Alberta reports AstraZeneca-linked blood clot in male patient

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The risk of dying from COVID-19 far outweighs the risk of developing a blood clot after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, the province’s top doctor said as Alberta confirmed Canada’s second case of an AstraZeneca-linked blood clot.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said on Saturday a male in his 60s was receiving treatment for a rare blood clot disorder, called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.

These blood clots are “extremely rare,” stressed Hinshaw, who is urging Albertans to continue to get vaccinated to protect against COVID-19.

“The global frequency of VITT has been estimated at approximately one case in 100,000 to 250,000 doses of vaccine,” she said. “In comparison, Albertans 55 and older who are diagnosed with COVID-19 have a one-in-200 chance of dying from that infection. They are also at least 1,500 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 than experiencing VITT after getting AstraZeneca.”

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This is only the second reported case of VITT in Canada out of more than 700,000 doses of AstraZeneca or CoviSHIELD/AstraZeneca. This means just 0.0003 per cent of AstraZeneca vaccine recipients in Canada have experienced the reaction.

The first case of an AstraZeneca-linked blood clot was confirmed in a Quebec woman on Tuesday.

Hinshaw said the likelihood of developing a blood clot from this vaccine is “much smaller” than the risk from medication such as birth control or ibuprofen, but the novelty of it can result in heightened concern.

“The key goal is to make sure people understand how seriously we take vaccine safety,” she said. “Ultimately, I want to reiterate, I think the more people feel that they are being convinced against their will — that’s not helpful. What we’re trying to do is make sure people understand we’re not hiding anything, we’re being transparent, we’re offering this information as soon as we have it.”

Hinshaw said the risks of receiving this vaccine, as previously communicated, remain unchanged.

As of Friday, Alberta Health expanded eligibility for the AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone over age 55.

Hinshaw is recommending eligible Albertans, aged 55 and older, get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and others.

“If I were in this age category, I would get this vaccine,” said Hinshaw.

“AstraZeneca’s first dose reduces infection by 60 to 70 per cent and reduces hospitalizations by 80 per cent. As cases rise in Alberta, this vaccine provides significant benefits to those who receive it by offering a high level of protection against infection and severe outcomes from COVID-19.”

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But concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccine have hampered the willingness of Albertans to get immunized. Only a fraction of the province’s recent supply — about 24 per cent of 175,400 doses — has been administered.

Hinshaw said health officials are in discussion about expanding age group eligibility for the AstraZeneca vaccine. “We recognize the urgency of this,” she said, but no decisions have been made.

Individuals who are eligible for but decline the AstraZeneca vaccine are “accepting a very high risk,” warned Hinshaw, as cases of COVID-19 and variants of concern continue to spike in Alberta. People aged 55 and over are more likely to suffer adverse reactions if infected with the virus, she added.

Another 1,486 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Alberta on Saturday, bringing the active case count to 17,307.

Of the new cases, 955 are variants of concern.

Hinshaw said as cases continue to mount, the impact on the provincial health system could be dire.

“I think we can look no further than our own experience in November and December and that was before we had variants as our dominant strain,” she said. “The rise in cases was followed by a rise in hospitalizations and ICU admissions that unfortunately led to the delay and cancellation of other procedures that had otherwise been booked for people with other medical conditions.”

The province’s COVID-19 death toll has risen by three to 2,037.

There were 445 people in hospital, 94 of whom were in ICU.

alsmith@postmedia.com

Twitter: @alanna_smithh