Everyone aged 44 and above in Britain will now be able to book their COVID-19 jab starting on Monday as the UK's National Health Service (NHS) vaccine programme expands further to more younger age groups.

Around half a million 44-year-olds will receive a text message inviting them to get their jab through the National Booking Service, with England's top doctor urging people to come forward for their jab when they are invited.

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The move to the next age cohort in the vaccination programme comes alongside the latest NHS figures showing that more than two-thirds of people aged 45 to 49 have now been vaccinated as the programme moves through age and risk-based cohorts.

"Now that 95 per cent of all over 50s have had their first jab, and more than two-thirds of those aged 45-49, we are opening up vaccinations to 44-year olds,''&nbsp;said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

''The biggest vaccination programme in NHS history has delivered 45.5 million doses so far across the UK, and we are on track to offer a jab to all adults by the end of July. I encourage everyone who is 44 to book an appointment to get the jab,&nbsp;it will protect you and your loved ones, and help put this pandemic behind us,''&nbsp;he said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-finally-reports-the-lowest-daily-covid-19-cases-since-september-336-million-vaccinated-so-far-380506" hreflang="en">UK finally reports the lowest daily Covid-19 cases since September; 33.6 million vaccinated so far</a>

The NHS said the decision to move to the next group of people aged between 40 and 43 will be set out in the coming days with the NHS vaccinating in line with Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice and as supply allows.

"Thanks to NHS staff, people aged 45-49 have been hot on the heels of millions of people most at risk who were quick to take up the offer of a vaccine with more than two-thirds getting their lifesaving jab, marking another medically important milestone in the biggest vaccination campaign in NHS history,''&nbsp;said Sir Simon Stevens, NHS England Chief Executive.

?When the time comes, and you get that text, book an appointment to get your vaccine ''&nbsp;it is the best protection you and your loved ones will receive from this deadly virus,''&nbsp;he said.

Since the UK's vaccination rollout began in December 2020, more than 28 million people have been vaccinated with a first dose in England, 63.8 per cent of the total population of adults aged over 18.

NHS staff have also carried out more than 10 million second doses and has been reminding people to attend their second dose to ensure they receive maximum protection.

NHS Medical Director, Professor Stephen Powis, said: ''It is testament to the hard work of NHS staff that we are now able to vaccinate people in the next age group.''

''If you are aged 44, when you are invited to do so, please do book your jab as appointments become available,&nbsp;it is simple, effective and provides vital protection against the coronavirus.''

The NHS currently vaccinates against COVID-19 using three approved vaccines, Pfizer/BionTech, Moderna, and Oxford/AstraZeneca. People who cannot go online can call the service on 119 instead to book their jab.

Text invitations appear as an alert from 'NHSvaccine', including a web link to the NHS website to reserve an appointment.

Vaccinations are now being administered at more than 1,600 sites across the country, including churches, mosques, temples, museums and rugby grounds, to ensure the vast majority of people live within 10 miles of at least one vaccination service.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Everyone aged 44 and above in Britain will now be able to book their COVID-19 jab starting on Monday as the UK's National Health Service (NHS) vaccine programme expands further to more younger age groups.

Everyone aged 44 and above in Britain will now be able to book their COVID-19 jab starting on Monday as the UK's National Health Service (NHS) vaccine programme expands further to more younger age groups. Around half a million 44-year-olds will receive a text message inviting them to get their jab through the National Booking Service, with England's top doctor urging people to come forward for their jab when they are invited. The move to the next age cohort in the vaccination programme comes alongside the latest NHS figures showing that more than two-thirds of people aged 45 to 49 have now been vaccinated as the programme moves through age and risk-based cohorts. "Now that 95 per cent of all over 50s have had their first jab, and more than two-thirds of those aged 45-49, we are opening up vaccinations to 44-year olds,'' said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock. ''The biggest vaccination programme in NHS history has delivered 45.5 million doses so far across the UK, and we are on track to offer a jab to all adults by the end of July. I encourage everyone who is 44 to book an appointment to get the jab, it will protect you and your loved ones, and help put this pandemic behind us,'' he said. Also read| UK finally reports the lowest daily Covid-19 cases since September; 33.6 million vaccinated so far The NHS said the decision to move to the next group of people aged between 40 and 43 will be set out in the coming days with the NHS vaccinating in line with Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice and as supply allows. "Thanks to NHS staff, people aged 45-49 have been hot on the heels of millions of people most at risk who were quick to take up the offer of a vaccine with more than two-thirds getting their lifesaving jab, marking another medically important milestone in the biggest vaccination campaign in NHS history,'' said Sir Simon Stevens, NHS England Chief Executive. ?When the time comes, and you get that text, book an appointment to get your vaccine '' it is the best protection you and your loved ones will receive from this deadly virus,'' he said. Since the UK's vaccination rollout began in December 2020, more than 28 million people have been vaccinated with a first dose in England, 63.8 per cent of the total population of adults aged over 18. NHS staff have also carried out more than 10 million second doses and has been reminding people to attend their second dose to ensure they receive maximum protection. NHS Medical Director, Professor Stephen Powis, said: ''It is testament to the hard work of NHS staff that we are now able to vaccinate people in the next age group.'' ''If you are aged 44, when you are invited to do so, please do book your jab as appointments become available, it is simple, effective and provides vital protection against the coronavirus.'' The NHS currently vaccinates against COVID-19 using three approved vaccines, Pfizer/BionTech, Moderna, and Oxford/AstraZeneca. People who cannot go online can call the service on 119 instead to book their jab. Text invitations appear as an alert from 'NHSvaccine', including a web link to the NHS website to reserve an appointment. Vaccinations are now being administered at more than 1,600 sites across the country, including churches, mosques, temples, museums and rugby grounds, to ensure the vast majority of people live within 10 miles of at least one vaccination service. (With inputs from agencies)

UK extends COVID-19 vaccination drive to everyone aged 44 years and above

The&nbsp;World&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Organization's vaccine advisors called on Thursday for more data on the incidence of blood clots in people who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine outside Europe.

The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunisation updated their guidance on the use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus jab, rewriting the section on precautions in light of data from Europe on clotting.

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"WHO continues to support the conclusion that the benefits of these vaccines outweigh the risks," the UN agency stressed in a statement.

On April 7, SAGE said a link between AstraZeneca's Covid-19 jabs and blood clots was plausible but unconfirmed, underlining that reported occurrences were "very rare".

In light of evidence emerging from ongoing vaccination programmes, they have updated their recommendations on the AstraZeneca jab, which is being deployed in 157 territories.

SAGE said most clotting cases were reported in Britain and the European Union, with very few cases noted in other countries.

They said it was unknown whether there was a risk of clotting from the second dose of the vaccine, while recommending that those who suffered blood clots after their first injection should not be given the second dose of the two-shot vaccine.

"A very rare syndrome of blood clotting combined with low platelet counts, described as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), has been reported around four to 20 days following vaccination," the new guidance says.

"A causal relationship between the vaccine and TTS is considered plausible although the biological mechanism for this syndrome is still being investigated.

"Most of these cases were reported from the UK and the EU. There is considerable geographic variation with regards to the reported incidence, with very few cases reported from non-European countries, despite extensive use of the vaccine.

"An estimation of the risk outside Europe needs further data collection and analysis."

The vaccine currently forms the backbone of the Covax scheme, which ensures that poorer countries can access doses, with donors covering the cost.

Covax has so far shipped more than 40.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to 118 participating territories.

The SAGE guidance said that data from Britain, dated March 31, suggested the risk of TTS was approximately one case per 250,000 vaccinated adults, while the rate in the EU was estimated at one in 100,000.

It said current data from Europe suggested that the risk might be higher in younger adults compared with older adults.

"No specific risk factors have yet been identified," it said.

Whilst stressing that the benefit of vaccination against Covid-19 "far outweighs" the risks, the assessment may differ between countries.

"Countries should consider their epidemiological situation, individual and population-level risks, availability of other vaccines, and alternate options for risk mitigation," the guidance said.

"The benefit-risk ratio is greatest in older age groups.

"It is currently unknown whether there is a risk of TTS following the second dose."

The safety surveillance and monitoring section was also rewritten,recommending research into serious adverse events including cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and thrombotic events with thrombocytopenia.

It also called for research into the incidence of TTS by region, age and sex.

(With inputs from agencies)

The World Health Organization's vaccine advisors called on Thursday for more data on the incidence of blood clots in people who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine outside Europe.

