Pfizer Bivalent Covid-19 Shot Unlikely To Carry Stroke Risk For Seniors: US Officials

Pfizer Bivalent Covid-19 Unlikely To Carry Stroke Risk

On Friday (13 Jan), United States (US) federal health officials concluded that the risk of Pfizer’s bivalent COVID-19 shot being linked to an increased risk of stroke in people aged 65 and older is extremely low.

They also mentioned that the alleged risks were not detected through intensive investigation.

After the safety concern first emerged in late Nov 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched an investigation.

CDC vaccine database flags stroke risk in Pfizer Covid-19 shot

Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports that preliminary data analysed by US health authorities showed a link between the updated Covid-19 shot and a type of brain stroke in older adults.

In addition, a CDC vaccine database uncovered a possible safety issue.

Apparently, they discovered that 65-year-old individuals and older were more likely to have an ischemic stroke 21 days after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent shot. The risk is supposedly lower on days 22-44.

An ischemic stroke or brain ischemia occurs when blockages obstruct arteries that carry blood to the brain.

The FDA and CDC jointly claimed that several global databases had not flagged this issue. However, the issue requires more investigation in the future.

Pfizer have not found evidence between linkage

According to CNA, Pfizer and BioNTech are aware of reports of ischemic strokes in older people following vaccinations with their updated shot.

However, they have not found any evidence proving the association between strokes and Covid-19 vaccinations.

The authorities had not identified this issue with Moderna’s bivalent shot.

Nevertheless, the CDC and FDA recommend that everyone aged six months and older stays up-to-date with their Covid-19 vaccination.