one in 10 – can include:
- Swelling, redness or a lump at the injection site
- Fever
- Being sick (vomiting) or diarrhoea
- Flu-like symptoms, such as high temperature, sore throat, runny nose, cough and chills
Less common side effects of the jab, affecting up to one in 100 people, are:
- Feeling dizzy
- Decreased appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Excessive sweating, itchy skin or rash
Some people may have a severe allergic reaction to the jab, known as anaphylaxis.
Other side effects, not mentioned above, can be reported to the MHRA Yellow Card.
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Regarding the blood clot investigation, MHRA said: “Vaccine safety is of paramount importance.
“We continually monitor the safety of vaccines to ensure that the benefits outweigh any potential risks.
“It has not been confirmed that the report of a blood clot, in Denmark, was caused by the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca.
“Reports of blood clots received so far are not greater than the number that would have occurred naturally in the vaccinated population.”
As the vaccination roll-out programme continues in the UK, Dr Jarvis is hoping that the workload will be spread out more evenly with GPs.
Until now, about 70 percent of the work has been dedicated to helping out the vaccination programme, meaning other work, involving other conditions, have been getting less attention.
“We have got concerns,” said Dr Jarvis, but she hopes that as younger people are targeted for vaccines, they’re more likely to travel to get their jabs.
“More younger people can travel to local pharmacies, rather than GPs,” she said.