No Need To Panic: Odisha Govt Dispels Covishield Side Effect Concerns, TTS Not Found Yet
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday assured state residents that there was no need to panic regarding Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) as a side effect of the Covishield vaccine.
Dr. Bijay Panigrahi, Director of Family Welfare and COVID Vaccination in-charge, emphasized that since TTS typically emerges within three weeks of vaccination and Odisha has been administering Covishield for over three years, the chances of new cases emerging are extremely low.
TTS is a rare condition characterized by blood clots (thrombosis) forming in the brain (cerebral venous sinus thrombosis) or abdomen, along with abnormally low platelet levels (thrombocytopenia), which are essential for blood clotting. Symptoms include severe or persistent headaches, blurred vision, shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling, abdominal pain, easy bruising, or tiny blood spots under the skin.
Recent reports in the UK High Court involving pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which markets Covishield in collaboration with India’s Serum Institute, admitting a potential link between the vaccine and TTS caused concern amongst citizens across the country.
Despite these concerns, health officials highlight that only 0.61 cases per one million doses have shown TTS probability. Since February 2023, Odisha has administered approximately 6.42 crore doses of the Covishield vaccine, adhering to guidelines issued by the Government of India concerning potential side effects.
