The Dutch authorities have decided to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine as a precautionary measure. This is stated in the message of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports of the country, circulated on March 14.
“The Dutch Medicines Evaluation Agency has recommended that the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine be suspended as a precautionary measure and pending the results of investigations (of blood clots). The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports has decided to approve this recommendation and not to use the vaccine for two weeks, until March 28 inclusive, ”the statement says.
Earlier in the day, AstraZeneca announced the safety of the drug amid the suspension of its use in some countries.
According to the company, as of March 8, 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis and 22 cases of pulmonary embolism in those vaccinated were detected in the European Union and the UK, which is “much less than one would expect.” The company emphasized that human safety “comes first,” but the evidence it has indicates that the cause of the blood clots was not a vaccine.
It became known yesterday that three medical workers in Norway were hospitalized with blood clots after being vaccinated against the coronavirus with AstraZeneca. As the country’s drug agency clarified, it is also known about serious or minor bleeding in several young patients who received the same vaccine.
The day before, a 38-year-old teacher died in Slovakia after being vaccinated against COVID-19 using the drug AstraZeneca.
On March 12, Italy began investigations into the death of several patients after being vaccinated against a coronavirus infection with a drug from the same company. The day before, Denmark decided to suspend vaccination with AstraZeneca due to possible blood clots after its use. Following her, the authorities in Italy, Norway and Iceland, out of precautionary reasons, made a similar decision.
AstraZeneca responded to the actions of these countries by saying that its COVID-19 drug was well tolerated in clinical trials.