FDA: New guidelines on use of AstraZeneca vaccine out this week

MANILA, Philippines — A new set of guidelines on the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine will be released this week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday.

This developed after the World Health Organization (WHO) and the country’s vaccine experts said the jab’s benefit outweighs the risk amid reports linking it to rare cases of blood clotting.

“Tinatapos na po natin ‘yan ngayon para mailabas natin this week,” FDA Director-General Eric Domingo said in a televised briefing when asked for updates on the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.

(We’re finishing it so we can release it this week.)

“So far, nagbigay na po ng input sa atin ang WHO, ‘yung atin pong vaccine experts, pati po ‘yung ating National Adverse Events Following Immunization Council. Sinasabi naman ng lahat na talagang the benefit outweighs the risk,” he added.

(So far, the WHO, our vaccine experts, and even the National Adverse Events Following Immunization Council said its benefit outweighs the risk.)

The Department of Health earlier suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on individuals aged 60 and below over concerns about rare cases of blood clots detected in persons vaccinated with the jab in other countries.

“So maglalabas lang po tayo ng guidelines lalo na sa ating mga nagbabakuna para ma-advise nila ‘yung mga babakunahan, kung ano ‘yung mga symptoms to watch out for at para alam din po ng mga pasyente kung may nararamdaman sila at kailangan nila kumonsulta for this very rare, possible occurrence po ng blood clotting events,” Domingo said.

(We will release guidelines for vaccinators so they can advise the vaccine recipients what symptoms to watch out for and to also inform the patient about what they should feel and when they need to seek consultation for this very rare, possible occurrence of blood clotting events.)

The European Medicines Agency earlier found that blood clots are a “very rare” side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

KGA