UK NEWS

Doctors warned to look for signs of stroke following Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

27 May, 2021
Oliver Down

UNN’s Oliver Down has learnt that doctors are now being told to look out for signs of strokes following the Oxford- AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. This news has emerged after three British patients were admitted to hospital and one died.

Two females in their 30s as well as a man in his 40s suffered strokes after having the vaccine. Whilst previously, concerning reports had emerged of rare blood clots from the jab. This is the first time that AstraZeneca’s vaccine has been linked to ischaemic strokes. 

Specialists at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at University College London (UCL) have stated that these vaccine-linked incidences were incredibly rare. However, these specialists have now urged doctors to be on the lookout for classic stroke symptoms in anyone who had the jab between four and 28 days ago.  

UNN’s Oliver Down understands that the first of the three patients to suffer an ischaemic stroke was a 35-year-old Asian woman who had experienced an intermittent headache on the right side and around her eyes six days after having her vaccine and later died following unsuccessful brain surgery to reduce the pressure in her skull. 

David Werring who is a professor of clinical neurology at UCL has said: ‘Although cerebral venous thrombosis – an uncommon stroke type in clinical practice – is now recognised as being the most frequent presentation of VITT, our study shows that the much more common ischaemic stroke… may also be a presenting feature of vaccine-induced thrombosis. Of course, both types of thrombosis remain extremely rare, but doctors need to be vigilant if patients present with typical stroke symptoms [such as] face, arm or leg weakness, or impaired speech – due to a blocked artery any time between days four and 28 post vaccination’.

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