Italy, France, and Spain are the latest countries to join Germany in the temporary halting of the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine, despite many countries insisting on its safety.
Countries say that the temporary halting of the COVID-19 jab is a precautionary measure following multiple reports of blood clots in people who had received the vaccine.
The European countries are the latest to make the move joining Germany, Ireland, Norway, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, and Iceland to further investigate the recent reports. Thailand, Congo, and Indonesia are also halting its rollout.
Temporary Halting of Vaccine Rollout a Cause for Concern
The European Medicine Agency and World Health Organisation says there's no evidence suggesting that the Oxford vaccine jabs cause blood clots and urge people to continue getting vaccinated.
Soumya Swaminathan, top scientists at the World Health Organization states on Monday that there have been no documents linking deaths to COVID-19 vaccines, adding that people shouldn't be given a reason to panic.
Carolina Darias, Spain's health minister announced a two-week ban on at least the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine would be imposed.
Emmanuel Macron, French President, says that the COVID-19 jab rollout would be suspended until at least Tuesday afternoon when the European Medicines Agency would issue a recommendation over the Oxford vaccine. Macron adds that France hopes to continue administering the vaccine 'soon.'
Aifa, Italy's medicine regulators, stated that its decision coincided with similar measures implemented by other European countries.
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Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID Jab Safety
Professor Andrew Pollard, head of the Oxford University vaccine group says that while regulators were correct in investigating reports of vaccine side effects, data collated from millions of people that received the COVID jab showed no association with clots.
According to Pollard, roughly 3,000 cases of blood clots occur monthly in the UK from other causes. Adding that more than 11 million doses have been administered in the UK where the MHRA has stated that there is no increase in blood clot cases over the normal.
AstraZeneca says that there is no cause for concern adding that there are few cases of thrombosis cases reported in people who received the jab in the general population. The pharmaceuticals company says that there have been 37 blood clot reports out of more than 17 million vaccinated in the 27 European countries including Britain.
Boris Johnson, UK's Prime Minister, expressed his confidence in the vaccine's safety stressing that the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was one of the toughest and most experienced agencies in the world.
He states that the MHRA sees no reason to discontinue the vaccination program for any of the vaccines currently being used. Adding that the agency firmly believes in the high effectivity rate of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in driving down hospitalization, serious disease, and mortality rates.
After months of COVID-19 cases declined, several European countries are now seeing a resurgence of the virus once more, with France, Poland, Italy, and Turkey seeing the highest number in weeks.
Countries have stated that the ban is only temporary and hope to continue with vaccination rollouts as soon as health agencies provide the necessary recommendations.
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