BBC presenter Lisa Shaw died due to complications from the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, a coroner has concluded.

The 44-year-old died after being treated in intensive care for blood clots and bleeding.

Newcastle coroner Karen Dilks heard on Thursday that Ms Shaw died at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in the city just over three weeks after her first dose of the vaccine.

An inquest, which lasted less than an hour, was told she was admitted to hospital after she complained of headaches and doctors found a haemorrhage on her brain.

How common are blood clot complications?

The UK became the first country to roll out the AstraZeneca vaccine in January and it has since become one of the most widely used vaccine in the world.

UK scientists have identified the markers associated with rare blood clots linked to the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, which could help treat the condition more effectively and increase survival chances.

A team of experts, led by Dr Sue Pavord of Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust, have set out a guidance for clinicians that can help diagnose what they call vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (Vitt).

Thrombocytopenia is a condition where the patient has a low count of cells that help the blood clot, known as platelets.

Thrombosis occurs when blood clots block veins or arteries and can lead to life-threatening conditions such as a stroke or heart attack.

In their findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the scientists said overall mortality rate of those presenting to hospitals with definite or probable Vitt was 23%.

Dr Pavord said: “It’s important to stress that this kind of reaction to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is very rare.

“In those aged under 50, incidence is around one in 50,000 people who have received the vaccine.”

Up to July 28 2021, the MHRA has received reports of 411 cases of major blood clots with concurrent low platelet counts in the UK following AstraZeneca vaccine.

CVST was reported in 146 cases.

The overall case fatality rate was 18% with 73 deaths, six of which occurred after the second dose, the MHRA said.

At that time, the estimated number of first doses of AstraZeneca administered was 24.8 million while the estimated number of second doses was 23.6 million.

Alternative vaccines offered to under 30s

In April, A review by the MHRA found that by the end of last month, 79 people in the UK has suffered from blood clots following vaccination, with 19 of those people dying.

As a result, people under the age of 30 were offered an alternative Covid-19 jab to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

At the time, the regulator stressed that this was not proof that the jab was the cause of the clots but conceded that the link was getting stronger.

The committee concluded that the benefits of the jab outweigh the risks, but as people under 30 are at less risk of coronavirus they should be offered an alternative jab.

When to seek medical attention

In March, Dr June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive, said: “While we continue to investigate these cases [of blood clots], as a precautionary measure we would advise anyone with a headache that lasts for more than four days after vaccination, or bruising beyond the site of vaccination after a few days, to seek medical attention.

“However, please remember that mild flu-like symptoms remain one of the most common side effects of any Covid-19 vaccine, including headache, chills and fever. These generally appear within a few hours and resolve within a day or two, but not everyone gets them.

“We will continue to robustly monitor all the data we have on this extremely rare possible side effect.”