Thought you were travelling now that you are vaccinated; think again!

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“We are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution. This is important, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.” Johnson & Johnson

 It has been made clear by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that reactions are to be expected after any COVID-19 vaccine, given that your body is working hard to build immunity. Unfortunately, there have been some dangerous reactions, like blood clotting, that have made people increasingly uneasy in recent weeks.

Special Note

Most reported cases of blood clots have been in women under the age of 60 within three weeks of vaccination.

“So, what does this have to do with travelling,” you might be asking. Well, a lot, especially if you are one of those individuals who have really wanted to spread your legs, visit someplace different.

This piece is meant to give readers food for thought. I want everyone reading this to know that you do have the right to what happens to your person. Enforce your rights by learning what is happening, and then adapting yourself to the situation. What we know is that there have been cases of blood clots occurring after receiving the vaccine. Enough so that on May 11^th, 2021, Astra Zenaca was reportedly paused in the province of Ontario, Canada.

According to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr David Williams, “The decision had been made out of an abundance of caution because of increased instances of an extremely rare and potentially fatal blood clotting disorder, vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), linked to the shot, ”(Global News, May 11^th, 2021).

All right! Here is the part that is not fun. According to the National Blood Clot Alliance, an average of 274 people die from blood clots every day and 600,000 nonfatal blood clots occur every year. Now, for those who have been vaccinated, and those who are thinking about it, you might want to wait just a little bit longer before you board a plane.

Air travel can increase this risk, because you are sitting for long periods of time with little room to move your legs. These are the ingredients needed to cause a particular type of blood clot called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Research is showing that at a certain altitude, you have a higher risk of complications, stroke, thrombosis or heart attack if you are susceptible to them.

Blood clots occur when blood flow is slowed or stopped. Think about it. You are sitting still for extended periods of time. Naturally, this can affect blood circulation and lead to the development of blood clots. If you are thinking about flying more than four hours, this may put you at risk for DVT, and Pulmonary Embolism (PE), which is just another serious complication of blood clots that may be fatal in some cases.

My hope is that your next question is, what makes a person more susceptible to developing a blood clot. According to Dr Oz, “Things that put you at risk for blood clots include certain genetic clotting disorders, being immobilized because of surgery or injury, chronic diseases like heart failure and cancer, smoking and older age.”

 Ahh! You see. Now we are narrowing down who may have to put their travel plans on hold just for a bit longer.

So, let’s just say you decide to travel anyways, how would you know if you were developing blood clots? If you develop pain, tenderness, swelling, warmth, and or redness in your legs during the flight, it might be signs of a blood clot. The other thing to look out for is the rapid onset of shortness of breath. This can be a sign that a clot has formed in, or travelled to, your lungs.

As usual, I highly suggest you do your own research.  This might be as simple as making an appointment to visit a trusted physician if you plan on travelling. Your health is your responsibility, so if you notice specific symptoms after vaccination, you should seek medical care.