The World Health Organization's vaccine advisors called on Thursday for more data on the incidence of blood clots in people who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine outside Europe. The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunisation updated their guidance on the use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus jab, rewriting the section on precautions in light of data from Europe on clotting. "WHO continues to support the conclusion that the benefits of these vaccines outweigh the risks," the UN agency stressed in a statement. On April 7, SAGE said a link between AstraZeneca's Covid-19 jabs and blood clots was plausible but unconfirmed, underlining that reported occurrences were "very rare". In light of evidence emerging from ongoing vaccination programmes, they have updated their recommendations on the AstraZeneca jab, which is being deployed in 157 territories. SAGE said most clotting cases were reported in Britain and the European Union, with very few cases noted in other countries. They said it was unknown whether there was a risk of clotting from the second dose of the vaccine, while recommending that those who suffered blood clots after their first injection should not be given the second dose of the two-shot vaccine. "A very rare syndrome of blood clotting combined with low platelet counts, described as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), has been reported around four to 20 days following vaccination," the new guidance says. "A causal relationship between the vaccine and TTS is considered plausible although the biological mechanism for this syndrome is still being investigated. "Most of these cases were reported from the UK and the EU. There is considerable geographic variation with regards to the reported incidence, with very few cases reported from non-European countries, despite extensive use of the vaccine. "An estimation of the risk outside Europe needs further data collection and analysis." The vaccine currently forms the backbone of the Covax scheme, which ensures that poorer countries can access doses, with donors covering the cost. Covax has so far shipped more than 40.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to 118 participating territories. The SAGE guidance said that data from Britain, dated March 31, suggested the risk of TTS was approximately one case per 250,000 vaccinated adults, while the rate in the EU was estimated at one in 100,000. It said current data from Europe suggested that the risk might be higher in younger adults compared with older adults. "No specific risk factors have yet been identified," it said. Whilst stressing that the benefit of vaccination against Covid-19 "far outweighs" the risks, the assessment may differ between countries. "Countries should consider their epidemiological situation, individual and population-level risks, availability of other vaccines, and alternate options for risk mitigation," the guidance said. "The benefit-risk ratio is greatest in older age groups. "It is currently unknown whether there is a risk of TTS following the second dose." The safety surveillance and monitoring section was also rewritten,recommending research into serious adverse events including cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and thrombotic events with thrombocytopenia. It also called for research into the incidence of TTS by region, age and sex. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: WHO experts want more AstraZeneca clot data from outside Europe

The EU's drug watchdog on Friday said that Oxford-AstraZeneca's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine's </a>benefits increase with age.&nbsp;

"It showed that the benefits of vaccination increase with increasing age and infection rates," the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in a statement said, as quoted by news agency AFP.

Watch |&nbsp;

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The EMA also said that its benefits to adults still outweigh the risks despite reports of blood clots.&nbsp;

"The benefits of Vaxzevria outweigh its risks in adults of all age groups; however, very rare cases of blood clots with low blood platelets have occurred following vaccination," the statement further said, taking the official brand name for AstraZeneca's vaccine.

Earlier, the European Commission asked the EMA to look into concerns after several countries banned the drugs for older people.&nbsp;

Concerns rose after the EU's watchdog on April 7 said that a very rare, but often fatal form of blood clotting should be taken as a side-effect of the drug.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-says-astrazeneca-lawsuit-not-priority-for-now-379519">Germany says AstraZeneca lawsuit 'not priority' for now</a>

Britain's medicines regulator earlier on Thursday said there had been 168 major blood clots following a jab of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, a rate of 7.9 cases per million doses, news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

This was more than 100 clot cases reported last week by the UK.&nbsp;

The UK has urged under-30s to receive an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca&nbsp;drug, while several European countries have restricted the drug's use to young adults.&nbsp;

France has said that only people above the age of 55 are allowed to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab. &nbsp;

The EU's drug watchdog on Friday said that Oxford-AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine's benefits increase with age. "It showed that the benefits of vaccination increase with increasing age and infection rates," the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in a statement said, as quoted by news agency AFP.

The EU's drug watchdog on Friday said that Oxford-AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine's benefits increase with age. "It showed that the benefits of vaccination increase with increasing age and infection rates," the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in a statement said, as quoted by news agency AFP. Watch | The EMA also said that its benefits to adults still outweigh the risks despite reports of blood clots. "The benefits of Vaxzevria outweigh its risks in adults of all age groups; however, very rare cases of blood clots with low blood platelets have occurred following vaccination," the statement further said, taking the official brand name for AstraZeneca's vaccine. Earlier, the European Commission asked the EMA to look into concerns after several countries banned the drugs for older people. Concerns rose after the EU's watchdog on April 7 said that a very rare, but often fatal form of blood clotting should be taken as a side-effect of the drug. Also read | Germany says AstraZeneca lawsuit 'not priority' for now Britain's medicines regulator earlier on Thursday said there had been 168 major blood clots following a jab of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, a rate of 7.9 cases per million doses, news agency Reuters reported. This was more than 100 clot cases reported last week by the UK. The UK has urged under-30s to receive an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca drug, while several European countries have restricted the drug's use to young adults. France has said that only people above the age of 55 are allowed to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab.

Benefits of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine increase with age: EU's watchdog

Germany&nbsp;would support legal action against&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;for under-delivering <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Covid-19</a> vaccine doses to the EU, but the&nbsp;priority&nbsp;now&nbsp;should be on securing the jabs, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday.

The European Commission is considering a&nbsp;lawsuit&nbsp;against the Swedish-British pharmaceutical giant for so far delivering just 31 million of the 120 million doses it had promised, according to EU diplomats.

Asked if he thought the&nbsp;lawsuit&nbsp;was a good idea, Spahn said: "If (the commission) decides to take legal action, then yes... but it's much more important to me that I get this vaccine."

Germany&nbsp;wants to "cooperate with&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;to get as many deliveries as possible as quickly as possible", he said, adding that legal issues are "not yet a&nbsp;priority&nbsp;in this phase of the pandemic".

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="Germany halts use of AstraZeneca vaccine for elderly amid reports of rare disorder">Germany halts use of AstraZeneca vaccine for elderly amid reports of rare disorder</a>

EU diplomats said Thursday no final decision has been taken on legal action but the EU executive has informed member state envoys and wants them to confirm whether they would back a&nbsp;lawsuit.

"As you know,&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;is not delivering the number of doses which have been agreed upon in the contract... This is one of the reasons why we keep our options open together with member states to take any further steps," commission spokesman Stefan De Keersmaecker said on Thursday.

One diplomat told AFP that "not all member states are in agreement" on taking the company to court, stressing that their aim was simply to have&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;deliver the doses it had promised in its contract.

Public confidence in the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;jab has taken a blow after the European Medicines Agency, the bloc's regulator, said it was likely linked to a very rare form of blood clot affecting the brain.&nbsp;

The EMA and the commission have not changed their stance on a general use of&nbsp;AstraZeneca, saying its benefits outweigh the risks, but several EU countries have restricted its use to older citizens.

The EU, however, is&nbsp;now&nbsp;increasingly relying on the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine for its rollout, which has been accelerating since the end of March.

Germany would support legal action against AstraZeneca for under-delivering Covid-19 vaccine doses to the EU, but the priority now should be on securing the jabs, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday.

Germany would support legal action against AstraZeneca for under-delivering Covid-19 vaccine doses to the EU, but the priority now should be on securing the jabs, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday. The European Commission is considering a lawsuit against the Swedish-British pharmaceutical giant for so far delivering just 31 million of the 120 million doses it had promised, according to EU diplomats. Asked if he thought the lawsuit was a good idea, Spahn said: "If (the commission) decides to take legal action, then yes... but it's much more important to me that I get this vaccine." Germany wants to "cooperate with AstraZeneca to get as many deliveries as possible as quickly as possible", he said, adding that legal issues are "not yet a priority in this phase of the pandemic". Also Read | Germany halts use of AstraZeneca vaccine for elderly amid reports of rare disorder EU diplomats said Thursday no final decision has been taken on legal action but the EU executive has informed member state envoys and wants them to confirm whether they would back a lawsuit. "As you know, AstraZeneca is not delivering the number of doses which have been agreed upon in the contract... This is one of the reasons why we keep our options open together with member states to take any further steps," commission spokesman Stefan De Keersmaecker said on Thursday. One diplomat told AFP that "not all member states are in agreement" on taking the company to court, stressing that their aim was simply to have AstraZeneca deliver the doses it had promised in its contract. Public confidence in the AstraZeneca jab has taken a blow after the European Medicines Agency, the bloc's regulator, said it was likely linked to a very rare form of blood clot affecting the brain. The EMA and the commission have not changed their stance on a general use of AstraZeneca, saying its benefits outweigh the risks, but several EU countries have restricted its use to older citizens. The EU, however, is now increasingly relying on the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine for its rollout, which has been accelerating since the end of March.

Germany says AstraZeneca lawsuit 'not priority' for now

Germany&nbsp;would support legal action against&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;for under-delivering <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Covid-19</a> vaccine doses to the EU, but the&nbsp;priority&nbsp;now&nbsp;should be on securing the jabs, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday.

The European Commission is considering a&nbsp;lawsuit&nbsp;against the Swedish-British pharmaceutical giant for so far delivering just 31 million of the 120 million doses it had promised, according to EU diplomats.

Asked if he thought the&nbsp;lawsuit&nbsp;was a good idea, Spahn said: "If (the commission) decides to take legal action, then yes... but it's much more important to me that I get this vaccine."

Germany&nbsp;wants to "cooperate with&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;to get as many deliveries as possible as quickly as possible", he said, adding that legal issues are "not yet a&nbsp;priority&nbsp;in this phase of the pandemic".

EU diplomats said Thursday no final decision has been taken on legal action but the EU executive has informed member state envoys and wants them to confirm whether they would back a&nbsp;lawsuit.

"As you know,&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;is not delivering the number of doses which have been agreed upon in the contract... This is one of the reasons why we keep our options open together with member states to take any further steps," commission spokesman Stefan De Keersmaecker said on Thursday.

One diplomat told AFP that "not all member states are in agreement" on taking the company to court, stressing that their aim was simply to have&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;deliver the doses it had promised in its contract.

Public confidence in the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;jab has taken a blow after the European Medicines Agency, the bloc's regulator, said it was likely linked to a very rare form of blood clot affecting the brain.&nbsp;

The EMA and the commission have not changed their stance on a general use of&nbsp;AstraZeneca, saying its benefits outweigh the risks, but several EU countries have restricted its use to older citizens.

