A team of German scientists claim to have found the cause of the blood clotting that has been detected in some recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19. Doctors say a targeted medication can now be used to treat affected patients.

Getting to the bottom of the vaccine blood clots

Researchers at the Greifswald University Hospital in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern claim to have uncovered the cause of the blood clotting that has been reported in a few recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Their investigation showed exactly how the vaccine caused a small number of patients to develop thrombosis in the brain, with this information being shared with hospitals around Europe.

The discovery means that doctors can now offer targeted treatment to patients who suffer from blood clotting. The treatment involves common medicines and can only be offered to patients who actually develop blood clots; it cannot be administered as a preventative treatment.

The research team's findings are being studied by the Paul Ehrlich Institute, a medical regulatory body and vaccine research institute based in Hesse, which cooperated with the Greifswald research team for the study. The study itself has not yet been published in an academic journal and, as such, has not been reviewed by other experts and scientists.

Germany resumes use of AstraZeneca vaccine

Germany’s Health Minister Jens Spahn announced on Thursday that Germany would be resuming use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The federal republic had initially suspended its use after reports of blood clots developing in those who had received the vaccine. However, following an investigation by the EMA, which found the vaccine was “safe and effective", the jab was reinstated.