NSW woman, 48, dies after AstraZeneca vax

A 48-year-old NSW woman has died in intensive care after developing blood clots following a COVID vaccine.

Officials were last night scrambling to determine if the clots and death of the Lake Macquarie woman were linked to her vaccination, which is understood to have been the AstraZenaca jab.

NSW Health last night confirmed the death but said no link to the vaccine had been proven.

The woman received the vaccination on April 9, The Daily Mail reported.

She died five days later after being admitted to intensive care in John Hunter Hospital and developing blot clotting. It was a day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia had changed its vaccination advice to name Pfizer as the “preferred” vaccine for under 50s.

The same day, NSW Health temporarily paused the rollout for several hours in order to update informed consent information before resuming it in the afternoon.

The woman was a diabetic but otherwise in good health, The Daily Mail reported.

It is unclear if she received the vaccine because she was a healthcare worker, essential worker or a vulnerable Australian, with only limited access for under 70s in the current point in the rollout.

In a statement, a NSW Health spokesman said any adverse event following immunisation is investigated by NSW health with findings referred to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

The TGA will be responsible for determining whether there is a causal relationship.

“NSW Health does not speculate on or discuss individual cases, but the death of anyone is always a tragedy and out condolences are with the family and loved ones of the person who has passed away,” the spokesman said.

It comes after Denmark on Wednesday completely ceased using the AstraZeneca vaccine - the first European country to fully end the rollout.

Other European countries have suspended the jab for short time frames before returning with age restrictions.

The vaccine has been linked to a rare clotting syndrome, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia.

Authorities believe it is triggered by an autoimmune response leading to low platelet count. The syndrome has a high death rate.

The US, Canada and the EU have also paused the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for clotting fears. The Australian government has confirmed it will not buy the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.