AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Suspended in Some Countries

People all over the UK Prompted to get their coronavirus vaccineDespite an increasing list of countries that have temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca jab due to concerns about blood clots.

Vaccine manufacturers argued that it was safe, saying that a review of the available data of more than 17 million vaccinated people across the UK and EU showed no evidence of increased risk.

After Ireland announced on Sunday that it would stop using jabs as a “precautionary measure,” UK drug regulators said the available evidence “does not suggest that the vaccine is the cause” of the blood clot.

“You need to get the Covid-19 vaccine, even if you’re asked,” said Dr. Phil Bryan, Vaccine Safety Officer at the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The Northern Ireland Ministry of Public Health said the deployment would continue “in line with MHRA’s guidance.”

Republic health minister Stephen Donnelly said the use of Oxford / AstraZeneca jabs was temporarily suspended “based on new information from Norway.”

This decision was followed by reports that Norwegian adults had severe coagulation and four were hospitalized.

The Netherlands also said it would stop using vaccinations as a two-week precaution on Sunday.

Some other European countries have already temporarily stopped using jabs.

However, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) states that the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the risks and that jabs can be continued while investigating the development of blood clots-reported last week. Was only 30 cases. Almost 5 million people jab in the European Economic Area.

According to AstraZeneca’s Chief Medical Officer, Ann Taylor, the number of cases of blood clots reported is less than the hundreds expected among the general public.

The review found no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or thrombocytopenia in a defined age group, gender, batch, or specific country, the pharmaceutical giant said. Said.

Dr. Taylor said: “Currently, about 17 million people are vaccinated in the EU and the UK, and the number of cases of blood clots reported in this group is less than the hundreds expected among the general public.

“The nature of the pandemic has led to increased attention in individual cases, which goes beyond the standard practice of drug safety monitoring approved in reporting vaccine events to ensure public security.”

Dr. Brian said: “We are aware of our actions in Ireland.

“We have scrutinized the report, but given the high number of doses given and the frequency with which blood clots occur spontaneously, the available evidence does not suggest that the vaccine is the cause. Hmm.

“People should still go get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so.”

The latest development came when a British charity wrote an open letter urging people with underlying health to seek vaccines.

Meanwhile, Parliamentarians called on the government to stop the “movement of goalposts” in its decision to limit the coronavirus and to publish the data thresholds on the roadmap from the blockade.

According to a report by the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, the framework for blockade and stratification decisions has changed “repeatedly” and decisions do not necessarily appear to reflect new information.

The Commission warned that trust was the “key factor” for a successful response to the crisis, but this led to public turmoil and distrust.

A British national statistician said there was “no doubt” that another wave of Covid-19 infections would occur in the fall.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond, head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), said that while people need to understand how the data is progressing and examine the impact of the deployment of “great” vaccines, the virus ” I won’t go. ” Away. “

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “And there is no doubt that another wave of infection will come in the fall.”

Professor Anthony Hahnden, vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Immunization and Immunization, said booster jabs could be rolled out to vulnerable older people in the country late summer in preparation for the third wave. Said.

He told The BMJ’s Talk Evidence Podcast: “I certainly don’t want to see winter like this winter. If new variants are on the market and vaccination has lowered immunity levels, then it will be essential for boosting. I will. “