Several European countries have suspended distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports of thrombocytopenia and thrombotic complications. To date, there have been 15 cases of deep-vein thrombosis and 22 cases of pulmonary embolism reported with the vaccine in the EU and UK (www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2021/update-on-the-safety-of-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca.html). Read More

In a prospective 6-month follow-up of hospitalized COVID-19 patients (N=146, mean age 64 years), 9.6% and 7.8% reported moderate/severe persistent symptoms at 2 and 6 months, respectively (García-Abellán et al. medRxiv preprint, 8 March). Risk factors for persistent symptoms at 6 months were female sex, and a less robust humoral response during the acute phase, as shown by lower peak IgG antibody plasma levels against the CoV-2 surface S1 domain of the spike protein. Long COVID symptoms included persistent fatigue, headache, dyspnea and anosmia. A separate study of patients’ self-reported symptoms found that 13.3% had symptom duration >28 days, 4.5% for >8 weeks and 2.3% for >12 weeks (Sudre et al. medRxiv preprint, 19 December 2020). Read More

The Canadian Network of MS Clinics currently recommends that immunization be considered in pregnant and breastfeeding women following a discussion of the potential risks and benefits (https://cnmsc.ca/Covid19VaccineGuidance). This is similar to the WHO recommendation that vaccination be considered in pregnant women at high risk of CoV-2 exposure or with comorbidities (World Health Organization, 29 January 2021. www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-moderna-covid-19-mrna-1273-vaccine-what-you-need-to-know).

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