(Reuters) – Several countries have suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after reports of blood clots in people who have received the shot even as the World Health Organization appealed to countries not to pause vaccination campaigns.
The WHO said on Monday there is no evidence that the incidents are caused by the vaccine developed with Oxford University.
The number of thromboembolic events in vaccinated people is no higher than the number seen in the general population, the European Medicines Agency has said.
As of March 10, 30 cases of thromboembolic events had been reported among close to 5 million people vaccinated with AstraZeneca’s shot in the European Economic Area.
As of March 12, over 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered. No cases of death have been found to have been caused by COVID-19 vaccines to date, the WHO said in a statement on Monday.
More than 10 million people in the United Kingdom have received the vaccine with no evidence of related serious adverse events, it said.
Below is a list of countries that have taken action:
(In alphabetical order)
AUSTRIA:
Suspended use of one batch of the vaccine on March 7 after the death of one person and the illness of another. That batch was shipped to 17 EU countries.
BULGARIA:
Halted inoculations with vaccine until the European regulator sends a written statement dispelling all doubts about safety.
DENMARK:
On Thursday, suspended use for two weeks after reporting “highly unusual” symptoms in a 60-year-old citizen who died from a blood clot after receiving vaccine.
FRANCE:
Will stop administering the vaccine pending an assessment by Europe’s medicines regulator.
GERMANY:
On March 15, paused use of the shot as a “precaution”.
ICELAND:
Suspended vaccine use on March 11 following halt by Norway and awaits results of an investigation by European regulators.
INDONESIA:
Delayed giving vaccine on March 15 while awaiting WHO review.
IRELAND:
Temporarily suspended the shot “out of an abundance of caution” on Sunday, pending more information from European regulators.
ITALY:
Halted the use on March 15 as a “precautionary and temporary measure” pending the EU regulator’s ruling. Previously, three different batches of the vaccine (ABV2856, AV6096 and ABV5811) were suspended in different regions.
THE NETHERLANDS:
The government put its vaccination programme on hold on Sunday due to side-effects in other countries. On Monday, it reported 10 cases of noteworthy adverse side-effects from the vaccine.
NORWAY:
Halted the rollout of the vaccine on March 11, and later said three health workers were being treated for bleeding, blood clots and a low count of platelets.
ROMANIA:
Temporarily stopped vaccinating people with one batch of vaccine on March 11.
SPAIN:
On Monday, the health minister said the country will stop using the vaccine for at least two weeks, after four regions had stopped administering doses from a batch.
THAILAND:
Going ahead with the vaccine on March 15, after having delayed the rollout last week.
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Josephine Mason and Barbara Lewis)
