AstraZenca Admits Covishield Can Cause Side-Effects

One of the most widely used Covid-19 vaccines in India is Covishield developed by AstraZeneca and produced by the Serum Institute of India. However, in the recent past, AstraZeneca was questioned regarding the efficacy of its vaccine by health experts and is facing a lawsuit in the UK claiming that its vaccines caused deaths. AstraZeneca amid the debates admitted Covishield Can Cause Side-Effects.

Around 51 cases have been filed against AstraZeneca and it has admitted that in very rare cases its vaccine can cause TTS or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia syndrome. TTS is a rare condition characterized by the sudden formation of small blood clots throughout the body, leading to a depletion of platelets. The report indicated that approximately 180 crore doses of the Covishield vaccine were administered across the country during the vaccination program. A government official attached to the nationwide vaccination program said roughly, the chances of TTS stood at 0.000003 per cent with Covishield in India, whereas globally, the risk stood at 0.0004 per cent, on condition of anonymity to the media. It is also said that the Covishield vaccine of AstraZeneca has demonstrated the lowest incidence of side effects in the country compared to the global average. Approximately 180 crore doses of the Covishield vaccine were administered across the country during the vaccination program. However, only around 80,000 incidences of adverse effects were reported, with 98% of these events involving mild local reactions such as fever and swelling at the site of injection.

To keep the situation under control and avoid creating panic in the country, government officials have stated that the advantages of vaccination far outweigh the minimal risk of harm. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, India has been consistently monitoring the emerging signs of harm.