Australia lower rare AstraZeneca-related clots mortality

In Australia, 11.3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine — now called Vaxzevria — have been administered, with a total of 141 people developing a confirmed or probable case of TTS linked to the jab. Out of those 141 cases, eight people have died of the clots, or around 5.6 per cent. In the UK, the rate of dying from TTS was 17 per cent. However, research published in August showed in one study it was as high as 22 per cent. So, how has Australia kept its rate so low?

Learning from overseas

First, we were given a heads-up by what was happening in the UK and Europe. Professor Huyen Tran, a haematologist at Monash University, agreed having information from other countries early on made a big difference. “So that awareness, that understanding, is difficult early on, so we had that luxury of learning from other places.”

Media coverage raised awareness

Professor Skerritt pointed out the extensive coverage of the rare clotting disorder early on may have played a role in reducing the fatality rate too.

Professor Skerritt

“With the media [coverage], it had the negative effect of causing vaccine hesitancy, but it also had the positive effect of making sure that our doctors and people and individuals were aware of the potential side effects.

Professor Tran

Professor Tran also believes the heightened awareness of symptoms has played a role in the successful treatment of clots in younger people, which tend to be more severe. The other piece of the puzzle is that, according to both Professor Skerritt and Professor Tran, our ability to treat the disorder has also meant fewer deaths.

“The combination of education, early recognition, has meant early therapy [which] has led to a really good outcome.”