‘Benefits continue to outweigh the risks’
Europe’s health regulator has insisted that the “benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects.”
In a statement Monday, the European Medicines Agency said it “will further review the information” and called an extraordinary meeting on the issue for Thursday. The institution then reiterated its position during a press conference on Tuesday.
“At present, there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions,” Emer Cooke, director of the European Medicines Agency said. “The benefits continue to outweigh the risks, but this is a serious concern and it does need serious and detailed scientific evaluation. This is what we are involved in at the moment.”
She added: “We are worried that there may an effect on the trust of the vaccines ... but our job is to make sure the products we authorize are safe.”
The World Health Organization has urged nations to continue their vaccination campaigns with the AstraZeneca and University of Oxford vaccine.
A number of EU countries have come out in support of the shot. In Belgium, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said on Monday that pausing its use would be “irresponsible”. While authorities in the Czech Republic have also said they will continue administering the vaccine.
Outside the EU, Canada, Australia and the U.K. have also rallied in support of AstraZeneca.
Concerns over the vaccine could put at risk the EU’s target of vaccinating 70% of the adult population by the end of the summer. The AstraZeneca vaccine has proved popular in Europe until now, because it is cheaper than its rivals and easier to store. This could then potentially delay the economic recovery in the region.
Doctors baffled as countries suspend use of AstraZeneca vaccine over blood clot fears
Health experts say they are disappointed and confused by the flurry of suspensions of the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, warning there is not yet enough data to justify these decisions.
Sweden and Latvia on Tuesday joined a fast-growing list of European countries suspending the use of the vaccine as a precautionary measure following reports of blood clots. Germany, France, Italy and Spain on Monday said they would all stop administering the shot.
Other countries, such as Austria, have temporarily paused the use of certain batches of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Thailand on Friday became the first Asian nation to halt the use of the shot over safety concerns.
The U.K., Canada and Australia — which are continuing to deploy the vaccine — are among some of the countries seeking to reassure citizens about its benefits.
‘The damage is done’: Europe’s caution over AstraZeneca vaccine could have far-reaching consequences
The decision by many European countries to suspend the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus shot could have far-reaching consequences, according to analysts, with vaccine uptake and the wider immunization program already lagging in the region.
Reference: CNBC, Reuters
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