Does the AstraZeneca COVID -19 vaccine cause blood Clots?

You should also have to understand that this clotting occurs also without the drug. If all the vaccinations cause clotting we would have seen it right away.

Now, let's come to the question " Is there anything with some of the vaccines, or with this specific batch?"

That is currently under investigation. What I know right now is it does not look like this is the cause. And what we also need to understand is that COVID-19, the disease obviously also induces clotting of the Blood.

And this risk is much higher than we can estimate. From the understanding I have, I do not think that there is a massive effect of the vaccine on the clotting system.

"Is it unusual for a vaccine, like AstraZeneca, to have side effects?'

Vaccines have these short-term side effects. So, if you have received a flu shot, for example. Now, you have the pain in your arm. You may have so called "flu-like" symptoms. So I think it's showing  that the body is reacting to the vaccine.

"Why not just swap the AstraZeneca vaccine for other ones instead?"

Well, if you would have so many options to choose for corona vaccine or a lot of vaccines are available, obviously that would be very easy: " Ok, just wait, put that one on the hold, we will just use another one."

And then you know that the Johnson & Johnson {one} is coming out and maybe Sputnik will be approved. And so we will have more vaccines available in the future, right now , we do not.

Unfortunately, it is a race of vaccines against the mutation of Coronavirus, which is normal biological process.

But if we are really able to vaccinate people as quickly as possible, ideally on the global level, then and only then we can win the race, that we are faster than the virus.

"What does this mean for the  pandemic timeline?"

I think it will affect the programs. That started when there were concerns about data in the 65 years and older people saying that we just do not have enough data whether the vaccine is effective.

So, we lost several weeks there before we got the date from Scotland and the United Kingdom. And that clearly showed that this vaccine is very effective. And there was a certain reservation from the public to say, like, " I do not want that drug." And so that's why pretty much that drug was not as much used as it could have been.

So, yes, we are losing time and obviously, these new news stories, or reports, of the side effects will not help. It will really put a break on the programs. And we have to probably use more weeks to get everyone vaccinated that would like to be vaccinated. 

" Would you say the decision to halt the AstraZeneca vaccine was the right one?'

Yes, it was a good decision to halt the AstraZeneca vaccine and other countries are also vaccinating too and they are evaluating that data whether there is any report of clotting, or any side effects. And if there are any doubts then the vaccines will not be given out to the people anymore, for a specific time period until it has been clarified.

We should not have forgotten that millions of people have received AstraZeneca vaccine and only very very few reported very serious and who have reported they are under investigation.

Whether they are actually casually link able to the AstraZeneca vaccine or not.

It shows that the scientific system is working.

Peace.