COPENHAGEN, Denmark (PA) – Danish officials decided on Thursday to extend the suspension of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by three weeks, while continuing to assess a possible link to blood clots, even though EU regulators have looked into the matter. have eliminated the vaccine for use.
Denmark’s decision “was taken on the basis of the alleged side effects,” Tanja Erichsen, interim director of pharmacovigilance at the Danish Medicines Agency, told a news conference.
“The link between the vaccine and the very rare cases of blood clots cannot be ruled out,” she said.
Denmark discontinued use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure on March 11 after it reported that a 60-year-old woman died of blood clots in several parts of her body a week after receiving the vaccine, according to officials. health.
The death of a second person in Denmark who died after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine has been reported. The Danish health authorities said they had no evidence that the vaccine was responsible for the death.
“I would like to emphasize that I am not talking about ordinary blood clots,” Erichsen said. “It’s not about blood clots in the arms, legs and lungs.”
The break will last at least until April 18. Norway and Sweden have also suspended the AstraZeneca vaccine. Most European countries that have put the vaccine on hold have resumed its administration after the European Medicines Agency said it was safe last week.
The Swedish Public Health Agency said on Thursday it would resume taking AstraZeneca to people over the age of 65, but recommended continuing to keep them waiting for other age groups, while waiting for additional data. Sweden has suspended the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 16.
“The vaccine is very useful for the elderly, as many get seriously ill with COVID-19 every day,” Swedish agency director Johan Carlson said in a statement. “At the same time, we did not see a risk of these rare and serious side effects in the elderly. This is why we are canceling the break for people over the age of 65. ”
Health officials in neighboring Finland said late Wednesday that the country would resume use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Monday after a one-week break, but would only give it to people over 65.
The use of the AstraZeneca vaccine was suspended in Finland last Friday after brain blood clots were diagnosed in two people who received the jab.
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, more than 1 million doses of various vaccines have been administered in Denmark, which has a population of almost 6 million. The vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna account for most of the shots administered in the Scandinavian country, and about 150,000 people in Denmark got a vaccine with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“Many may wonder if we are excessive. To this I will say: “You can say that ‘We have added additional precautionary principles,'” said Soeren Brostroem, director general of the Danish health authority.
Brostroem said that when and if Denmark resumed use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, people would be given the option to refuse the vaccine from the Anglo-Swedish drug manufacturer.
“You can wait and get another,” he said. Denmark also uses vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna.
The European Medicines Agency says the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the risks and the vaccine can continue to be given while a closer assessment of blood clots continues.
“At this time, we believe that our basis for making a final decision on the continued use of the COVID-19 vaccine by AstraZeneca is too uncertain,” Brostroem said. “Many studies have been launched, but we do not yet have conclusions. That’s why we decided to extend the break. ”
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Jari Tanner from Helsinki, Finland contributed to this report