The northern Italian region of Piedmont said today that it would temporarily suspend immunization with a batch of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine after a teacher from the city of Biella died after being vaccinated yesterday, Reuters and AFP reported.
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–Earlier, the regional authorities announced that they would stop the vaccination with the preparation of the British-Swedish company altogether. They subsequently changed their minds, suspending only the batch from which the dose was given to the teacher who later died.
The batch number is ABV5811, Italian newspapers reported. This was confirmed by a source close to the regional government of the Piedmont region with its capital in Turin.
The deceased is a 57-year-old clarinet teacher at a conservatory, ANSA reported.
Authorities in Piedmont have taken their decision after several European countries have already taken similar measures – most recently Ireland this morning. The regional government explained that this was a precautionary measure and was awaiting the results of tests that would verify the batch used and whether there was a link between the vaccinee’s death and the administration of the AstraZeneca. They did not give details about the circumstances surrounding the teacher’s death.
“This is an act of extreme caution while we check to see if there is a link. So far, there have been no serious side effects from the vaccines,” said Luigi Genesio Icardi, head of the regional health service.
On Thursday, the Italian health control body banned the use of another batch of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Reuters sources said the decision was made after two men died in Sicily after receiving doses from batch ABV2856.
The ban is a precautionary measure, the regulator explained and pointed out that no connection has been established between vaccination and the subsequent “severe adverse events”, BTA notes.
