Media release – Dr Scott McKeown, Acting Director of Public Health & Dale Webster, Commander Vaccination Emergency Operations Centre, 6 May 2021
Suspected case of rare thrombosis syndrome investigated
The Tasmanian Department of Health has convened an expert alert advisory panel to review a case of suspected thrombosis with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (TTS) following vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
The patient, a 70-year old man, reported symptoms 7 days after receiving the vaccine. He is currently in hospital receiving treatment and remains in a stable condition.
Information about the case was notified to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for assessment, including to determine whether the case is linked to vaccination. The TGA has today confirmed that this case (together with 4 cases from other states) has been assessed as TTS, likely to be linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Further information is available at TGA COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report 06-05-21.
I want to reassure Tasmanians that vaccination remains the best way to protect against severe illness and death from COVID-19 and is a core element of the pandemic response.
TTS is rare, newly described and has been linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Australian immunisation experts report that the overall rate of this rare syndrome is about 6 per million people vaccinated.
In people aged 50 years and over, the benefits of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the rare risks associated with vaccination. This is due to the lower risk of the syndrome and the increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes in those over 50 years of age. People who have received a first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine without serious adverse events can be given a second dose, regardless of age.
This syndrome is different from more common blood clots, including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and blocked arteries, which do not appear to be caused by COVID-19 vaccines.
Adverse events and serious reactions after any vaccination are reported to the Tasmanian Department of Health and referred for assessment as part of national safety surveillance conducted by the TGA. This is to ensure that vaccines remain safe.
People who have received COVID-19 vaccines should be aware of the common side effects, which include fever, sore muscles, tiredness and headache. These usually start within 24 hours of vaccination and last for 1-2 days. These side effects are expected and are not of concern unless severe or persistent.
The reports of TTS have occurred later (usually between 4 and 20 days after vaccination) and have generally been severe, requiring hospitalisation. Anyone who experiences severe or persistent symptoms following vaccination should seek medical assistance.
The current national advice is that Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the preferred vaccine in those under 50 years.
We will continue to monitor the latest information locally, nationally and internationally and will provide updates as they become available.
