Excellent vaccine, no reason to stop AstraZeneca-WHO

The controversy erupted about the use of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine after several European countries suspended the roll-out over blood clot fears. The World Health Organization said Friday there was no reason to stop using AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine. The WHO said its vaccines advisory committee was currently looking at safety data and stressed that no causal link had been established between the vaccine and clotting. "AstraZeneca is an excellent vaccine, as are the other vaccines that are being used," WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told reporters at a briefing in Geneva. "We've reviewed the data on deaths. There has been no death, to date, proven to have be caused by vaccination," she said. "Yes, we should continue using the AstraZeneca vaccine," she added, stressing though that "any safety signal must be investigated." "We must always ensure that we look for any safety signals when we roll out vaccines, and we must review them," she said.

Germany's top health official expressed regret Friday that some neighbouring countries have paused their use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine following reports of blood clots in some people, despite the lack of any evidence the shot was responsible. Health Minister Jens Spahn said that while Germany takes reports of possible side effects from vaccines “very, very seriously,” both the European Medicines Agency and Germany's own vaccine oversight body have said they have no evidence of an increase in dangerous blood clots in connection with the shots.

The European Medicines Agency, which approved the shot for use across the 27-nation EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, said “the vaccine's benefits continue to outweigh its risks and the vaccine can continue to be administered” while a closer evaluation of the blood clot cases continues. “There is currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions,” the regulator said. It said the number of people with blood clots in vaccinated people was no higher than those who hadn't been inoculated. Britain's medicines regulator said it had not received any reports of blood clots in people that were caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine. More than 11 million doses of AstraZeneca have been administered in the U.K.