The EU, however, is&nbsp;now&nbsp;increasingly relying on the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine for its rollout, which has been accelerating since the end of March.

Germany would support legal action against AstraZeneca for under-delivering Covid-19 vaccine doses to the EU, but the priority now should be on securing the jabs, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday. The European Commission is considering a lawsuit against the Swedish-British pharmaceutical giant for so far delivering just 31 million of the 120 million doses it had promised, according to EU diplomats. Asked if he thought the lawsuit was a good idea, Spahn said: "If (the commission) decides to take legal action, then yes... but it's much more important to me that I get this vaccine." Germany wants to "cooperate with AstraZeneca to get as many deliveries as possible as quickly as possible", he said, adding that legal issues are "not yet a priority in this phase of the pandemic". EU diplomats said Thursday no final decision has been taken on legal action but the EU executive has informed member state envoys and wants them to confirm whether they would back a lawsuit. "As you know, AstraZeneca is not delivering the number of doses which have been agreed upon in the contract... This is one of the reasons why we keep our options open together with member states to take any further steps," commission spokesman Stefan De Keersmaecker said on Thursday. One diplomat told AFP that "not all member states are in agreement" on taking the company to court, stressing that their aim was simply to have AstraZeneca deliver the doses it had promised in its contract. Public confidence in the AstraZeneca jab has taken a blow after the European Medicines Agency, the bloc's regulator, said it was likely linked to a very rare form of blood clot affecting the brain. The EMA and the commission have not changed their stance on a general use of AstraZeneca, saying its benefits outweigh the risks, but several EU countries have restricted its use to older citizens. The EU, however, is now increasingly relying on the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine for its rollout, which has been accelerating since the end of March.

A total of 168 people have suffered rare blood clots after taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccine</a> in Britain, and 32 have died, the UK's medicines regulator said Thursday.

The figures for clots or "thromboembolic events" run up to April 14, by when 21.2 million people had received first doses of the vaccine, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

It represents a rise of 10 deaths compared to the period up to April 5, and an additional 68 cases.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/is-steam-inhalation-helpful-in-fighting-covid-all-you-need-to-know-378987" hreflang="en">Is steam inhalation helpful in fighting COVID? All you need to know</a>

"On the basis of this ongoing review, the advice remains that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks in the majority of people," the MHRA said.

Acting on the regulator's advice, the UK government this month agreed to offer most people under 30 an alternative to the AstraZeneca coronavirus jab if possible, due to concerns over blood clots.

Of the 168 cases in the latest summary, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST or blood clots in the brain) was reported in 77 cases, with an average age of 47.

A further 91 cases had other "major thromboembolic events" along with thrombocytopenia -- low platelet counts -- with an average age of 55.

Overall, 93 women and 75 men suffered clots after receiving the vaccine.

"I would expect the true number of cases per million doses of vaccine to become clear fairly soon as these reports stabilise, but it is already clear that it is going to remain a very rare event," University of Bristol paediatrics professor Adam Finn said.

Britain has Europe's highest death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic but since the mass vaccination drive began with the AstraZeneca jab in December, rates of infection, hospitalisation and death have plummeted.

The coronavirus was no longer the leading cause of death in March, according to separate data released by the Office for National Statistics.

It said that Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death in England last month, dropping from the top spot for the first time since October.

A total of 168 people have suffered rare blood clots after taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in Britain, and 32 have died, the UK's medicines regulator said Thursday.

A total of 168 people have suffered rare blood clots after taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in Britain, and 32 have died, the UK's medicines regulator said Thursday. The figures for clots or "thromboembolic events" run up to April 14, by when 21.2 million people had received first doses of the vaccine, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). It represents a rise of 10 deaths compared to the period up to April 5, and an additional 68 cases. Also read | Is steam inhalation helpful in fighting COVID? All you need to know "On the basis of this ongoing review, the advice remains that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks in the majority of people," the MHRA said. Acting on the regulator's advice, the UK government this month agreed to offer most people under 30 an alternative to the AstraZeneca coronavirus jab if possible, due to concerns over blood clots. Of the 168 cases in the latest summary, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST or blood clots in the brain) was reported in 77 cases, with an average age of 47. A further 91 cases had other "major thromboembolic events" along with thrombocytopenia -- low platelet counts -- with an average age of 55. Overall, 93 women and 75 men suffered clots after receiving the vaccine. "I would expect the true number of cases per million doses of vaccine to become clear fairly soon as these reports stabilise, but it is already clear that it is going to remain a very rare event," University of Bristol paediatrics professor Adam Finn said. Britain has Europe's highest death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic but since the mass vaccination drive began with the AstraZeneca jab in December, rates of infection, hospitalisation and death have plummeted. The coronavirus was no longer the leading cause of death in March, according to separate data released by the Office for National Statistics. It said that Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death in England last month, dropping from the top spot for the first time since October.

UK reports 32 deaths from clots after AstraZeneca jabs

South&nbsp;Korea's foreign minister said on Wednesday he hopes the United States will help Seoul address its COVID-19 vaccine shortage as a return in favour of test kits and masks it sent to Washington earlier in the pandemic.

The request comes as the&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korean government has come under fire from local media for not doing enough to secure enough vaccines early. It has inoculated just 3 per cent&nbsp;of its population due to tight global supply and limited access.

"We have been stressing to the US&nbsp;that 'a friend in need is a friend indeed'," Chung Eui-yong told reporters at the Kwanhun Club, a representative association of journalists in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea.

He said&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;had airlifted Washington a large volume of coronavirus test kits and face masks in the early stages of the pandemic "in the spirit of the special&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea-US&nbsp;alliance," even as domestic supply was very tight.

"We are hoping that the US&nbsp;will help us out with the challenges we are facing with the vaccines, based on the solidarity we demonstrated last year."

Chung said the two countries were in talks and raised the potential contribution it can make to the global vaccine supply chain that the US&nbsp;President Joe Biden is keen on.

Park Jin, an opposition party lawmaker, called for more aggressive vaccine diplomacy and urged the government to invoke its free trade agreement (FTA) with Washington to demand access to pharmaceutical products.

"The government needs to be more proactive... and The FTA provides us a legal base to demand (vaccines) as it stipulates the two countries' commitment to promoting the development of and facilitating access to pharmaceutical products," Park told Reuters.

The US&nbsp;embassy in Seoul did not immediately reply to a Reuters' request for comment.

Around 1.77 million people in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;have had their first dose of AstraZeneca Plc or Pfizer vaccines. The low inoculation rate compares with a 40 per cent&nbsp;vaccination rate in the United States, according to a Reuters data.

South&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;reported 731 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, surging from 549 cases a day earlier, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 115,926, with 1,806 deaths.

South Korea's foreign minister said on Wednesday he hopes the United States will help Seoul address its COVID-19 vaccine shortage as a return in favour of test kits and masks it sent to Washington earlier in the pandemic.

South Korea's foreign minister said on Wednesday he hopes the United States will help Seoul address its COVID-19 vaccine shortage as a return in favour of test kits and masks it sent to Washington earlier in the pandemic. The request comes as the South Korean government has come under fire from local media for not doing enough to secure enough vaccines early. It has inoculated just 3 per cent of its population due to tight global supply and limited access. "We have been stressing to the US that 'a friend in need is a friend indeed'," Chung Eui-yong told reporters at the Kwanhun Club, a representative association of journalists in South Korea. He said South Korea had airlifted Washington a large volume of coronavirus test kits and face masks in the early stages of the pandemic "in the spirit of the special South Korea-US alliance," even as domestic supply was very tight. "We are hoping that the US will help us out with the challenges we are facing with the vaccines, based on the solidarity we demonstrated last year." Chung said the two countries were in talks and raised the potential contribution it can make to the global vaccine supply chain that the US President Joe Biden is keen on. Park Jin, an opposition party lawmaker, called for more aggressive vaccine diplomacy and urged the government to invoke its free trade agreement (FTA) with Washington to demand access to pharmaceutical products. "The government needs to be more proactive... and The FTA provides us a legal base to demand (vaccines) as it stipulates the two countries' commitment to promoting the development of and facilitating access to pharmaceutical products," Park told Reuters. The US embassy in Seoul did not immediately reply to a Reuters' request for comment. Around 1.77 million people in South Korea have had their first dose of AstraZeneca Plc or Pfizer vaccines. The low inoculation rate compares with a 40 per cent vaccination rate in the United States, according to a Reuters data. South Korea reported 731 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, surging from 549 cases a day earlier, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 115,926, with 1,806 deaths.

Return the favour: South Korea looks to US for COVID-19 vaccine aid

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. 
 
The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic stands at 118,194, while 3,980,551 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease. 
 
South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are the countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC. South Africa has recorded 1,567,513 COVID-19 cases, the highest among African countries, followed by Morocco with 505,949 and Tunisia with 287,061 cases, it said. 
 
African countries have so far received over 33.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from different sources, mainly from the COVAX facility and through bilateral agreements outside COVAX, according to the Africa CDC.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic stands at 118,194, while 3,980,551 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease. South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are the countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC. South Africa has recorded 1,567,513 COVID-19 cases, the highest among African countries, followed by Morocco with 505,949 and Tunisia with 287,061 cases, it said. African countries have so far received over 33.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from different sources, mainly from the COVAX facility and through bilateral agreements outside COVAX, according to the Africa CDC.

Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 4.43 million: Africa CDC

A modified version of&nbsp;AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine tailored to combat the South African coronavirus variant&nbsp;could be ready by the end of 2021, an&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;official in Austria said in an interview published on Sunday.

Sarah Walters,&nbsp;AstraZeneca's Austria country manager, told the Kurier newspaper that studies, so far, indicating the existing&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine was less effective against the more infectious variant first documented in South Africa were "too small to draw final conclusions".

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"In the meantime,&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;and Oxford University have started on modifications to the vaccine for the South African variant and we expect it will be ready by the end of the year, should it be needed," Walters told the Kurier.

Walters blamed challenges,&nbsp;including delivery delays for the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;shot in the European Union,&nbsp;on the "complex process" of producing a vaccine, coupled with the extremely high demand arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

"We had to work without keeping a supply in reserve. As a result, we couldn't make up for unexpected events," she said. "We are confident that we will fulfill our commitment to deliver 300 million doses to the European Union this year."

The Kurier interview did not directly address ongoing investigations into health concerns over the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;shot. The EU has put a warning label on the vaccine over its possible linkage to extremely rare blood clots, Denmark has completely halted use of the vaccine and Britain has advised people under 30 to get another brand of vaccine.

Asked about "thousands" of people in Austria who are cancelling their appointments for&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;shots, Walters said the company's plan was "to continue to transparently provide information about efficacy and safety to doctors, so that they can adequately inform people" of benefits and risks.

British and European Union medicine regulators have said that the overall benefits of using the vaccine outweigh any risks of rare clotting.

(With input from agencies)

A modified version of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine tailored to combat the South African coronavirus variant could be ready by the end of 2021, an AstraZeneca official in Austria said in an interview published on Sunday.

A modified version of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine tailored to combat the South African coronavirus variant could be ready by the end of 2021, an AstraZeneca official in Austria said in an interview published on Sunday. Sarah Walters, AstraZeneca's Austria country manager, told the Kurier newspaper that studies, so far, indicating the existing AstraZeneca vaccine was less effective against the more infectious variant first documented in South Africa were "too small to draw final conclusions". "In the meantime, AstraZeneca and Oxford University have started on modifications to the vaccine for the South African variant and we expect it will be ready by the end of the year, should it be needed," Walters told the Kurier. Walters blamed challenges, including delivery delays for the AstraZeneca shot in the European Union, on the "complex process" of producing a vaccine, coupled with the extremely high demand arising from the coronavirus pandemic. "We had to work without keeping a supply in reserve. As a result, we couldn't make up for unexpected events," she said. "We are confident that we will fulfill our commitment to deliver 300 million doses to the European Union this year." The Kurier interview did not directly address ongoing investigations into health concerns over the AstraZeneca shot. The EU has put a warning label on the vaccine over its possible linkage to extremely rare blood clots, Denmark has completely halted use of the vaccine and Britain has advised people under 30 to get another brand of vaccine. Asked about "thousands" of people in Austria who are cancelling their appointments for AstraZeneca shots, Walters said the company's plan was "to continue to transparently provide information about efficacy and safety to doctors, so that they can adequately inform people" of benefits and risks. British and European Union medicine regulators have said that the overall benefits of using the vaccine outweigh any risks of rare clotting. (With input from agencies)

AstraZeneca vaccine against South African COVID variant likely to be ready by end-2021

Denmark on Tuesday banned the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a>, becoming the first European nation to take such action over rare but serious suspected health risks.&nbsp;

"Denmark's vaccination campaign will go ahead without the AstraZeneca vaccine," Danish Health Authority director Soren Brostrom in a press conference was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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The decision comes as Germany announced that people aged under 60 who had received the first dose of AstraZeneca jab will receive a different Covid-19 vaccine for their second dose.&nbsp;

Among millions of doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that have been administered, there have been a few blood clot cases and the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have shrugged off fears related to the vaccine.&nbsp;

The clots appear in veins in the brain, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, CVST, as well as in the abdomen and arteries.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-19-virus-can-sustain-itself-for-up-to-a-month-in-dust-study-377452">COVID-19 virus can sustain itself for up to a month in dust: Study</a>

According to the EMA, 222 cases of atypical thromboses have been detected out of 34 million AstraZeneca doses in European Economic Area (EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) and Britain, as of April 4.

There have been 18 deaths too according to this condition as of March 22.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, South Africa has suspended the use of Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine over potential blood clot risks reported by the US, the health minister said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Denmark on Tuesday banned the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, becoming the first European nation to take such action over rare but serious suspected health risks.

Denmark on Tuesday banned the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, becoming the first European nation to take such action over rare but serious suspected health risks. "Denmark's vaccination campaign will go ahead without the AstraZeneca vaccine," Danish Health Authority director Soren Brostrom in a press conference was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. Watch | The decision comes as Germany announced that people aged under 60 who had received the first dose of AstraZeneca jab will receive a different Covid-19 vaccine for their second dose. Among millions of doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that have been administered, there have been a few blood clot cases and the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have shrugged off fears related to the vaccine. The clots appear in veins in the brain, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, CVST, as well as in the abdomen and arteries. Also read | COVID-19 virus can sustain itself for up to a month in dust: Study According to the EMA, 222 cases of atypical thromboses have been detected out of 34 million AstraZeneca doses in European Economic Area (EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) and Britain, as of April 4. There have been 18 deaths too according to this condition as of March 22. Meanwhile, South Africa has suspended the use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine over potential blood clot risks reported by the US, the health minister said. (With inputs from agencies)

Denmark becomes first European nation to stop using AstraZeneca vaccine

The AstraZeneca and Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccines have come under suspicion of causing very rare but serious blood clots in a handful of cases among the millions vaccinated in the drive to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Questions have persisted for weeks on whether the highly unusual&nbsp;blood&nbsp;clots among those getting the AstraZeneca vaccine were more frequent than in the general population, and what causes them if they were.

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Here is what we know about the two vaccines, which are based on the same technology.&nbsp;

What happened?

The European Medicines Agency last week said unusual blood clots should be listed as a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while stressing that overall benefits of the shots in preventing Covid-19 outweighed the risks.&nbsp;

The clots occur in veins in the brain, called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST),&nbsp;as well as the abdomen and arteries.&nbsp;

They are uncommon both for where they appear in the body and because they occur together with low levels of blood platelets, which help the blood to clot.&nbsp;

Paradoxically, this can mean the patient has both haemorrhages as well as blood clots.

There were 222 cases of these atypical thromboses out of 34 million AstraZeneca injections carried out in the European Economic Area (EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) and Britain, as of April 4, according to the EMA. And there were 18 deaths, as of March 22.&nbsp;

Most of the cases reported were in women under 60 years of age within two weeks of vaccination.

In the US, where more than 6.8 million single-shot J&amp;J vaccine shots have been administered, health authorities on Tuesday recommended that use of the jab be paused while they investigate six reported cases of CVST that also occurred with low levels of blood platelets. &nbsp;

All those cases involved women between the ages of 18 and 48 and one case was fatal, officials said.

Suspected causes

Both of these vaccines, as well as the Russian Sputnik V jab, are based on a technique known as "viral vector".&nbsp;

The vaccines use a common-cold causing adenovirus, modified so it can't replicate, as a "vector" to shuttle genetic instructions into human cells, telling them to create a protein of the coronavirus.

This trains the immune system to be ready for the live coronavirus

AstraZeneca opted for a chimpanzee adenovirus, J&amp;J for a human adenovirus.&nbsp;

"Whilst a causal link between certain Covid-19 vaccinations, platelet abnormalities, and blood clots has not, so far, been confirmed, the index of suspicion is rising that these rare cases may be triggered by the adenovirus component of the AstraZeneca and J&amp;J vaccines," said Eleanor Riley, an immunology professor at Edinburgh University.&nbsp;

What mechanism?&nbsp;

Although nothing has been proven, Peter Marks of the US Food and Drug Administration said the "probable cause" of the clots could be an unusual reaction to the vaccines.

The FDA has also said that while in normal circumstances an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat these blood clots, in this case administering heparin may be dangerous.

That might be because the disorder resembles a rare reaction to heparin itself, in which the body forms antibodies in response to the thinner, and in turn triggers platelets to form dangerous clots.

A team of German and Austrian scientists made the connection between this previously-known immune response to heparin and the AstraZeneca vaccine in March.

And the EMA said this was "one plausible explanation", calling for more research.&nbsp;

What have the regulators said?

The CDC is recommending pausing using J&amp;J's single-dose vaccine "out of an abundance of caution" to ensure that the health care providers are aware of potential side effects and can plan for "proper recognition and management."

Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, meanwhile, made its recommendation for an alternative vaccine to AstraZeneca's to be used for people under 30 after reviewing 79 cases of rare&nbsp;clotting coupled with low platelets, with 19 fatalities - 13 women and six men. Eleven of the deaths were of people under the age of 50 and three were under the age of 30.

Balancing risk

The European agency has said no specific risk factors for this type of reaction have been confirmed for the AstraZeneca vaccine, but different countries have opted to restrict access to the jab by age.&nbsp;

The reasoning is that the older people get, the more they risk developing a serious form of Covid, and the more it is in their interest to be vaccinated, despite potential side effects.&nbsp;

For example, Britain has said it will not administer AstraZeneca to the under 30s, while France is not using it on the under 55s. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the US, health authorities said the suspension of the J&amp;J vaccine was "out of an abundance of caution".&nbsp;

People who have had the shot within the past three weeks were asked to report to their doctors if they experience severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath.

