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While many individuals experienced only mild symptoms and recuperated swiftly, some cases were more severe, resulting in eight fatalities.
The findings of this research were published in the most recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The presence of PF4 prompts the immune system to create antibodies that lead to blood clotting, posing a risk of serious harm or even death.
By establishing this connection, researchers are optimistic about developing vaccines that circumvent this uncommon side effect.
“This discovery fills the gap in understanding how a typical immune reaction can occasionally become detrimental,” explained Dr. Jing Jing Wang of Flinders University.
“By modifying or removing this specific adenovirus protein, future vaccines can avoid this extremely rare reaction while continuing to provide strong protection against disease.”
Symptoms of thrombosis included severe headache, blurred vision or shortness of breath, with these occurring from four to 42 days after receiving the first dose of the vaccine.
This is because younger people have a higher risk of producing a stronger antibody response and developing severe blood clots.
Despite this, many people below 60 years old received at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to shortages of the Pfizer vaccine amid the push to reach certain vaccination targets and lift lockdown restrictions during the pandemic.
The AstraZeneca vaccine hasn’t been available in Australia since 2023.
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