By Chris Brown

covid cases surging amongst young people

Hinshaw says blood clots from AstraZeneca vaccine rare

Apr 15, 2021 | 7:58 PM

After announcing the highest new daily case count in more than four months on Thursday (1,646 cases), the province’s top doctor continued to urge Albertans to do what they can to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the province.

“As I’ve said before, we are seeing a sharp rise in cases among younger Albertans in this third wave along with all other age groups,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw said. “The best thing we can all do to reduce cases in schools and in all other settings is to stop this virus from spreading in our communities. We all need to help reduce transmission.”

The chief medical officer of health also sought to quell lingering fears about the AstraZeneca vaccine and the potential for blood clots. The Public health agency of Canada is calling them Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT).

She said VITT is treatable and encouraged everyone who gets the vaccine to be aware of the symptoms such as severe and persistent headaches or abdominal pain in the four weeks following vaccination.

She said the blood clots are rare, saying the 20.2 million doses given up to the end of March in the U.K resulted in only 79 blood-clotting events.

Prevention, Access, Recovery, and Coordination

Safe Harbour officially hands over shelter keys, establishes accessible navigation hub

15h ago

lacombe and sylvan lake

December 2025 (un)employment data released for Alberta sub-regions

16h ago

21 years with WCPS

Darcy Blum appointed principal of Lacombe Outreach School

17h ago

“So far there has been one confirmed case in Canada, and none in Alberta,” Hinshaw said.

She said all Albertans aged 55-64 are eligible for the vaccine.

She said those Albertans “are at least 1,500 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 than experience VITT after getting AstraZeneca.”

“While not getting vaccinated may feel like a way to protect your health by avoiding the rare risk of a blood clot following vaccine, waiting can actually increase your risk of getting sick or worse,” said Hinshaw.

The first dose reduces infection by 60-70 per cent and hospitalizations by 80 per cent, including against the dominant B.1.1.7 variant.

(CHAT News Today)