Ian Douglas, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at London School of Hygiene &amp; Tropical Medicine, said it was important to underscore how rare these events appear to be.&nbsp;

"To put this into perspective, it's similar to the chance of being struck by lightning in any given year in the UK," he told the Science Media Centre in response to the US announcement.

"On the other hand, the risks from Covid-19 are substantial." &nbsp;

The AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have come under suspicion of causing very rare but serious blood clots in a handful of cases among the millions vaccinated in the drive to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control.

The AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have come under suspicion of causing very rare but serious blood clots in a handful of cases among the millions vaccinated in the drive to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control. Questions have persisted for weeks on whether the highly unusual blood clots among those getting the AstraZeneca vaccine were more frequent than in the general population, and what causes them if they were. Here is what we know about the two vaccines, which are based on the same technology. What happened? The European Medicines Agency last week said unusual blood clots should be listed as a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while stressing that overall benefits of the shots in preventing Covid-19 outweighed the risks. The clots occur in veins in the brain, called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), as well as the abdomen and arteries. They are uncommon both for where they appear in the body and because they occur together with low levels of blood platelets, which help the blood to clot. Paradoxically, this can mean the patient has both haemorrhages as well as blood clots. There were 222 cases of these atypical thromboses out of 34 million AstraZeneca injections carried out in the European Economic Area (EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) and Britain, as of April 4, according to the EMA. And there were 18 deaths, as of March 22. Most of the cases reported were in women under 60 years of age within two weeks of vaccination. In the US, where more than 6.8 million single-shot J&J vaccine shots have been administered, health authorities on Tuesday recommended that use of the jab be paused while they investigate six reported cases of CVST that also occurred with low levels of blood platelets. All those cases involved women between the ages of 18 and 48 and one case was fatal, officials said. Suspected causes Both of these vaccines, as well as the Russian Sputnik V jab, are based on a technique known as "viral vector". The vaccines use a common-cold causing adenovirus, modified so it can't replicate, as a "vector" to shuttle genetic instructions into human cells, telling them to create a protein of the coronavirus. This trains the immune system to be ready for the live coronavirus AstraZeneca opted for a chimpanzee adenovirus, J&J for a human adenovirus. "Whilst a causal link between certain Covid-19 vaccinations, platelet abnormalities, and blood clots has not, so far, been confirmed, the index of suspicion is rising that these rare cases may be triggered by the adenovirus component of the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines," said Eleanor Riley, an immunology professor at Edinburgh University. What mechanism? Although nothing has been proven, Peter Marks of the US Food and Drug Administration said the "probable cause" of the clots could be an unusual reaction to the vaccines. The FDA has also said that while in normal circumstances an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat these blood clots, in this case administering heparin may be dangerous. That might be because the disorder resembles a rare reaction to heparin itself, in which the body forms antibodies in response to the thinner, and in turn triggers platelets to form dangerous clots. A team of German and Austrian scientists made the connection between this previously-known immune response to heparin and the AstraZeneca vaccine in March. And the EMA said this was "one plausible explanation", calling for more research. What have the regulators said? The CDC is recommending pausing using J&J's single-dose vaccine "out of an abundance of caution" to ensure that the health care providers are aware of potential side effects and can plan for "proper recognition and management." Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, meanwhile, made its recommendation for an alternative vaccine to AstraZeneca's to be used for people under 30 after reviewing 79 cases of rare clotting coupled with low platelets, with 19 fatalities - 13 women and six men. Eleven of the deaths were of people under the age of 50 and three were under the age of 30. Balancing risk The European agency has said no specific risk factors for this type of reaction have been confirmed for the AstraZeneca vaccine, but different countries have opted to restrict access to the jab by age. The reasoning is that the older people get, the more they risk developing a serious form of Covid, and the more it is in their interest to be vaccinated, despite potential side effects. For example, Britain has said it will not administer AstraZeneca to the under 30s, while France is not using it on the under 55s. In the US, health authorities said the suspension of the J&J vaccine was "out of an abundance of caution". People who have had the shot within the past three weeks were asked to report to their doctors if they experience severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath. Ian Douglas, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said it was important to underscore how rare these events appear to be. "To put this into perspective, it's similar to the chance of being struck by lightning in any given year in the UK," he told the Science Media Centre in response to the US announcement. "On the other hand, the risks from Covid-19 are substantial."

Blood clots are latest curse of coronavirus vaccines. All you need to know

Hong Kong on Friday confirmed it has requested AstraZeneca suspend delivery of its Covid-19&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccine</a>&nbsp;amid fears of severe side effects and concerns over its efficacy against new variants of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a>.

Europe's medicines regulator said this week the AstraZeneca vaccine could cause very rare blood clots in some recipients, prompting a cascade of countries to pull the plug on giving it to people under a certain age.

Britain sought Thursday to quell fears over the jab, saying the potential side effects were extremely rare -- and the risk of falling seriously sick from Covid-19 was far greater.

Aslo read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-at-risk-of-facing-another-wave-of-coronavirus-despite-vaccines-who-376198">UK at risk of facing another wave of coronavirus despite vaccines: WHO</a>

On Friday Hong Kong's health chief Sophia Chan said the city has asked AstraZeneca not to deliver as planned later this year.&nbsp;

"We think it is not necessary for AstraZeneca to deliver the vaccines to the city within this year," she said, adding Hong Kong wanted "to avoid any waste as vaccines are in short supply globally".

Wealthy Hong Kong has already secured a good supply of vaccines for its 7.5 million residents.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australia-halts-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-for-under-50s-376216">Watch |</a>

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It has signed deals for 7.5 million shots each with BioNTech/Pfizer and China's Sinovac, both of which have begun deliveries.

Chan said Hong Kong was also keen to look at other vaccines that may have stronger results against newer strains of the coronavirus.&nbsp;

Earlier this week David Hui, a leading public health expert and government adviser, called for Hong Kong to replace AstraZeneca with a new single dose vaccine made by Johnson and Johnson.

Densely populated Hong Kong was one of the first places to be hit by the coronavirus, but strict social distancing and universal mask wearing have helped keep infections to just over 11,000 with 205 deaths.

While it has a steady supply of vaccines, take up has been slow amid swirling distrust of the government as Beijing cracks down on democracy supporters.

So far just 529,000 people have had their first dose.

Public confidence has also been hampered by government messaging.&nbsp;

China's Sinovac received fast-track approval despite not publishing its clinical trial data in a peer reviewed journal.

Administration of BioNTech's vaccine was also briefly suspended after some vials were found to be defective even though authorities said any damaged bottles were discarded before being used in vaccinations.

Hong Kong on Friday confirmed it has requested AstraZeneca suspend delivery of its Covid-19 vaccine amid fears of severe side effects and concerns over its efficacy against new variants of the coronavirus.

Hong Kong on Friday confirmed it has requested AstraZeneca suspend delivery of its Covid-19 vaccine amid fears of severe side effects and concerns over its efficacy against new variants of the coronavirus. Europe's medicines regulator said this week the AstraZeneca vaccine could cause very rare blood clots in some recipients, prompting a cascade of countries to pull the plug on giving it to people under a certain age. Britain sought Thursday to quell fears over the jab, saying the potential side effects were extremely rare -- and the risk of falling seriously sick from Covid-19 was far greater. Aslo read | UK at risk of facing another wave of coronavirus despite vaccines: WHO On Friday Hong Kong's health chief Sophia Chan said the city has asked AstraZeneca not to deliver as planned later this year. "We think it is not necessary for AstraZeneca to deliver the vaccines to the city within this year," she said, adding Hong Kong wanted "to avoid any waste as vaccines are in short supply globally". Wealthy Hong Kong has already secured a good supply of vaccines for its 7.5 million residents. Watch | It has signed deals for 7.5 million shots each with BioNTech/Pfizer and China's Sinovac, both of which have begun deliveries. Chan said Hong Kong was also keen to look at other vaccines that may have stronger results against newer strains of the coronavirus. Earlier this week David Hui, a leading public health expert and government adviser, called for Hong Kong to replace AstraZeneca with a new single dose vaccine made by Johnson and Johnson. Densely populated Hong Kong was one of the first places to be hit by the coronavirus, but strict social distancing and universal mask wearing have helped keep infections to just over 11,000 with 205 deaths. While it has a steady supply of vaccines, take up has been slow amid swirling distrust of the government as Beijing cracks down on democracy supporters. So far just 529,000 people have had their first dose. Public confidence has also been hampered by government messaging. China's Sinovac received fast-track approval despite not publishing its clinical trial data in a peer reviewed journal. Administration of BioNTech's vaccine was also briefly suspended after some vials were found to be defective even though authorities said any damaged bottles were discarded before being used in vaccinations.

Hong Kong suspends its order of AstraZeneca jabs

Australia&nbsp;said on Friday it had ordered more alternatives for the AstraZeneca vaccine, setting back its vaccination rollout, and Hong Kong delayed deliveries of the shot amid concern about a possible very small risk of rare blood clots.

The country's&nbsp;decision effectively puts paid to plans to have its entire population vaccinated by the end of October, highlighting the delicate public health balancing act the issue has created.

