Vaccinations with AstraZeneca's vaccine were first stopped, then resumed - eventually only people aged 60 to 69 were to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca's vaccine. Now the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is recommending AstraZeneca for all adults, while the British themselves are rowing back.

AstraZeneca vaccination for coagulation disorders

After the vaccination was stopped, a warning was included in the instructions for healthcare professionals and for use stating that very rare cases of thrombosis may occur after vaccination. Uncertainty remains for people who have a coagulation disorder or are taking the contraceptive pill. In an interview with MDR, Dr. Ute Scholz from the Leipzig Center for Coagulation Disorders said the following:

"With factor V Leiden, blood clotting is disturbed and those affected have a higher risk of getting a thrombosis. But the factor V Leiden mutation is a so-called point mutation, which is the mildest hereditary risk of thrombosis in Germany. It affects five percent of the European population.And these five percent do not develop the side effects that have now occurred with AstraZeneca."

Scholz is therefore in favor of vaccination with AstraZeneca: "Vaccinate? Yes! And in this case, no matter which vaccine!" A Covid-19 infection would increase the risk of thrombosis several times over. Those who are not vaccinated could suffer serious complications.

AstraZeneca vaccination when taking the contraceptive pill

Women who take the contraceptive pill as a hormonal vaccine for contraception and therefore have an increased risk of thrombosis are also unsettled. At a press conference in mid-March, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn spoke of a possible "vaccination privilege": "Of course, another vaccine can then also be administered. The vaccination doctors will find a solution with the person to be vaccinated," said Spahn. However, this is a decision for the respective doctor," he said: "If the vaccinee and the doctor jointly come to the decision that a different vaccine is indicated, vaccination with a different vaccine will also be possible." According to official information on the German government's website, however, it is still not possible to choose the vaccine.

AstraZeneca vaccination for people with a history of thrombosis

Dr. Scholz also recommends coronavirus vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine to people who have had a leg vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism:

"I also sometimes hear from patients: 'Then I'll wait for the Russian vaccine! But the Sputnik V vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are also adenovirus vector vaccines. The type of vaccine is practically the same as what we have at AstraZeneca."

With regard to a disease with sinus vein thrombosis, Scholz said: "No one can actually answer this question seriously at the moment. There is currently no data on this very specific patient population."