The National Public Health Emergency is set to meet today to discuss the latest findings from the European Medicines Agency regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The EMA safety committee concluded on Wednesday that “unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as very rare side effects” of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
The health body said most of the cases of blood clots reported have occurred in women under 60 within two weeks of vaccination with the AstraZeneca jab, but that no specific risk factors had been identified based on current evidence.
It comes as the UK this week moved to stop using the vaccine on people aged under 30 who will instead be offered Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly discussed the issue at a meeting with his EU counterparts and he is expected to review the position with the deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn on Thursday morning.
Following a review of all available evidence, the EMA's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) said the blood clots reported had been found in veins in the brain, the abdomen and arteries, combined with low levels of blood platelets and sometimes bleeding.
The EMA said symptoms associated with the blood clots include shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling in the leg, persistent abdominal pain, severe headaches, blurred vision and tiny blood spots under the skin beyond the area where the injection was administered, and anyone who displayed them should seek medical attention.
The committee carried out an in-depth review of 62 cases of clots in the brain and 24 cases of clots in the abdomen as of March 22, with 18 of the combined cases proving fatal.
They came from reporting systems in the European Economic Area and the UK, from around 25 million people who had received the vaccine.
EMA officials reiterated that the AstraZeneca vaccine had been “proven to be highly effective” and that vaccination as a whole is “extremely important” in the fight against Covid-19.
It comes as Ireland's vaccine rollout continues to ramp up offering hope for a return to normality soon.
Yesterday the HSE confirmed people aged between 65-69 years can register to get their Covid-19 vaccine from April 19th and will begin to receive their jabs from that week.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the national portal for the general public will go live in two weeks.
HSE boss Paul Reid said once those aged between 65-69 register, they will receive a text confirming what centre they will go to for vaccination.
He said these vaccinations will primarily be carried out at one of the vaccination centres.
Mr Reid said there will be some public communications released in advance of the portal going live to explain how the system will work.
Mr Reid said from that same week, those aged between 65-69 will also start to be inoculated.
