On Monday, Germany stopped using the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, the health ministry said in a statement, where Italy, France and Spain continued their action later in the day. Several other EU countries have stopped using the vaccine due to the possibility of blood clots.
The Ministry of Health announced that the use of the vaccine was “suspended as a precaution” based on the advice of the national health regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI). According to the Ministry of Health, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will decide “whether and how the new information will affect the authorization of the vaccine” pending an investigation.
“Following new reports of brain vein thrombosis in connection with vaccination in Germany and Europe, the PEI considers new investigations necessary,” the Ministry of Health announced.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said “the decision is professional, not political,” following the advice of the PEI. Spahn said the risk of blood clots from the AstraZeneca puncture is low, but it cannot be ruled out.
“The most important thing for trust is transparency,” Spahn said during a briefing.
The EMA will hold a special meeting later this week on vaccine safety
French President Emmanuel Macron said France would suspend use of the vaccine pending an EMA review. The EMA said it will hold a special conference on Thursday to conclude its evaluation of the vaccine.
“Currently, the EMA remains of the opinion that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the prevention of COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, outweigh the risks of side effects,” he said. Monday the EMA.
AstraZeneca suspensions all over Europe, all over the world
In addition to Germany, Italy and France, other countries in Europe and around the world have stopped using the vaccine because of the possible risks of clotting. Last week, Denmark became the first country to suspend implementation, followed by Norway, Iceland and Bulgaria.
Among the non-European countries that must suspend the use of the vaccine are Thailand and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Health regulators need to give clear messages about the vaccine, the virologist explains to DW
Virologist and associate professor at Northumbria University in the UK, Sterghio Moschos, told DW on Monday that governments should provide clear messages about their decisions to suspend the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“It’s very, very important that we make clear, concise, and carefully thought-out messages,” Moschos said, citing the prevalence of conspiracy theories and misinformation around vaccines. “Therefore, in this regard, I fully support the decision of any legislator to stop taking a look and take the data into account.”
“What we do know is that 17 million people have received the vaccine and 37 people have developed these blood clots. This corresponds to 0.0002% of vaccinated people who have received a blood clot,” Moschos added, saying he would take the AstraZeneca vaccine “immediately” if offered.
wd / msh (AP, dpa)