Coronavirus: Vaccination

(asked on 9th June 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to (a) pages 22 to 23 of Public Health England's COVID-19 - SARS-CoV-2 Green Book Chapter 14a, published on 7 May 2021, and (b) the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's Information for Healthcare Professionals on COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, 4.4, published on 15 April 2021, whether he has made an assessment of whether (i) previous experience of thrombosis and (ii) the presence of thrombophilia such as antiphospholipid syndrome should be treated as contraindications for (A) Pfizer/BioNTech, (B) Oxford/AstraZeneca, (C) Moderna and (D) Janssen Covid-19 vaccination in relation to risks of vaccine–induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 24th June 2021

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has undertaken a thorough review into reports of an extremely rare specific type of blood clot in the brain in the United Kingdom, following vaccination with the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. It is also considering other types of blood clots alongside low platelet levels. No risk factors for this unusual type of clotting disorder have been identified although the MHRA is continuing to monitor the emerging data.

There is no evidence those with a history of common types of thrombosis are more at risk of developing rare blood clots with low platelets after vaccination. Therefore, the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in individuals with a history of these conditions is not currently a contraindication. Individuals with past clotting episodes without low platelets and those diagnosed with thrombophilia remain at risk of COVID-19 disease and should be vaccinated with any of the available vaccines. However, as a precautionary measure, administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine in patients with a history of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis or antiphospholipid syndrome should only be considered when the benefit outweighs any potential risks and use is contraindicated in those who have experienced major clots with low platelets after any COVID-19 vaccine or after exposure to heparin.

These rare events have also been reported in other countries with the Janssen vaccine. However, no predisposing risk factors have been identified. The available evidence does not suggest an increased risk of these rare events following administration of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.

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