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On Thursday, it became clear that Denmark will temporarily stop vaccinating with AstraZeneca’s corona vaccine after a blood clot-related death. Several other European countries have stopped using a batch of vaccines from the same manufacturer.
It is currently unclear if there is a connection between the vaccine and the deaths.
At 2:00 p.m., the National Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian Medicines Agency will meet with the press to report on the situation.
Present are Geir Bukholm, Director of Infection Control, and Sara Watle, FHI Chief Physician, as well as representatives of the Norwegian Medicines Agency.
– Due to a death in Denmark as a result of a blood clot after vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine, in Norway we decided to pause the AstraZeneca vaccine, says Bukholm.
– It is not an easy decision
They do so on suspicion that there may be a connection between death and the vaccine.
Bukholm emphasizes that they have no data to indicate this is the case, but says FHI is waiting for more information. Bukholm calls it a “precautionary principle.”
The European Medicines Agency has also started research on the vaccine.
This is AstraZeneca’s answer
– It is not an easy decision to make. This also does not mean that we will discourage future use of the vaccine.
FHI stops shipping AstraZenecxa vaccines until further notice.
– The doses that are sent are stored correctly at the vaccination site. We have been notified that we will receive slightly reduced deliveries from AstraZeneca in the coming weeks.
A case of blood clots in Norway
Chief physician Sigurd Hortemo of the Norwegian Medicines Agency told Dagbladet that a case of a blood clot was reported after vaccination with the AstraZenecas vaccine in Norway.
– There are side effects that occur from time to time, which we must be aware of, he says.
He says the messages from Norway by themselves do not provide a basis for putting vaccination on hold.
Hortemo emphasizes that blood clots do not occur often among young, healthy people, and that it is appropriate to take a break to create safety around vaccination.
– Even if it is stupid to pause the vaccination.
Hortemo continues:
– No one was prepared for Denmark to want vaccination to stop. It was something we had to deal with quickly. Here we had to turn quickly.
He says the decision was made an hour before the press conference.
Senior Adviser Pernille Harg of the Norwegian Medicines Agency says they are familiar with several cases of blood clots in Europe. The fatal cases have taken place in Denmark and Austria.
She says there are reasons to take a closer look at the case and assess whether there is a connection between the blood clot cases and the vaccine.