Millions of doses of the AstraZeneca shot have been safely administered around the world and millions more have been ordered but some countries have limited its use to older age groups as a precaution while cases of clotting are investigated.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-suspends-its-order-of-astrazeneca-jabs-376242" hreflang="en">Hong Kong suspends its order of AstraZeneca jabs</a>

Australia&nbsp;said it had doubled its order of the Pfizer shot after health authorities recommended that those under 50 take it instead of AstraZeneca, which had been the mainstay of its vaccination programme.

"It is not a prohibition on the AstraZeneca vaccine," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra. "For those who are over 50, there is a strong encouragement to be taking this AstraZeneca vaccine."

The Anglo-Swedish company said it respected the&nbsp;Australian recommendation and was working with regulators around the world "to understand the individual cases, epidemiology and possible mechanisms that could explain these extremely rare events".

European and British medicine regulators said this week they had found possible links with extremely rare cases of brain blood clots, while emphatically reaffirming the vaccine's importance in mass vaccination against COVID-19.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) received reports of 169 cases of the rare brain blood clot by early April, after 34 million doses had been administered, Sabine Straus, chair of the EMA's safety committee, said this week.

Most of the cases reported had occurred in women under 60.

On Friday, the EMA said that if a causal relationship is confirmed or considered likely, regulatory action will be needed to minimise risk. It also said it was looking into Johnson &amp; Johnson's shot over reports of blood clots.

The AstraZeneca shot is by far the cheapest and most high-volume vaccine launched so far, making it likely to be central to many of the worldwide inoculation programmes that are vital to curbing the global pandemic and averting damaging lockdowns.

Germany, one of several European countries which have recommended alternatives to AstraZeneca for people under 60, said on Friday a surge in infections meant a new lockdown was needed.

"Every day in which we don't act, we lose lives," Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, said.

Global supply

Hong Kong Health Secretary Sophia Chan said the city would delay shipments of the AstraZeneca vaccine it had ordered this year to avoid other countries going short.

"We believe that AstraZeneca vaccines will not need to be supplied to Hong Kong this year, so as not to cause a waste when the vaccine is still in short supply globally," she said.

The government was considering buying a new type of vaccine that may offer better protection, she added.

The Chinese-ruled city had ordered 7.5 million AstraZeneca doses, which were scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2021. But Chan said the global financial centre had sufficient alternatives.

Costa Rica said on Thursday it would use the AstraZeneca shot after assessing the EMA's guidance.

More than 40,000 doses of the vaccine arrived in the country on Wednesday, the first delivery under an agreement for a million vaccines with the COVAX mechanism of the World Health Organization (WHO) and GAVI alliance to ensure vaccines reach poorer states.

All the countries recommending age limits have emphasised that the vaccine is effective and its benefits far outweigh the risks of catching COVID-19 for older people.

The top health body in France, where vaccine hesitancy is high, recommended on Friday that those over 55 who had received a first dose of the AstraZeneca shot be given an alternative for the second one.

The Haute Autorite de la Sante suggested they get a new-style messenger-RNA vaccine, confirming an earlier Reuters exclusive. Two such vaccines, one from Pfizer and BioNTech and another from Moderna, have been approved for use in France.

Messenger RNA vaccines prompt the human body to make a protein that mimics part of the virus, triggering an immune response. AstraZeneca's shot generates an immune response using a harmless, weakened version of a chimpanzee common cold virus.

The French health body also said there should be an interval of 12 weeks between the two shots in such cases and recommended a study to assess the immune responses given by these mixed vaccine prescriptions.

(With input from agencies)

Australia said on Friday it had ordered more alternatives for the AstraZeneca vaccine, setting back its vaccination rollout, and Hong Kong delayed deliveries of the shot amid concern about a possible very small risk of rare blood clots.

Australia said on Friday it had ordered more alternatives for the AstraZeneca vaccine, setting back its vaccination rollout, and Hong Kong delayed deliveries of the shot amid concern about a possible very small risk of rare blood clots. The country's decision effectively puts paid to plans to have its entire population vaccinated by the end of October, highlighting the delicate public health balancing act the issue has created. Millions of doses of the AstraZeneca shot have been safely administered around the world and millions more have been ordered but some countries have limited its use to older age groups as a precaution while cases of clotting are investigated. Also read| Hong Kong suspends its order of AstraZeneca jabs Australia said it had doubled its order of the Pfizer shot after health authorities recommended that those under 50 take it instead of AstraZeneca, which had been the mainstay of its vaccination programme. "It is not a prohibition on the AstraZeneca vaccine," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra. "For those who are over 50, there is a strong encouragement to be taking this AstraZeneca vaccine." The Anglo-Swedish company said it respected the Australian recommendation and was working with regulators around the world "to understand the individual cases, epidemiology and possible mechanisms that could explain these extremely rare events". European and British medicine regulators said this week they had found possible links with extremely rare cases of brain blood clots, while emphatically reaffirming the vaccine's importance in mass vaccination against COVID-19. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) received reports of 169 cases of the rare brain blood clot by early April, after 34 million doses had been administered, Sabine Straus, chair of the EMA's safety committee, said this week. Most of the cases reported had occurred in women under 60. On Friday, the EMA said that if a causal relationship is confirmed or considered likely, regulatory action will be needed to minimise risk. It also said it was looking into Johnson & Johnson's shot over reports of blood clots. The AstraZeneca shot is by far the cheapest and most high-volume vaccine launched so far, making it likely to be central to many of the worldwide inoculation programmes that are vital to curbing the global pandemic and averting damaging lockdowns. Germany, one of several European countries which have recommended alternatives to AstraZeneca for people under 60, said on Friday a surge in infections meant a new lockdown was needed. "Every day in which we don't act, we lose lives," Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, said. Global supply Hong Kong Health Secretary Sophia Chan said the city would delay shipments of the AstraZeneca vaccine it had ordered this year to avoid other countries going short. "We believe that AstraZeneca vaccines will not need to be supplied to Hong Kong this year, so as not to cause a waste when the vaccine is still in short supply globally," she said. The government was considering buying a new type of vaccine that may offer better protection, she added. The Chinese-ruled city had ordered 7.5 million AstraZeneca doses, which were scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2021. But Chan said the global financial centre had sufficient alternatives. Costa Rica said on Thursday it would use the AstraZeneca shot after assessing the EMA's guidance. More than 40,000 doses of the vaccine arrived in the country on Wednesday, the first delivery under an agreement for a million vaccines with the COVAX mechanism of the World Health Organization (WHO) and GAVI alliance to ensure vaccines reach poorer states. All the countries recommending age limits have emphasised that the vaccine is effective and its benefits far outweigh the risks of catching COVID-19 for older people. The top health body in France, where vaccine hesitancy is high, recommended on Friday that those over 55 who had received a first dose of the AstraZeneca shot be given an alternative for the second one. The Haute Autorite de la Sante suggested they get a new-style messenger-RNA vaccine, confirming an earlier Reuters exclusive. Two such vaccines, one from Pfizer and BioNTech and another from Moderna, have been approved for use in France. Messenger RNA vaccines prompt the human body to make a protein that mimics part of the virus, triggering an immune response. AstraZeneca's shot generates an immune response using a harmless, weakened version of a chimpanzee common cold virus. The French health body also said there should be an interval of 12 weeks between the two shots in such cases and recommended a study to assess the immune responses given by these mixed vaccine prescriptions. (With input from agencies)

Australia orders more alternatives for AstraZeneca vaccine setting back its rollout

Britain&nbsp;should not give Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to under 30s where possible,&nbsp;Britain's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said on Wednesday, due to a very rare side effect of blood clots in the brain.

The change to the country's so far highly successful Covid-19 vaccine programme comes after the medicines regulator reviewed data following dozens of blood clot incidents among people who had received the shot.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ema-says-benefit-risk-remains-positive-for-astrazeneca-jab-375936" hreflang="en">EMA says 'benefit-risk remains positive' for AstraZeneca jab</a>

Wei Shen Lim, COVID-19 Chair for JCVI, said that based on the available data and evidence, the committee has advised that it is preferable for adults aged under 30 with no underlying conditions to be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine where available.

He said that for younger people, where the risks of hospitalisation were much lower, the risk/benefit calculation of the Oxford/AstraZeneca shot meant other vaccines were preferable.

People should continue to have a second dose of the AstraZeneca shot if they had received a first dose, he added during a briefing on the vaccine.

The JCVI advises the UK government on its immunisation strategy, which has seen nearly 37 million Covid-19 vaccine doses delivered -- around 20 million of twhich have been AstraZeneca jabs.

England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam described the new advice as "a course correction" in the jabs drive.

"There's no question about that, but it is in a sense, in medicine, quite normal for physicians to alter their preferences for how patients are treated over time it's happened with vaccines," he said.

The 169 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), as of April 4, compared to the 34 million doses of the shot administered in the European Economic Area, said Sabine Straus, chair of the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) safety committee.

It came after&nbsp;Britain's MHRA medicine regulator identified a possible side-effect from the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca involving rare brain blood clotting.

Chief executive June Raine said that the benefits of the shot outweighed the risks for the vast majority, echoing an update from Europe's medicine regulator also made on Wednesday.

Europe's and&nbsp;Britain's medicine regulators have both previously said that there is no increased risk of blood clots in general from the shot developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca.

However, both have been investigating small numbers of reports of a brain blood clots, know as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), that have occurred in combination with unusually low blood platelet levels after people have been given the shot.

Britain should not give Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to under 30s where possible, Britain's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said on Wednesday, due to a very rare side effect of blood clots in the brain.

