Medicines watchdog investigate first Irish case of blood clot linked to AstraZeneca jab

The HPRA is investigating a clot thought to be linked to a woman who received the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The HPRA has confirmed it is investigating the first brain clot in a woman who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

The country’s medicines watchdog said it can confirm that it has received a case of interest, associated with the vaccine, which describes an usual clot in the brain known as CVST.

"We are following up on this report to obtain additional details and to evaluate if it is consistent with the profile of rare blood clotting events that were the focus of the recently concluded EMA safety review,” the HPRA said in a statement.

"This report will be notified to the EU’s safety database and will be considered in the context of continuous monitoring coordinated by the EMA."

"Due to confidentiality reasons, the HPRA will not be making any further comments on this case."

It is understood the case is that of a 40 year old woman in Dublin who is currently being treated in the Mater Hospital.

The woman has been successfully treated and will be released in the coming days, it is understood.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) is meeting this week to review the issue of clots from AstraZeneca.

Earlier today, Dr Mary Favier, former President of the Irish College of GPs (ICGP) and member of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) said “hands down” it was safer to take the vaccine than risk Covid-19.

Dr Favier said there was “a remote possibility” that AstraZeneca would not be approved for young women at a later stage, but by the time that cohort would be eligible for vaccination in Ireland, it would be late summer and much more would be known by then.