Covid-19 Information

AZ vaccine important info

While the detailed case review is ongoing, it is important to ensure all health professionals are alert to relevant symptoms which require further clinical review and investigation. As the recommended management of this presenting condition differs from the usual guidance, urgent advice is being cascaded to primary care to ensure GPs are on the alert for this syndrome. It is therefore recommended that an urgent full blood count be considered in any patient presenting more than 4 days and within 28 days of coronavirus vaccination with new onset of severe headache, which is getting worse and does not respond to simple painkillers;

• An unusual headache which seems worse when lying down or bending over, or may be accompanied by blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, difficulty with speech, weakness, drowsiness or seizures
• New onset of unexplained pinprick bruising or bleeding
• Shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal pain

If you have any clinical concerns, patients should be urgently referred to hospital and to appropriate specialist services for further assessment, particularly if the symptoms are unexplained and present in combination with thrombocytopaenia. Further guidance for secondary care are available here.