Officials to keep tabs on side effects of AstraZeneca vaccine - Free Malaysia Today

PUTRAJAYA: The health ministry will be monitoring for side effects among those who receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, a ministry official said yesterday.

Dr Kalaiarasu M Periasamy, who heads a sub-committee to select Covid-19 vaccines, said 21.6 million people worldwide had received the AstraZeneca vaccine jab and only 168 cases of thrombosis (blood clots) were detected since March.

“This is a very small number compared to the number of vaccine doses,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

“In fact, there is no evidence” (linking the vaccine to the blood clots) even though (the problem) had been voiced by the European Medicines Agency, he said at a media briefing.

The government has announced that the AstraZeneca vaccine would be given to those over 60 in the second phase of the immunisation campaign. People below 60 would not receive the vaccine because of possible blood clot problems.

Infectious disease physician Dr Benedict Sim said vaccine recipients should refer to any hospital if they experience side effects within four to 14 days, despite having taken painkillers.

Among the symptoms of side effects are severe headache, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting as well as shortness of breath.

The ministry’s deputy director-general, Dr Hishamshah Mohd Ibrahim, said “people’s confidence (regarding the use of vaccines) must be ensured”. They should be told that any side effects, such as blood clots, are a rare occurrence.

“We will monitor the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to see what side effects occur,” he said.

According to media reports, the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed by Oxford University, has 76% effectiveness against symptomatic infections for three months after the first dose. The effectiveness is expected to increase if the recipient is given a second dose.

Malaysia received 268,800 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine through the Covax facility last Saturday.