Blood clots have been in the news in a big way over the past few weeks, following claims that they might be caused by the Oxford / AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.
The scare arose in Europe with a small number of patients suffering blood clots in the aftermath of receiving the vaccine. This led to a very varied response. On the one hand, the EU’s own medicines regulator said the vaccine was safe, a view backed by the firm itself and the World Health Organisation. Several EU countries have agreed and carried on using it.
By contrast, 18 countries, mostly in the EU and including Germany, France, Italy and Spain, have suspended the use of the jab pending an investigation.
All this has come after fewer than 40 people out of 17 million suffered clots after getting the vaccine, a figure AstraZeneca noted is lower than the normal rate of clots in the population anyway.
The question of whether people should be concerned about the vaccine is certainly relevant when it comes to erectile dysfunction. Those suffering from this can help themselves if they buy Sildenafil online, but, as ever, if prevention is possible that will be better than the cure.
Blood clots are certainly a cause of the condition, because by their very nature they restrict blood flow, a key reason for erectile dysfunction.
The known causes of blood clots are many – including smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity, low testosterone and high cholesterol. The only medicines known to cause the problem are certain kinds of diuretics.
Indeed, this fact is what has baffled many scientists in the case of the Oxford vaccine controversy. Speaking to Business Insider, Daniel Salmon, the director of the Institute for Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins University, said: “No vaccines have been shown to cause blood clots.”
By contrast, not being vaccinated and catching the virus itself can certainly cause blood clots, this being a major problem both in terms of leading to severe and life-threatening illnesses, and the debilitating effects of Long Covid. And one of the common symptoms of Long Covid in men, as a direct result of the ‘sticky blood’ it causes, is erectile dysfunction.
For this reason, men concerned about the issue of blood clots and the possible impact on their love lives certainly have reason to be worried about Covid-19. But scientists and doctors will be clear in saying it is the disease, not the vaccine, that poses the big clot risk.
Of course, it could be that it’s all just about politics. The EU has already been embroiled in one row with AstraZeneca over supply, followed by various national regulators refusing the licence the jab for over 65s at first – a position they subsequently reversed. Many will suspect this is just the latest episode in a petty controversy contrived to excuse shortcomings in the EUs vaccine roll-out.
The response from Britain’s corridors of power has been clear. Not only do they back the Oxford jab, but Boris Johnson has now confirmed he will have it. As a man not known for being unable or unwilling to be active in the bedroom, he is clearly not afraid of any clots and the possible consequences this might bring.
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