Britain should not give Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to under 30s where possible, Britain's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said on Wednesday, due to a very rare side effect of blood clots in the brain. The change to the country's so far highly successful Covid-19 vaccine programme comes after the medicines regulator reviewed data following dozens of blood clot incidents among people who had received the shot. Also read| EMA says 'benefit-risk remains positive' for AstraZeneca jab Wei Shen Lim, COVID-19 Chair for JCVI, said that based on the available data and evidence, the committee has advised that it is preferable for adults aged under 30 with no underlying conditions to be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine where available. He said that for younger people, where the risks of hospitalisation were much lower, the risk/benefit calculation of the Oxford/AstraZeneca shot meant other vaccines were preferable. People should continue to have a second dose of the AstraZeneca shot if they had received a first dose, he added during a briefing on the vaccine. The JCVI advises the UK government on its immunisation strategy, which has seen nearly 37 million Covid-19 vaccine doses delivered -- around 20 million of twhich have been AstraZeneca jabs. England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam described the new advice as "a course correction" in the jabs drive. "There's no question about that, but it is in a sense, in medicine, quite normal for physicians to alter their preferences for how patients are treated over time it's happened with vaccines," he said. The 169 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), as of April 4, compared to the 34 million doses of the shot administered in the European Economic Area, said Sabine Straus, chair of the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) safety committee. It came after Britain's MHRA medicine regulator identified a possible side-effect from the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca involving rare brain blood clotting. Chief executive June Raine said that the benefits of the shot outweighed the risks for the vast majority, echoing an update from Europe's medicine regulator also made on Wednesday. Europe's and Britain's medicine regulators have both previously said that there is no increased risk of blood clots in general from the shot developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca. However, both have been investigating small numbers of reports of a brain blood clots, know as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), that have occurred in combination with unusually low blood platelet levels after people have been given the shot.

Britain advises alternative to Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for under-30s

The&nbsp;European Medicines Agency said on Wednesday that&nbsp;'benefit-risk remains positive' for&nbsp;AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.

“One plausible explanation for the combination of blood clots and low blood platelets is an immune response, leading to a condition similar to one seen sometimes in patients treated with heparin,” the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said.

"EMA's safety committee has concluded today that unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as very rare side effects" of the shot, the Amsterdam-based EU drug regulator said in a statement.

The World Health Organization, which is closely studying the latest data on&nbsp;AstraZeneca's vaccine alongside other regulators, said on Tuesday&nbsp;it expects to there will be no reason to change its assessment that the benefits of the shot outweigh any risks.

In total 18 million doses of the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company and Oxford University have been administered in the UK.

EU countries have also detected dozens of cases of people with clots in blood vessels draining from the brain after receiving the vaccine.

Oxford University said late on Tuesday that it had paused a British trial of the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine on children pending a decision by the MHRA.

In recent weeks, as questions were raised by several European nations over possible links between the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine and blood clots, the UK has defended its homegrown jab.

As a precautionary measure several countries have stopped administering the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine within certain age groups and at different points nations including France, Germany, Norway and Denmark have suspended its deployment.

Vaccine hesitancy related to fears about the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;jab could hamper Britain's mass vaccination programme.&nbsp;

More than 31.6 million first doses of either the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;or Pfizer vaccines have been given out, representing three out of every five adults.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The European Medicines Agency said on Wednesday that 'benefit-risk remains positive' for AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. “One plausible explanation for the combination of blood clots and low blood platelets is an immune response, leading to a condition similar to one seen sometimes in patients treated with heparin,” the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said.

The European Medicines Agency said on Wednesday that 'benefit-risk remains positive' for AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. “One plausible explanation for the combination of blood clots and low blood platelets is an immune response, leading to a condition similar to one seen sometimes in patients treated with heparin,” the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said. "EMA's safety committee has concluded today that unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as very rare side effects" of the shot, the Amsterdam-based EU drug regulator said in a statement. The World Health Organization, which is closely studying the latest data on AstraZeneca's vaccine alongside other regulators, said on Tuesday it expects to there will be no reason to change its assessment that the benefits of the shot outweigh any risks. In total 18 million doses of the vaccine developed by the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company and Oxford University have been administered in the UK. EU countries have also detected dozens of cases of people with clots in blood vessels draining from the brain after receiving the vaccine. Oxford University said late on Tuesday that it had paused a British trial of the AstraZeneca vaccine on children pending a decision by the MHRA. In recent weeks, as questions were raised by several European nations over possible links between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots, the UK has defended its homegrown jab. As a precautionary measure several countries have stopped administering the AstraZeneca vaccine within certain age groups and at different points nations including France, Germany, Norway and Denmark have suspended its deployment. Vaccine hesitancy related to fears about the AstraZeneca jab could hamper Britain's mass vaccination programme. More than 31.6 million first doses of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines have been given out, representing three out of every five adults.

EMA says 'benefit-risk remains positive' for AstraZeneca jab

UK medicines regulator is urging people to continue taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite seven people having died from rare blood clots after getting the jab.

The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, said it wasn't clear if the shots are causing the clots, and that its “rigorous review into the reports of rare and specific types of blood clots is ongoing.”

The agency said late Friday that seven people had died as a result of developing blood clots.

In total, MHRA said had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events out of 18.1 million AstraZeneca doses administered up to and including March 24.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thirty-blood-clot-cases-found-after-use-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-uk-regulator-says-374906">Also read |&nbsp;Thirty blood clot cases found after use of AstraZeneca vaccine, UK regulator says</a>

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on Thursday said it had received no such reports of clotting events following use of the vaccine made by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc.

On March 18, the UK medicines regulator said that there had been five cases of a rare brain blood clot among 11 million administered shots.

On Thursday, it put the count at 22 reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, an extremely rare brain clotting ailment, and 8 reports of other clotting events associated with low blood platelets out of a total of 18.1 million doses given.

Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue.

UK medicines regulator is urging people to continue taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite seven people having died from rare blood clots after getting the jab.

UK medicines regulator is urging people to continue taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite seven people having died from rare blood clots after getting the jab. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, said it wasn't clear if the shots are causing the clots, and that its “rigorous review into the reports of rare and specific types of blood clots is ongoing.” The agency said late Friday that seven people had died as a result of developing blood clots. In total, MHRA said had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events out of 18.1 million AstraZeneca doses administered up to and including March 24. Also read | Thirty blood clot cases found after use of AstraZeneca vaccine, UK regulator says The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on Thursday said it had received no such reports of clotting events following use of the vaccine made by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. On March 18, the UK medicines regulator said that there had been five cases of a rare brain blood clot among 11 million administered shots. On Thursday, it put the count at 22 reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, an extremely rare brain clotting ailment, and 8 reports of other clotting events associated with low blood platelets out of a total of 18.1 million doses given. Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue.

AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine safe even after blood clot deaths, UK regulator says

The world is struggling with another shortage - that of vaccines. Many countries still don't have the shots they need. Some of those who have it don't want to use them.

To add to the woes, the curbs on the AstraZeneca vaccine are back. France, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Germany want the youth to avoid the shot.

And the UK has found 30 blood clotting cases linked to this vaccine.

There is uncertainty and confusion in Germany once again. A day after the Astrazeneca shot was suspended. The people who are waiting for a jab don't know what to expect next.

Earlier this week, Germany suspended the use of this vaccine for those below 60 over fears of a rare blood clot. It wasn't the only one to do so.

France, Sweden, Finland and Canada too want younger people to avoid the shot.

In Norway and Denmark the Astrazeneca shot still remains suspended for everyone. While, the UK has now found 30 cases of blood clot events.

But it still continues to use the vaccine. The head of the European medicines agency still backs the Astrazenca shot.

The constant back and forth over the vaccines is only hurting Europe. Despite booking millions of vials in advance. Less than 10 percent of the people in Germany, France and Italy have managed to get their first dose. In comparison, by end of March. The UK had vaccinated more than 40 percent of its citizens with at least one dose.

Britain at least on the vaccine front seems to be benefiting after breaking away from the union. Slow approvals have only compounded Europe's problems.

According to a report, the European Commission struck its first vaccine contract 105 days after Britain. It approved its first shot 19 days later.

The European Union has booked close to two billion doses. That's enough to cover its population more than twice. But the bloc has been slow to administer the doses.

After its program began in December last year.

It took 63 days for the EU to vaccinate five per cent of its population with a single dose. The UK covered the same distance in less than 40 days.

The impact of the delays is there for the world to see. A deadly third wave is now sweeping the continent. Forcing several countries to reimpose lockdowns and restrictions. The UK on the other hand has now eased some of its restrictions.

Now with the latest round of suspensions against the Astrazeneca shot. Europe's fight against the pandemic is about to get tougher.

The world is struggling with another shortage - that of vaccines. Many countries still don't have the shots they need. Some of those who have it don't want to use them.

