Alarm at German AstraZeneca pause as cases spike
Germany is among a number of countries that have halted its use over unproven reports that it causes blood clots, but Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was hopeful it could be used again
German leaders have postponed a summit on extending the vaccine rollout as they await fuller confirmation that the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab is safe to use.
Germany is among a number of countries that have halted its use over unproven reports that it causes blood clots, but Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was hopeful it could be used again, reports the BBC.
The EU regulator has again insisted the drug's benefits outweigh any risks. The German decision has been criticised by some politicians and doctors.
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Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency, said the EMA was still "firmly convinced" of the benefits of the AstraZeneca drug, and she pointed out that blood clots highlighted by some countries were relatively common in the general population. The main question was whether it was a real side-effect of the vaccine or a coincidence, she said.
The agency's safety committee will further review the latest evidence and report back on Thursday. Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) were also meeting on Tuesday but spokesman Christian Lindmeier stressed there was "no evidence" that the incidents were linked to the vaccine.
