Small percentage of Coloradans report reactions including blood clots following COVID-19 vaccines

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment indicates a small percentage of people vaccinated for COVID-19 in Colorado have reported adverse reactions, including blood clotting.

The state health department said five events of blood clotting have been reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System in Colorado, or VAERS. Three of those blood clotting reports were made following Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration. One blood-clotting incident was reported following the administration of a Moderna vaccine. It's unclear under what context the fifth blood-clotting incident was reported.

The statistics amount to 1 in every 50,000 people reporting blood clotting after receiving a Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Colorado. By those numbers, you're three times more likely to get struck by lightning than experience blood clotting following a Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the state.

But the data comes with one huge caveat; further investigation is needed to determine whether or not adverse reactions were caused by vaccines. CDPHE said common side effects for all COVID-19 vaccines include headache, chills, fever, nausea, and pain at the injection site. 

“Any adverse serious event following vaccination is evaluated to determine if there is any association between the event and vaccination. Given the large number of COVID-19 vaccinations currently underway, it is expected that adverse events will, by chance alone, occur in the days following vaccination.

This national system collects the data to look for adverse events that are unexpected, appear to happen more often than expected, or have unusual patterns of occurrence,” said the state. “Anyone can submit a report, including parents, patients, and health care professionals. Reporting to VAERS helps the CDC monitor the safety of vaccines.”

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment