'Nothing extraordinary' with AstraZeneca jabs reportedly increasing blood clot risk: official

MANILA - The number of persons inoculated with AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine in Europe and the UK with increased risk of blood clots is "below the normal," an official said Monday.

Only 15 events of deep vein thrombosis, or when a blood clot forms in a vein located deep inside a person's body, have been recorded, said presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, citing a statement from AstraZeneca's CEO.

• AstraZeneca finds no evidence of increased blood clot risk from vaccine

"There is nothing extraordinary about what’s happening. It’s way below the normal that is expected," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

Some 5 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine from global alliance COVAX Facility are set to arrive until May, according to Concepcion.

The private sector and local governments' order of 17 million jabs from AstraZeneca are set to arrive beginning May with an initial batch of 2.6 million, Concepcion said. The remaining balance of 14.5 million will arrive in the third quarter, he added.

An initial shipment of some 500,000 doses arrived earlier this month.

• Additional 38,400 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines arrive in Manila