Germany, France, Italy, Spain and several other countries suspend use of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine / Day

“Following new reports of cerebral vein thrombosis associated with vaccination in Germany and Europe, the Paul Erlich Institute believes that further investigation is needed,” said the institute, Germany’s main federal vaccination and biomedical institution.

“The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will decide whether and how the new data will affect the approval of the vaccine,” the institute added.

The Italian regulator said on Monday that, as a precautionary measure, it had decided to temporarily ban the use of AstraZeneca throughout the country, pending a decision by EZA.

French President Emmanuel Macron also announced that France is suspending the use of AstraZeneca pending a decision by the ESA on its safety.

According to him, the announcement of EZA is expected on Tuesday afternoon.

Spain is also suspending the AstraZeneca vaccine for at least two weeks, Spanish Health Minister Carolina Dariasa said on Monday.

“As a precautionary measure, we have decided to suspend [“AstraZeneca” vakcīnas izmantošanu] – for at least the next two weeks, “the minister told reporters.

The decision to suspend vaccination with AstraZeneca was also announced by the Slovenian government on Monday evening.

“There is no medical examination to justify this decision,” but it is a preventive step in anticipation of EZA’s decision, said Health Minister Janez Poklukars.

EZA has said it is evaluating the vaccine and will hold an extraordinary meeting on Thursday.

Portugal also suspended the use of AstraZeneca on Monday after reports of “serious but rare” side effects, said Grasa Freitaša, head of the Portuguese health agency DGS. Such a decision was taken “prudently” pending the advice of the ESA.

Portugal has already used about 400,000 doses of AstraZeneca and has about 200,000 more in stock, said Enrique Guveia Melo, head of the vaccination program, at a press conference.

Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Iceland and Thailand have taken a similar step.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that no causal link has been found between the vaccine and blood clots and considers that there is no reason to stop vaccination with AstraZeneca Covid-19.

WHO vaccine safety experts will meet on Tuesday, but back on Monday, the WHO recommended that countries around the world continue to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca.

–