AstraZeneca Could Soon Be Fourth U.S. COVID Vaccine Based On New Research
BOSTON (CBS) - New research from AstraZeneca could lead to the U.S. getting a fourth COVID vaccine soon.
The clinical trial of more than 32,000 participants, including some from the United States, found that the AstraZeneca vaccine could reduce symptomatic COVID-19 by 79-percent and it seemed to completely prevent severe COVID-19, hospitalizations and death.
It also showed that the vaccine was highly effective in older people which was an early concern.
There were also no major safety concerns identified.
AstraZeneca plans to file for emergency use authorization from the FDA in early April.
Some European countries had suspended their use of AstraZeneca's vaccine over concerns about blood clots.
There were some initial reports that the vaccine might increase the risk of blood clots in a small number of patients but in this larger study, that was not found. There was no increased risk of blood clots in those who received the two-dose vaccine compared to those who received placebo.
There has been a lot of misinformation out there about COVID vaccines and the risk of blood clots, so I want to be clear.
COVID-19, the disease, can increase your risk of blood clots.
So you're at a much higher risk of getting blood clots by getting infected with the coronavirus than you are by getting vaccinated.
So think of the vaccines as a way to prevent blood clots, not cause them.
