BERLIN (AP) – Officials from several European countries resisted on Friday the decisions of others to stop using the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine after sporadic reports of blood clots, despite the lack of evidence that the shot was responsible.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said that while the country takes reports of possible harmful effects of vaccines “very, very seriously”, both the European Medicines Agency and Germany’s own vaccine oversight body said they had no evidence of an increase in dangerous blood clots in connection with the shots.
“I am sorry that, based on knowledge, on Friday morning, some European Union countries have suspended vaccination with AstraZeneca,” Spahn told reporters in Berlin.
Denmark was the first to temporarily stop use of the AstraZeneca vaccine Thursday after reports of blood clots in some people. The Nordic nation’s health authority said the decision was “based on the precautionary principle” and that a person who developed a blood clot after vaccination died.
Norway, Iceland and Bulgaria followed suit and suspended the use of the vaccine by the Anglo-Swedish company, developed with the University of Oxford.
“Until all doubts are resolved and experts ensure that there is no risk to people, we are interrupting immunization with this vaccine,” said Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov at a cabinet meeting. He said the suspension will last until the European Medicines Agency issues a written declaration that it is safe.
The regulator said he is reviewing the reports – but that vaccinations should continue in the meantime.
Thailand and Congo have also postponed the use of the vaccine, pending an investigation, while Italy and Romania have stopped using vaccines for a given batch. Austria has also suspended the use of doses from a single, but different, batch.
This decision came after a 49-year-old woman died of blood clots, 10 days after being vaccinated, and a 35-year-old woman was hospitalized. The experts concluded that no complications were related to the vaccine, and the Austrian Chancellor said on Friday that he himself would be willing to receive the injection “to show that I have confidence in this vaccine”.
“The experts here have a clear opinion and this vaccine is being used in many countries around the world, and is already being used by tens of millions,” said Sebastian Kurz.
In fact, almost all countries that issued a suspension recognized that they had no evidence that the vaccine had caused blood clots. Health experts pointed out that people most likely to be receiving COVID-19 vaccines are also more likely to have other health problems, which could put them at greater risk for blood clots.
France, Poland and Nigeria, for their part, said they would continue to use the AstraZeneca shot, even while national regulators investigate.
“At this stage, the benefit of vaccination is considered to outweigh the risk,” said French Health Minister Olivier Veran.
The suspensions were the latest problem for AstraZeneca, which had a public feud with the European Union earlier this year over supply delays and which also faced concerns about its effectiveness in older adults. Although EU regulators have approved it for use on all adults, some countries have established age restrictions – although many are now suspending them. The problem also arises because many EU countries have been struggling to increase rapidly vaccinations.
Despite the bumpy launch, the vaccine must still be critical to the global inoculation program because it is cheaper and easier to store than many others – and because the global initiative to bring vaccines to poorer countries, known as COVAX, is highly dependent. of the vaccine.
Italy’s precautionary ban came after what it called “serious adverse events”. He gave no further details, but Italian media reported that at least two suspected military and police deaths were being investigated.
The union representing members of the Italian Air Force confirmed that one of its members had died and asked the government for further clarification.
Italy’s ban affects a batch of 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca that have been delivered across the country.
The European Medicines Agency, which authorized the use of the vaccine in the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway in January, said that “the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh its risks and the vaccine can continue to be administered”, while a more detailed assessment of whether blood clot cases continue.
“Currently, there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions,” said the regulator on Thursday. He said that the number of people with blood clots in those vaccinated was not greater than those who were not vaccinated.
The World Health Organization said the same, but added that it would evaluate the reports, although it did not expect any change in recommendations based on current evidence.
Britain’s drug regulator also said it had received no reports of blood clots in people caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine. Over 11 million doses of AstraZeneca have been administered in the UK
“The blood clot reports received so far are no greater than the number that would have occurred naturally in the vaccinated population,” said the agency.
The EU drug regulator said separately that the product information for the AstraZeneca vaccine should be updated to note that cases of severe allergic reactions have been reported.
The suggested update is based on a review of 41 reported cases of anaphylaxis, or severe allergic reactions, which were identified among 5 million people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine. In a statement on Friday, the Amsterdam-based agency said it concluded that “a link to the vaccine was likely in at least some of these cases”.
These allergic reactions are a rare side effect recognized for several vaccines and have been reported for other injections of COVID-19, including one made by Pfizer and BioNTech.
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Associated Press journalists in Africa, Asia and Europe contributed to this report.
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