An Australian woman who developed blood clots just hours after getting a Covid-19 vaccine has died.
The 48-year-old, from the Lake Macquarie area in New South Wales, was given the vaccine last Friday, but developed major blood clots the next day and was put on dialysis.
Daily Mail Australia understands the woman, who was diabetic but otherwise previously in good health, was placed in an intensive care unit and died on Wednesday.
A NSW Health spokesman said the department could not confirm any link between the woman receiving the vaccine and her death.
It is not yet known whether the 48-year-old received the AstraZeneca vaccine – which has been linked to blood clots overseas – or the Pfizer vaccine.
A middle-aged New South Wales woman has died after developing blood clots following administration of the Covid-19 vaccine. Stock image
Australia had been relying on the AstraZeneca dose for the bulk of its vaccination program – but links to rare cases of blood clots in some countries has thrown the government’s rollout into disarray.
Experts in Australia now say those under 50s should be offered an alternative, while the British-made jab has been stopped altogether in Denmark.
A spokesman for NSW Health told Daily Mail Australia it ‘does not speculate on or discuss individual cases’.
‘But the death of anyone is always a tragedy and our condolences are with the family and loved ones of the person who has passed away,’ he added.
They said NSW Health was notified whenever a serious or unexpected adverse event occurred and it has since been referred to the Therapeutic Goods Association.
Daily Mail Australia understands the woman, who was diabetic but otherwise previously in good health, was placed in an intensive care unit and died yesterday. Stock image
The risk of dying from Covid-19 is significantly higher than the rate of CSVT blood clots, which have not been definitively linked to the vaccines (Based on fatality estimates from Cambridge University and CSVT occurrences in Germany)
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation advised earlier this month that people aged under 50 should not be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca jab due to the risk of blood clots.
News of the 48-year-old’s death comes on the same day Denmark announced it will be ceasing use of the AstraZeneca vaccine all together, while under 30s in the UK are already being offered alternative vaccines.
Denmark was the first country to pause the use of the AstraZeneca jab in March amid concerns about blood clots.
Several other countries followed suit though most, including Germany and France, have since resumed the use of the vaccine for older people.
Denmark has also put Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine on pause pending further investigations into a possible link to rare blood clot cases.
The European Union’s drug watchdog said last week that it had found a possible link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and very rare blood clot cases.
However it said the risk of dying from Covid-19 was ‘much greater’ than the risk of mortality from rare side effects.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is significantly cheaper than other vaccines and is easier to store as it does not require to be kept at an extremely low temperature.
The concern over clots and mixed messages surrounding the vaccine are expected to affect people’s willingness to take it.
Scott Morrison promised the whole adult population would be immunised by October, but the rollout has since been derailed by the jab’s link to blood clots.
Twenty million doses of Pfizer are on their way but no more help is on the way for younger Australians until at least October.
The prime minister said he ‘would like’ all Australians to get at least their first dose by the end of the year, but made no guarantees.
In a desperate attempt to get the stalled program back on track, he plans to create huge hubs to ramp up vaccinations.
‘NSW Health investigates these events and refers its expert panel findings to the TGA, which is responsible for assessing causality,’ a spokesman said.
‘Many conditions can arise during normal life, whether or not a vaccine is administered, but it remains important to report any new serious or unexpected events so that safety can be appropriately monitored.
‘Anyone concerned that they are experiencing a serious adverse event following vaccination should see their health care provider in the first instance or dial 000 in an emergency.’
Scott Morrison (pictured with the AstraZeneca vaccine) promised the whole adult population would be immunised by October, but the rollout has since been derailed by the jab’s link to blood clots
The 48-year-old woman, from the Central Coast, was given the vaccine last Friday, developed major blood clots and was put on dialysis the next day. Stock image