| schema:text
| - Quick Take
A social media post claims that Covishield is causing a new type of heart attack. We did the fact check to term this claim as mostly false.
The Claim
According to an Instagram post, “More than 70 crore Indians received the Covishield vaccine. AstraZeneca has reported that the vaccine causes severe side effects like blood clots, heart rhythm changes, swelling, dizziness, and joint pain. These side effects are allegedly leading to a new type of heart attack, causing deaths.”
Fact Check
Does Covishield cause heart attacks or related issues?
No, there’s no solid evidence linking Covishield to heart attacks. The claim about a “new heart attack problem” is misleading. Rarely, some vaccines, including Covishield, have been associated with myocarditis (heart inflammation) or arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), but these cases are extremely uncommon and not unique to Covishield. In fact, studies show that COVID-19 infection itself is far more likely to cause severe heart issues than any vaccine.
Are severe side effects from Covishield common?
No, serious side effects are extremely rare and closely monitored. Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, is one of the most widely used COVID-19 vaccines. Like all vaccines, it can cause side effects, but most are mild, such as fever, fatigue, or soreness at the injection site. There have been rare reports of blood clots, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), but these occur in fewer than 1 in 100,000 doses. Health authorities like the WHO (World Health Organisation) and EMA (European Medicines Agency) have consistently stated that the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks.
What are the side effects of the Covishield vaccine?
AstraZeneca has been transparent about rare side effects. The company has openly shared data on all potential side effects during clinical trials and through post-marketing surveillance.
The AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine is generally safe, but like all vaccines, it may cause side effects:
- Very common side effects (affecting more than 1 in 10 people):
Pain, tenderness, or itching at the injection site, fatigue, fever, chills, headaches, muscle or joint pain, and nausea.
- Common side effects (affecting up to 1 in 10 people):
Swelling or redness at the injection site, vomiting, diarrhoea, pain in arms or legs, and flu-like symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, or runny nose.
- Uncommon side effects (affecting up to 1 in 100 people):
Dizziness, sleepiness, abdominal pain, enlarged lymph nodes, rash, or itchy skin.
- Very rare side effects (affecting less than 1 in 100,000 people):
Blood clots with low platelets (thrombocytopenia), which are serious but extremely rare.
Most side effects are mild and temporary, lasting only a few days. Serious side effects are extremely rare, and the vaccine’s benefits in preventing severe COVID-19 far outweigh the risks.
Why is the vaccine still considered safe?
Vaccines like Covishield save lives and prevent severe illness. Covishield has been a cornerstone in India’s fight against COVID-19, preventing millions of hospitalisations and deaths. The safety of the vaccine is constantly monitored through global and national surveillance systems.
However, despite its proven effectiveness, false narratives about the COVID vaccine continue to circulate. For instance, claims that the COVID vaccine increases the risk of heart attacks by 500%, or that the Cleveland Clinic has warned of mass deaths due to mRNA vaccines, are simply not true.
Why are these claims dangerous?
Such misinformation can create unnecessary fear. Spreading baseless claims about vaccines can discourage people from getting vaccinated, leaving them vulnerable to severe COVID-19 complications. Vaccines are one of the most effective tools in protecting public health, and undermining their credibility can have serious consequences.
Despite proven safety, social media posts still claim that mRNA vaccines can cause large blood clots. But this is not exactly true.
THIP Media Take
The claim that Covishield is causing a new type of heart attack is mostly false. While there are rare side effects, they are well-known and closely monitored by health experts. Overall, vaccines like Covishield are still one of the safest and most effective ways to protect yourself from COVID-19 and its serious complications. It’s important to rely on trustworthy sources for health information and not be misled by false claims.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)