Germany will resume anti-Covid vaccinations on Friday with the Anglo-Swedish vaccine AstraZeneca after the green light from the European regulator deeming this vaccine “safe and effective”, the Minister of Health announced on Thursday.
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“Our objective, and this is the common objective of the government and the 16 Länder, is to resume vaccinations with AstraZeneca during the course of Friday,” Jens Spahn told reporters, eager to restore “confidence. In this vaccine, the use of which was suspended on Monday.
The minister thus promised an “informed vaccination”: the people who wish to receive this vaccine must first be informed “in a transparent manner” of any side or undesirable effects, including thrombosis.
The government of Angela Merkel, which still defended the Anglo-Swedish vaccine a few days ago, surprised Monday with the announcement by the Minister of Health of the suspension of injections, followed in the wake of similar decisions in France and Italy.
The Paul-Ehrlich Medical Institute, which advises the German government, estimated “that other examinations (were) necessary” after cases of blood clots forming in people vaccinated in Europe, according to the ministry.
But Thursday the European Medicines Agency (EMA) deemed this vaccine “safe and effective”. Italy and France immediately announced the resumption of AstraZeneca vaccinations.
Germany, which is suffering a third wave caused by the British variant, had administered at least one dose of the anti-Covid vaccine to nearly 7 million people on Thursday.
Spain resumes AstraZeneca vaccinations on Wednesday
Spain will resume from Wednesday its vaccination program against the COVID-19 epidemic with the AstraZeneca serum, after the conclusions of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which deemed this vaccine “safe and effective”, a announced Thursday the Spanish Minister of Health.
“We are resuming vaccination with AstraZeneca next week, namely Wednesday,” Carolina Darias said at a press conference four days after her preventive suspension, explaining that authorities now have to decide “which groups will receive this vaccine.” “.
Spain suspended the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 15, like several other European countries, in the face of suspected cases of thrombosis.
Until its suspension, now lifted, nearly a million people (975,661) had received this vaccine in Spain.
A health investigation was also opened on three cases of people who suffered from the formation of blood clots after the administration of this vaccine, one of whom died, the Spanish Medicines Agency said on Wednesday.
About fifteen countries, including Germany, France and Italy, had suspended the use of this vaccine as a precaution, after reporting possible side effects, such as bleeding disorders and blood clots.
Italy, France, Germany and several other countries have already announced that they will resume vaccinations with AstraZeneca serum on Friday.
Spain is hit hard by the pandemic with more than 3.2 million confirmed cases and more than 72,900 deaths.