Bhubaneswar, (Orissa Today), May 1: The Odisha government moved to allay concerns among its citizens on Wednesday, stating that there is currently no evidence of Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) associated with the Covishield vaccine in the state.
Dr. Bijay Panigrahi, Director of Family Welfare and COVID Vaccination In-charge in Odisha, emphasized that given the three-week window for side effects to manifest post-vaccination and the three-year duration of the vaccination campaign, the likelihood of TTS emerging now is extremely low.
TTS is characterized by the formation of blood clots, particularly in the brain or abdomen, coupled with reduced platelet levels essential for blood clotting. Symptoms may include severe headaches, blurred vision, shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling, abdominal pain, bruising, or small blood spots under the skin.
The recent spike in nationwide concerns follows reports from pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which collaborated with the Serum Institute of India to produce the Covishield vaccine, acknowledging the potential for TTS, as revealed in UK court documents.
Despite this, health officials in Odisha maintain that the vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risks, with approximately 6.42 crore doses administered since the vaccination campaign’s inception in February 2023. Panigrahi reassured the public, citing Government of India guidelines and stressing that the probability of TTS occurring is minuscule, at just 0.61 cases per one million doses administered.
Odisha government reassures public regarding Covishield vaccine side effects
