The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has concluded that they are unable to rule out a possible link between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots - but will continue to recommend the vaccine for use. Blood clotting with low platelet counts will be listed as a very rare side effect of the vaccine. 

AstraZeneca vaccine could plausibly be causing blood clots, says EMA

At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, EMA executive director Emer Cooke said that they could not rule out a possible link between the vaccine and the rare blood clots found in some recipients. She said that a "plausible explanation" for the blood clotting is an immune response to the vaccine. 

The EMA examined 62 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and 24 cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis reported in the EU since March 22. 18 of these cases proved fatal. Most of the cases reported have occurred in women under the age of 60 within two weeks of vaccination.

Use of AstraZeneca should not be restricted

Nonetheless, Cooke maintained that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing severe cases of COVID-19 "overall" continue to outweigh any possible side effects. Therefore, the EMA's safety committee has decided that the AstraZeneca vaccine should continue to be used for all age groups, and those administered the vaccine should be made aware of the rare blood clots with low blood platelets being a very rare side effect. 

Last week, the German government announced that it would be halting use of the AstraZeneca jab in people under the age of 60.