“Now we can tell, it is clear that there is a link with the vaccine.“This is what Marco Cavaleri, head of vaccine strategy at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said about thrombosis and the AstraZeneca vaccine, in an interview with the Italian daily Il Messaggero published this April 6.

Understanding the causes

“What causes this reaction, however, we don’t know yet.“, he added, specifying that it was still necessary”understand how this happens “.

“We are trying to get a precise picture of what is happening, to define precisely this syndrome due to the vaccine (…) Among the vaccinated people, there is a number of cases of cerebral thrombosis in young people higher than this. what we would expect. This we will have to say“, said the official again.

One death for 2.5 million vaccinated

For several weeks, suspicions have indeed appeared on possible serious side effects, but rare, after the observation in people vaccinated with AstraZeneca of cases of atypical thrombosis.

Dozens of cases have already been identified, several of which have resulted in death. The incidence estimated to date is one death from thrombosis per 2.5 million vaccinated.

The vaccine remains safe

The EMA had announced on March 18 that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine continued to outweigh the risks and that its use remained safe, after the suspension of injections by several countries.

The agency had explained, however, that there was a possible link to rare cases of blood clots, and that it would release updated advice at its safety committee meeting this week.

An EMA conclusion expected this week

Following the publication of this interview, the EMA said it is still evaluating whether the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine is linked to the formation of rare blood clots.

The agency’s security committee “has not yet reached a conclusion and the review is currently underway“, she said, adding that a decision on this subject should be announced Wednesday or Thursday.