Coronavirus: More countries ban AstraZeneca vaccine

More countries are suspending the use of AstraZeneca vaccine for Covid-19 treatment or prevention as cases of adverse effects increase. However, the producer company and the World Health Organization have continued to assure that there is no risk.

Austria on March 8 ordered the stopping of administration of a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the death of a 49-year-old nurse from “severe bleeding disorders” days after receiving the vaccine.

Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Luxembourg also suspended the administration of AstraZeneca vaccine doses from the same batch, which had been delivered to 17 countries, including and other African countries.

Italy’s medicines regulator also banned the administration of a batch AstraZeneca vaccine as a precaution on March 11. Romania also joined the league of countries banning the AstraZeneca vaccine for treatment of coronavirus.

Northern Piedmont region of Italy, on March 14 suspended use of AstraZeneca vaccine after the death of a teacher who had received it the day before.

Denmark was the first Nordic country to announce the banning of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure over fears of blood clots in vaccinated people.

Iceland and Norway also made same decision the same day, temporarily suspending use of all their supply of the vaccine, citing similar concerns.

AstraZeneca, an Anglo-Swedish company which developed the vaccine with Oxford University, defended the safety of its product.

Bulgaria suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 12 as it investigated the death of a woman with several underlying conditions who received the jab in the past week.

Thailand immediately held back on the start of the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine the same day, joined by the Democratic Republic of Congo.

On Saturday Norwegian health officials reported three more cases of blood clots or brain haemorrhages in younger people who received the jab but say they cannot yet say they were vaccine related.

The next day Ireland and the Netherlands joined the list of countries temporarily deferring the use of the vaccine.

Germany and France have also suspended the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine over the noticeable adverse effects.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria government has sustained rigorous campaign persuading citizens to accept the AstraZeneca vaccine as part of the coronavirus medical interventions.