AstraZeneca vaccine suspended in Denmark as a precaution

The Denmark suspended as a precaution and until further notice the use of the vaccine AstraZeneca against the Covid-19 because of fears related to the formation of blood clots in vaccinated people, announced its health authority Thursday.

This suspension intervenes after reports of serious cases of blood clots in people who have been vaccinated with AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, said the National Health Agency, while stressing thatat this time, it cannot be concluded that there is a link between the vaccine and blood clots.

Suspension of a batch in Austria

Austria announced on Monday that it had stopped administering a batch of vaccines produced by the Anglo-Swedish laboratory, after the death of a 49-year-old nurse who succumbed to de severe bleeding disorders a few days after receiving it.

Four other European countries, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Luxembourg, had immediately suspended vaccinations with doses from this batch, delivered to 17 countries and which included one million vaccines.

Denmark has suspended the use of all of its AstraZeneca vaccines.

On Wednesday, a preliminary investigation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) pointed out that there was no link between AstraZeneca’s vaccine and the death in Austria.

Also read. AstraZeneca, the vaccine unloved by Europeans

“Pause in use”

As of March 9, only 22 cases of thrombosis had been reported for more than three million people vaccinated in the European economic area, according to the European agency.

It is important to stress that we have not given up on the AstraZeneca vaccine, but are taking a break from its use., said the director of the Danish agency, Søren Brostrøm, quoted in the press release.

Denmark reports having recorded a death of a person who had received the vaccine. An investigation is underway with the EMA.

There is significant literature proving that the vaccine is both safe and effective. But together with the Danish Medicines Agency, we must react to reports of possible serious side effects, both in Denmark and in other European countries., he justified.

This suspension, which will be reassessed within two weeks, upsets the calendar of the Danish immunization campaign.

Copenhagen now plans to have vaccinated its adult population in mid-August, against the beginning of July previously announced, indicates the health authority.

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