Man, 44, and woman, 48, die after AstraZeneca vaccine
A Victorian woman under the recommended age to get the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has died from its extremely rare blood clotting condition.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration says it was notified this week the 48-year-old woman suffered confirmed thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) and died after receiving her first dose.
A 44-year-old man from Tasmania suffered the same fate. He is the youngest Australian to die from TTS stemming the AstraZeneca jab.
"We extend our sincere condolences to their families and loved ones," the national medicines regulator wrote in its weekly safety report on Thursday.
The Victorian woman's case was reported as probable TTS last week.
The two new confirmed TTS deaths take the total to
five in Australia from more than 6.1 million AstraZeneca doses. They include four women, two aged 48, and the others aged 52 and 72. The other death is the 44-year-old man.
All are linked to people having their first dose.
While acknowledging the deaths were tragic, Victoria's acting chief health officer Ben Cowie emphasised the vaccine's low mortality rate.
"It is one in a million," he told reporters on Thursday.
"One is too many, but what we are trying to achieve is a balance between that rare but serious side effect and the absolute fundamental good that is vaccinating our community against Covid-19."
My comment: Blood clotting is 100% linked to AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. There are other deaths due to other side-effects of the vaccine. Even ignoring the deaths due to other side-effects of the vaccine. More Australians have been killed by the vaccine than by the virus.