Expert links Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to brain clot

A senior official of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) claimed on Tuesday that there is now a ‘clear’ link between the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine and CVST — a deadly brain clot that can lead to a stroke.

Marco Cavaleri, head of vaccines at EMA, said that the CVST was occurring more often than expected in younger people.

His statement coincided with Oxford University’s decision to suspend further trials of the vaccine in children over the same fears that it causes rare blood clots.

A spokesperson for the university said the move was precautionary and that there were no health issues among any of the youngsters involved in the trial.

Oxford began studying the vaccine in five-to-17-year-olds in February, with the aim of eventually scaling up the trial and testing it in 200 people.

But scientists have stopped recruiting new volunteers and it is not clear how many children have already been given a dose.

Oxford is waiting for more information from the UK’s regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, before restarting the study.

The MHRA is being expected to give a decision about whether the jab is suitable and safe for people under 30, after dozens of vaccinated people developed a deadly brain clot.