A few COVID vaccine recipients developed a rare blood disorder

Based on data from the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, a few dozen people have developed a rare blood disorder known as immune thrombocytopenia after being immunized for coronavirus. A lack of platelets, which are essential for blood clotting, can lead to severe bleeding or brain hemorrhage. It is unclear at this point, however, whether the vaccinations actually cause the condition. The incidence rate among the vaccine cohort mirrors that of the broader U.S. population, raising the possibility of tragic coincidence. Alternatively, experts speculate that affected patients may be vulnerable because of previous platelet disorders or autoimmune conditions or that they may have an unknown predisposition that causes the reaction. Immune thrombocytopenia has also been documented followed other vaccinations, suggesting a possible link to immunizations, although such cases are uncommon. Doctors stress that the unlikely possibility of developing immune thrombocytopenia is no reason to avoid getting a COVID-19 vaccine. The risk of falling ill from coronavirus, they say, is much greater than the risk of developing the rare blood condition.