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- The head of the Therapeutics Goods Administration said while the death of two men after they received a COVID-19 vaccine is still under investigation, current evidence does not suggest there is an association
- An investigation was launched this morning into the deaths of a man in his 50s and a man in his 70s who had both recently received their COVID jab
- However, Professor John Skerritt cautioned against jumping to the conclusion that the vaccine caused or played a role in the deaths
- He said both men had various clotting disorders and current evidence doesn’t suggest a likely association” between the deaths and the vaccine”
- He urged people to remember that, sadly, 3000 Australians die per week of all sorts of causes, and 50 Australians a day go to hospitals or GPs with serious blood clots unrelated to any vaccination
- Professor Skerritt reaffirmed that medical bodies around the world say the benefits of the jab outweigh the risks
- Around two million COVID-19 vaccines had been administered around Australia since March
The head of the Therapeutics Goods Administration said while the death of two men after they received a COVID-19 vaccine is still under investigation, current evidence does not suggest there is an association.
This morning, an investigation was launched into the deaths of a man in his 50s and a man in his 70s who had recently received a COVID-19 jab.
This afternoon, Professor John Skerritt from the TGA cautioned against jumping to the conclusion that the vaccine caused or played a role in the deaths.
“We do have to remember that, sadly, every week in Australia, 3000 people die of all sorts of causes,” he said.
“We also have to remember that in reporting cases of people presenting in hospitals with clots or to their GP, 50 Australians each day report to hospitals with serious blood clots.”
Almost all of these, he said, have no relation whatsoever to vaccination.
Professor Skerritt said around 11,0000 adverse events following the administration of a COVID jab have been reported so far, though these range from more trivial events, like a sore arm, to events as serious as heart attacks and blood clots.
He said the TGA investigates every serious case in detail and discusses them with other global medical associations and looks for any evidence of cause and effect.
“The current evidence of those two cases, though those cases are still under investigation […] doesn’t suggest a likely association,” he said.
He added that both of the men who died in New South Wales had “various clotting disorders”.
At this stage, it’s not confirmed which vaccine the men took, but it’s believed they both received the AstraZeneca jab.
Professor Skerritt reaffirmed that medical bodies around the world say the benefits of the jab outweigh the risks.
“The U.S. FDA, the U.S. Centre of Disease Control and the European Medicines Agency have all, in the last few days, confirmed — with either or both the AstraZeneca and the Jansen vaccine, which are very similar in nature — that the benefits dramatically exceed the risks,” he said.
Around two million COVID-19 vaccines had been administered around Australia since March.
