[ad_1]
A handful of European countries have temporarily halted the launch of the AstraZeneca vaccine after reports of blood clotting.
Ireland has joined the growing list of countries that have put the Oxford / AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on hold following reports of clotting in a small number of patients.
Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the Netherlands have also temporarily suspended vaccine launches, while Italy, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and Lithuania have suspended inoculations of a particular batch of the same.
Experts from around the world have said that these countries have taken a very cautious approach, while the vaccine manufacturer has said that a review shows no “evidence” of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or thrombocytopenia. .
READ MORE:
* Covid-19: WHO says AstraZeneca vaccines should continue as some nations halt implementation
* Covid-19: Fiji is the first Pacific country to benefit from Covax vaccines
* Are vaccines already helping to contain Covid-19? The first signs say yes, but mutations will be a challenge
* Covid-19: Ardern criticizes the EU for restrictions on the export of vaccines
Paul Kane / Getty Images
A vial of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine photographed in Perth, Australia.
The company’s chief medical officer, Ann Taylor, said in a statement that of the 17 million people vaccinated, the number of reported blood clot cases was less than the hundreds of cases that would be expected in the general population.
“The nature of the pandemic has led to increased attention in individual cases, and we go beyond standard practices for monitoring the safety of authorized drugs when reporting vaccine events, to ensure public safety.”
New Zealand has secured an additional 8.5 million vaccines from the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, which is currently being rolled out here. The government also has advance purchase agreements for three other vaccines: AstraZeneca, Janssen and Novavax.
Clinical microbiologist professor David Murdoch, dean of the Christchurch campus of the University of Otago, said some countries abroad were taking a “very cautious approach” while waiting for more information, in particular from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). that I was investigating.
“This kind of pause is not unusual with the introduction of new vaccines and is a sign that the adverse reaction monitoring system is working,” he said.
Luke Dray / Getty Images
A nurse extracts a dose of vaccine in Kampala, Uganda.
Murdoch, who is also a member of the Covid-19 vaccine strategy working group and a member of the vaccine strategy scientific and technical advisory group, said a key task abroad would be to investigate whether clotting events could be related to the vaccine or if they have occurred by chance.
“Right now, a large number of people are being vaccinated against Covid-19, many of whom have pre-existing health problems. In this situation, we expect a series of diseases to occur after vaccination by chance, ”he said.
“Currently, there is no evidence that clot-related diseases are occurring more frequently than usual among populations receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. This is comforting. However, safety is of paramount importance and it is critical that we continue to rigorously monitor vaccine safety. “
AstraZeneca is the main vaccine currently being rolled out in Australia, and the country has no plans to stop it there.
Rick Rycroft / AP
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison pictured speaking to the media in Sydney.
Last week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison assured Australians that the vaccine was safe and told the media that all batches of vaccines were tested in Australia with a robust process in place.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton also insisted the vaccine was safe for use in Australia. 9 News reported.
Vaccination programs continue in France and the United Kingdom, and British officials encourage people to get vaccinated. The Guardian reported.
Professor Stephen Evans, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that bleeding disorders were very common in patients diagnosed with Covid-19.
“Unless we are certain that those who suffered these unfortunate events definitely did not have Covid-19, it would seem premature to suggest that it was the vaccine that caused these events.”
Alessandra Tarantino / AP
A health worker shows the media how she prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to administer to a patient at a vaccination center installed in front of Termini central station in Rome.
“Covid definitely causes bleeding disorders and every single vaccine prevents Covid disease, including the most severe cases. Therefore, it is very likely that the benefit of the vaccine significantly outweighs any risk of bleeding disorders and the vaccine prevents other consequences of Covid, including deaths from other causes, “he said.
“It is entirely reasonable that detailed vaccine studies are being done with regard to bleeding disorders, but it seems like a step too far in taking precautions that would prevent people from getting vaccines that would prevent disease.”
