Editor’s Note: This article is based on information available in June 2021. Guidance may have changed since then. For the latest updates, check with your doctor or health authorities like the WHO or CDC.
Key Takeaways
- A few rare cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) were reported after the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
- No causal link has been confirmed — these were early observations during a mass vaccination rollout.
- Health authorities did not change vaccine recommendations, as the benefits still far outweigh rare risks.
In addition to previously reported cases of thrombosis, doctors have now observed a few rare instances of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a neurological disorder, following administration of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. While these reports are concerning, the link between the vaccine and these symptoms remains unconfirmed.
Is There a Connection Between GBS and the AstraZeneca Vaccine?
In India’s southwestern state of Kerala, physicians at Kochi City Hospital documented seven cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in individuals who had recently received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. A similar cluster of cases was observed by clinicians at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust in England. In total, 11 patients presented with symptoms such as paresthesia, tingling sensations, and bifacial weakness.
Importantly, no causal relationship between these symptoms and the vaccine has been established. These are early case observations made during an intense global vaccination rollout, and such rare events are under ongoing investigation.
Rare Neurological Reactions Post-Vaccination
Among the 11 patients identified, no consistent pattern could be established. The Indian cases involved six women and one man between the ages of 43 and 68. In contrast, the English patients were all men aged 20 to 57.
Symptoms began appearing between 10 to 20 days after the first dose. Patients were admitted to the hospital with limb weakness and tingling, and on average, developed facial palsy four days into hospitalization. Fortunately, none of these individuals were in life-threatening condition, and aside from neurological symptoms, their overall health was stable.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a rare disorder that can develop after an acute infection. In some instances, it has also been reported following viral illnesses—including COVID-19 itself—though a direct cause-and-effect relationship has not been firmly established. In the reported vaccine-related cases, none of the patients had a prior history of COVID-19 infection.
Exploring a Possible Mechanism
Doctors at Nottingham Hospital proposed a possible, though unconfirmed, mechanism: antibodies produced in response to the vaccine may, in rare cases, cross-react with myelin—the protective sheath around peripheral nerves. This theory suggests that exposure to the spike protein or the adenoviral vector in the vaccine might trigger such a response in extremely rare scenarios. However, more research is needed to understand this potential link.
Related Reading:
A Vaccine against Most Coronaviruses May be Possible Study Shows
Astrazeneca Vaccine: Could EDTA a Vaccine Preservative Be the Cause of Thrombosis?
FAQs
What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?
GBS is a rare autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks peripheral nerves, often causing weakness or tingling. Most people recover with treatment.
Should I be worried about getting GBS from the AstraZeneca vaccine?
No. The cases were extremely rare, and no direct cause has been proven. Millions have been safely vaccinated.
What are health officials saying?
As of June 2021, agencies like the WHO and EMA continued to support AstraZeneca’s use, noting the benefits outweighed any potential risk.
Bottom Line
While reports of Guillain-Barré Syndrome after the AstraZeneca vaccine may sound alarming, they remain extremely rare and unproven in causality. For patients, the key takeaway is this: in the midst of a global pandemic, the benefits of vaccination, preventing severe illness and saving lives, far outweigh these isolated risks. Monitoring systems are working, and transparency ensures that even rare events are investigated quickly.
At the time of this publication in June 2021, health authorities have not altered vaccine recommendations based on these limited reports. The occurrence of Guillain-Barré Syndrome following vaccination remains extremely rare when considering the millions of doses administered globally.
References
Maramattom, B. V., Krishnan, P., Paul, R., Padmanabhan, S., Nampoothiri, S. C. V., Syed, A. A., & Mangat, H. S. (2021). Guillain‐Barré syndrome following ChAdOx1‐S/nCoV‐19 vaccine. Annals of Neurology, 90(2), 312–314. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.26143
Allen, C. M., Ramsamy, S., Tarr, A. W., Tighe, P. J., & others. (2021). Guillain–Barré syndrome variant occurring after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Annals of Neurology, 90(2), 315–318. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.26144
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