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A recent international examination of more than 99 million individuals in eight countries has revealed two previously unknown, uncommon adverse reactions to Covid-19 vaccinations. This discovery has the potential to improve health monitoring for those who have been vaccinated.
A team of scientists from the Global Vaccine Data Network (GVDN), an international research project based at the University of Auckland, examined 13 medical conditions related to the brain, blood, and heart to determine if there was an increased likelihood of these conditions in individuals who had received a Covid-19 vaccine.
The research analyzed anonymized information from millions of individuals who were administered a Covid-19 vaccine, and investigated whether there is an increased likelihood of developing a health condition during different time frames after receiving the vaccine, as opposed to prior to its availability.
Some individuals experienced heart inflammation, specifically myocarditis and pericarditis, after receiving mRNA vaccines. Others developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, a muscle-weakening condition, and one type of blood clot in the brain after receiving viral vector vaccines.
The study also revealed indications of inflammation in a section of the spinal cord (known as transverse myelitis) following the administration of viral vector vaccinations, as well as inflammation and swelling in the brain and spinal cord (referred to as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) in individuals who received both viral vector and mRNA vaccines.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is relaxing its guidelines for isolation due to COVID-19.
According to scientists, the risk of experiencing a neurological event after contracting the novel coronavirus is significantly higher compared to receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. In fact, the chances can be up to 617 times greater, indicating that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh any potential risks.
Scientists stated that their analysis of multiple countries confirmed previously identified safety signals for myocarditis, pericarditis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. They also noted the identification of other potential safety signals that warrant additional studies.
Kristýna Faksová, a co-author of the study, stated that the large population size in this research allowed for a higher chance of finding uncommon potential safety concerns related to vaccines. It is unlikely for individual sites or regions to have a sufficient population size to identify extremely rare signals.
Scientists are continuing to investigate Covid-19 vaccines in order to enhance our understanding of their safety through the use of large amounts of data.
Helen Petousis-Harris, a co-author of the study, stated that by making the data dashboards accessible to the public, they are promoting increased transparency and better communication within the health industry and with the general public.
Although the research found uncommon safety concerns after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, experts suggest that more investigation is needed to verify any connections and determine the potential impact of these findings.
Source: independent.co.uk
