Spain puts use of AstraZeneca vaccine on hold over blood clot concerns
Catalan health authorities will stop administering 125,000 doses for two weeks pending a European Medicine Agency report
Spain has temporarily suspended the use of the coronavirus vaccine provided by AstraZeneca pending a report by the European Medicine Agency (EMA) on whether it can cause blood clots.
Despite claiming there was no reason to stop administering the vaccine a few days ago, Spanish officials rectified on Monday. Ten European countries had already put the vaccine on hold, including Germany, France, and Italy.
At least 30 cases of blood clots had been reported among close to five million people vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine in Europe, as reported by the EMA last week. A 60-year-old woman died in Denmark after developing a blood clot.
The agency stresses that "the jab’s benefits still outweigh the risks," but is carrying out an investigation as a "precautionary measure" and is expected to announce its final conclusions on Thursday.
In a statement issued on Sunday, AstraZeneca offered its reassurance on the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine: "A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union (EU) and UK with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country."
Catalan health authorities will hold back from administering 125,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine for two weeks, following the Spanish Health Ministry's decision.
Last Friday, health authorities in Catalonia decided to sit on 2,000 doses, which has so far used to innoculate around half of essential workers.
Catalonia sits on 2,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses pending EU ruling on blood clots
WHO deem the jab safe, but European Medicine Agency yet to confirm it’s not related to recent health complications
Health authorities in Catalonia are sitting on 2,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses pending a ruling from the European Medicine Agency (EMA) on whether the jab can cause blood clots.
The move follows in the footsteps of some European countries like Norway, Iceland and Denmark, after the latter informed that a 60-year-old woman who received the shot had died after developing a blood clot. Non-fatal cases were also reported in other countries.
Spain’s government said on Friday that it was not suspending the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, alleging that no health complications have been reported in Spain which could suggest that the jab is unsafe.
As of last Wednesday, 30 cases of blood clots had been reported among close to five million people vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine in Europe, as reported by the EMA.
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