THE UK Medicines Regulator has urged UK residents to continue getting their coronavirus vaccine despite some countries suspending the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca jab.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defends Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine amongst fears of blood clots.
A number of countries have suspended the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine over the weekend amid reports of blood clotting.
The UK medicines regulator has urged people to carry on getting their vaccine with vaccine experts saying they will continue to use the AstraZeneca jab.
Oxford-AstraZeneca has said that a review has found no evidence of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or thrombocytopenia risk increase in any particular country, defined age group, batch or gender.
Ireland announced on Sunday (Mar 14) that they were suspending the AstraZeneca jab as a precautionary measure along with the Netherlands who suspended the use for two weeks.
The Northern region of Italy, Piedmont has stopped using the jab after a teacher reportedly died following the vaccination on Saturday.
Thailand, Bulgaria, Iceland, Norway and Denmark have already halted their use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Vaccines safety lead at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Dr Phil Bryan said: “People should still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so.”
The benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh its risks said The European Medicines Agency (EMA), who says that administration of the jab should continue while they review incidents of blood clots.
Dr Bryan added: “We are aware of the action in Ireland. We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause. People should still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so.”
It is reported there had been 30 cases among almost five million people vaccinated in the European Economic Area.
Dr Taylor said: “Around 17 million people in the EU and UK have now received our vaccine, and the number of cases of blood clots reported in this group is lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population.”
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