Denmark will suspend from definitely the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID, health authorities reported on Wednesday. is the first country to leave completely the drug created by the pharmaceutical and Oxford University.
Despite the opinions of the European regulator and the WHO in favor of its use, “the vaccination campaign in Denmark continues without the AstraZeneca vaccine“Søren Brostrøm, director of the National Health Agency, told a news conference.
This determination comes after Copenhagen decided to discontinue its use for five weeks, following the occurrence of unusual cases of thrombosis in several European countries. This Thursday ended the three-week period decreed in late March by ccontinue with studies of unusual cases.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) stated that the benefits of AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks. Photo: AP
Tanja Erichsen, a senior official of the Danish Medicines Agency, stated that authorities “agree” with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in which the vaccine is “effective”, but has reiterated that, due to the epidemiological situation in Denmark, “it is better” to stop using the vaccine.
The nearly 150,000 people who received a dose of this vaccine will be offered another for their second dose, according to authorities.
The suspension of AstraZeneca, of which Denmark has purchased 2.4 million doses, will lead to a delay of several weeks in the vaccination schedule of this Nordic country, which intended to have its entire population immunized in late July.
Denmark had been the first to suspend vaccination with AstraZeneca on March 11, a decision that was later followed by most European countries, although they resumed the process when the European Medicines Agency (EMA) assured that there was no evidence of a direct relationship with cases of thrombosis detected.
Some countries have reserved but its use for over 60s, as is the case in Germany and Sweden, while Norway will announce in a few days what decision it will take on the vaccine, also suspended for a month.
In its previous appearance on 25 March, the Danish Medicines Agency argued that the extension of the suspension for the need to finish studying several unusual cases, although he defended the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.
Denmark has recorded a death with this clinical picture, Which includes low amounts of platelets, blood clots and bleeding; and a couple of deaths from similar symptoms that had not yet been completed by the end of March.
With information from EFE