Germany stopped using the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine on Monday, the Ministry of Health said in a statement, and Italy, France and Spain are following the trial on the same day. Several other EU countries have stopped using the vaccine because of the possibility of blood clots.
The Ministry of Health announced that the use of the vaccine has been “suspended as a precautionary measure” based on the recommendations of the national health regulatory authority, the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI). According to the Ministry of Health, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will decide “whether and how the new information will affect the authorization of the vaccine” pending an investigation.
“Following new reports of cerebral vein thrombosis in connection with vaccination in Germany and Europe, the PEI considers that further investigations are needed,” the health ministry said.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said “the decision is a professional one, not a political one”, following advice from the PEI. Spahn said the risk of blood clots forming in the AstraZeneca jab is low, but cannot be ruled out.
“The most important thing for trust is transparency,” Spahn said during a briefing.
The EMA will hold a special meeting later this week on vaccine safety
French President Emmanuel Macron has said France will suspend the use of the vaccine pending a review by the EMA. The EMA said it would hold a special conference on Thursday to conclude the evaluation of the vaccine.
“The EMA currently remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, outweigh the risks of side effects,” the EMA said on Monday.
AstraZeneca suspensions throughout Europe, around the world
In addition to Germany, Italy and France, other nations in Europe and around the world have stopped using the vaccine because of the possible risks of coagulation. Last week, Denmark became the first country to suspend implementation, followed by Norway, Iceland and Bulgaria.
Non-European nations that will suspend the use of the vaccine include Thailand and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Health regulators need to send clear messages about the vaccine, says virologist for DW
Virologist and associate professor at the University of Northumbria in the UK Sterghio Moschos told DW on Monday that governments should provide clear messages about their decisions to suspend the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“It is very, very important to provide clear, concise and carefully thought out messages,” Moschos said, citing the prevalence of conspiracy theories and misinformation about vaccines. “So, in this regard, I fully support the decision of any parliamentarian to stop, take a look and consider the data.”
“What we do know is that 17 million people received the vaccine and 37 people developed these blood clots. This corresponds to 0.0002% of anyone who was vaccinated who received a blood clot,” Moschos added. that he will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine “immediately” if offered.
wd / msh (AP, dpa)