The world is struggling with another shortage - that of vaccines. Many countries still don't have the shots they need. Some of those who have it don't want to use them. To add to the woes, the curbs on the AstraZeneca vaccine are back. France, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Germany want the youth to avoid the shot. And the UK has found 30 blood clotting cases linked to this vaccine. There is uncertainty and confusion in Germany once again. A day after the Astrazeneca shot was suspended. The people who are waiting for a jab don't know what to expect next. Earlier this week, Germany suspended the use of this vaccine for those below 60 over fears of a rare blood clot. It wasn't the only one to do so. France, Sweden, Finland and Canada too want younger people to avoid the shot. In Norway and Denmark the Astrazeneca shot still remains suspended for everyone. While, the UK has now found 30 cases of blood clot events. But it still continues to use the vaccine. The head of the European medicines agency still backs the Astrazenca shot. The constant back and forth over the vaccines is only hurting Europe. Despite booking millions of vials in advance. Less than 10 percent of the people in Germany, France and Italy have managed to get their first dose. In comparison, by end of March. The UK had vaccinated more than 40 percent of its citizens with at least one dose. Britain at least on the vaccine front seems to be benefiting after breaking away from the union. Slow approvals have only compounded Europe's problems. According to a report, the European Commission struck its first vaccine contract 105 days after Britain. It approved its first shot 19 days later. The European Union has booked close to two billion doses. That's enough to cover its population more than twice. But the bloc has been slow to administer the doses. After its program began in December last year. It took 63 days for the EU to vaccinate five per cent of its population with a single dose. The UK covered the same distance in less than 40 days. The impact of the delays is there for the world to see. A deadly third wave is now sweeping the continent. Forcing several countries to reimpose lockdowns and restrictions. The UK on the other hand has now eased some of its restrictions. Now with the latest round of suspensions against the Astrazeneca shot. Europe's fight against the pandemic is about to get tougher.

Europe's fight against pandemic set to get tougher

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), probing links between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots, have again found no specific risk factors, including age. They are, however, investigating further.

The EU's drug regulator on Wednesday said however that its safety committee expected to issue an "updated recommendation" on the controversial vaccine after its monthly meeting next week.

"At present the review has not identified any specific risk factors, such as age, gender or a previous medical history of clotting disorders, for these very rare events," the Amsterdam-based EMA said in a statement. "A causal link with the vaccine is not proven, but is possible and further analysis is continuing."

The EMA statement came after experts met on Monday to discuss their latest findings on the AstraZeneca vaccine. Their comments will be discussed at the safety committee's meeting next week.

The watchdog reiterated the view it gave in a keenly-anticipated statement on March 18, saying "its benefits in protecting people from Covid-19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation outweigh the possible risks."

Germany on Tuesday became the latest in a series of countries to advise against using the AstraZeneca jab for younger people after rare reports of clotting, despite the EMA saying it is safe.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-halts-use-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-for-elderly-amid-reports-of-rare-disorder-374381">Also read |&nbsp;Germany halts use of AstraZeneca vaccine for elderly amid reports of rare disorder</a>

EMA's chief, Emer Cooke, and the head of the agency's pharmacovigilance and epidemiology department, Peter Arlett, told an online news conference of the cases detected of the rare clotting -- cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) -- following AstraZeneca vaccine injections. They said there were 62 cases of CVST worldwide, with 44 of them in the European Economic Area (EEA) comprising the European Union and associated states Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The figures they gave were from 9.2 million AstraZeneca jabs in the EEA region.

Cooke said that, while "at this stage of our investigations the link is possible" between rare CVST cases and the AstraZeneca vaccine, more evaluation was needed.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), probing links between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots, have again found no specific risk factors, including age.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), probing links between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and blood clots, have again found no specific risk factors, including age. They are, however, investigating further. The EU's drug regulator on Wednesday said however that its safety committee expected to issue an "updated recommendation" on the controversial vaccine after its monthly meeting next week. "At present the review has not identified any specific risk factors, such as age, gender or a previous medical history of clotting disorders, for these very rare events," the Amsterdam-based EMA said in a statement. "A causal link with the vaccine is not proven, but is possible and further analysis is continuing." The EMA statement came after experts met on Monday to discuss their latest findings on the AstraZeneca vaccine. Their comments will be discussed at the safety committee's meeting next week. The watchdog reiterated the view it gave in a keenly-anticipated statement on March 18, saying "its benefits in protecting people from Covid-19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation outweigh the possible risks." Germany on Tuesday became the latest in a series of countries to advise against using the AstraZeneca jab for younger people after rare reports of clotting, despite the EMA saying it is safe. Also read | Germany halts use of AstraZeneca vaccine for elderly amid reports of rare disorder EMA's chief, Emer Cooke, and the head of the agency's pharmacovigilance and epidemiology department, Peter Arlett, told an online news conference of the cases detected of the rare clotting -- cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) -- following AstraZeneca vaccine injections. They said there were 62 cases of CVST worldwide, with 44 of them in the European Economic Area (EEA) comprising the European Union and associated states Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The figures they gave were from 9.2 million AstraZeneca jabs in the EEA region. Cooke said that, while "at this stage of our investigations the link is possible" between rare CVST cases and the AstraZeneca vaccine, more evaluation was needed.

EU medical agency again backs AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday ruled out a general lockdown while acknowledging the country was going through a third wave of the pandemic.

Pakistan reported 4,757 new infections and 78 deaths on March 30, with two thirds of ventilators and around 80% of beds with oxygen facilities in major cities occupied.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-president-defence-minister-test-positive-for-covid-19-374231" hreflang="en">Pakistan's president, defence minister test positive for COVID-19</a>

"We have to adopt a balanced policy where the spread of the virus can be prevented and where the poor man and the country's economy are least affected," Khan told a national coordinating committee meeting.

Pakistan has opted for what officials call "smart lockdowns", short-term restrictions imposed often at neighbourhood level,&nbsp;to try to tame the disease while keeping the economy afloat.

While federal and provincial governments have announced restrictions on gatherings, public transportation, and mask mandates, the measures have largely not been enforced.

Khan said he would direct the government to reinforce the mask mandates.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/jumping-queue-pak-minister-creates-stir-for-getting-family-vaccinated-against-covid-19-374293" hreflang="en">Pak minister creates stir for getting family vaccinated against Covid-19&nbsp;</a>

Some 800,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in Pakistan so far, all of them Sinopharm donated by Beijing, Health Minister Faisal Sultan said.

Sultan said half of another million doses bought from Sinopharm had arrived on Wednesday and the other half would arrive on Thursday.

Pakistan is scrambling to get more vaccine as it awaits WHO/COVAX/GAVI allocations of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which have been delayed.

The country is planning to acquire enough of a concentrated form of the Chinese CanSino Biologics vaccine next month to locally produce 3 million doses.

"We are speeding up this process and want to take it to the next stage," Sultan said.

Pakistan has allowed the private sector to import and sell vaccine, but a legal dispute between an importer and the government over the price has delayed that mechanism.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday ruled out a general lockdown while acknowledging the country was going through a third wave of the pandemic. Pakistan reported 4,757 new infections and 78 deaths on March 30, with two thirds of ventilators and around 80% of beds with oxygen facilities in major cities occupied.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday ruled out a general lockdown while acknowledging the country was going through a third wave of the pandemic. Pakistan reported 4,757 new infections and 78 deaths on March 30, with two thirds of ventilators and around 80% of beds with oxygen facilities in major cities occupied. Also read| Pakistan's president, defence minister test positive for COVID-19 "We have to adopt a balanced policy where the spread of the virus can be prevented and where the poor man and the country's economy are least affected," Khan told a national coordinating committee meeting. Pakistan has opted for what officials call "smart lockdowns", short-term restrictions imposed often at neighbourhood level, to try to tame the disease while keeping the economy afloat. While federal and provincial governments have announced restrictions on gatherings, public transportation, and mask mandates, the measures have largely not been enforced. Khan said he would direct the government to reinforce the mask mandates. Also read| Pak minister creates stir for getting family vaccinated against Covid-19 Some 800,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in Pakistan so far, all of them Sinopharm donated by Beijing, Health Minister Faisal Sultan said. Sultan said half of another million doses bought from Sinopharm had arrived on Wednesday and the other half would arrive on Thursday. Pakistan is scrambling to get more vaccine as it awaits WHO/COVAX/GAVI allocations of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which have been delayed. The country is planning to acquire enough of a concentrated form of the Chinese CanSino Biologics vaccine next month to locally produce 3 million doses. "We are speeding up this process and want to take it to the next stage," Sultan said. Pakistan has allowed the private sector to import and sell vaccine, but a legal dispute between an importer and the government over the price has delayed that mechanism.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan rules out general lockdown

Canadian health officials said they would stop offering&nbsp;AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to people aged under 55 and require a new analysis of the shot's benefits and risks based on age and gender.

Manitoba and Quebec provinces were the first to heed the new National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Health (NACI) guidelines, with each region responsible for its own immunisation program.

"There is substantial uncertainty about the benefits of providing AstraZeneca vaccines to adults under 55 years of age,"&nbsp;Canada's deputy chief public health officer Howard Njoo told a news conference.

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"At this time, we are pausing the use of AstraZeneca vaccine to adults under 55 years of age, pending further risk-benefit analysis," he said.

Officials, meanwhile, urged Canadians who have received the AstraZeneca shot in the last 20 days to consult a doctor.

AstraZeneca&nbsp;said in a statement it respected NACI's decision and that it was working closely with Health Canada's assessment. The British drugmaker also reiterated that authorities in Britain, the European Union as well as the World Health Organization have found the product's benefits to significantly outweigh the risks across all adult age groups.

Njoo later noted that Canada was taking this "prudent" approach because alternative vaccines are available. Most of Canada's supply so far has come from Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc.

Older people face a greater risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, and the complication seems to be rarer in that age group, NACI said, so they can be offered the vaccine "with informed consent."

Health Canada said in a statement it would add new terms and conditions to the vaccine's authorizations, including "a requirement that the manufacturers conduct a detailed assessment of the benefits and risks of the vaccine by age and sex in the Canadian context."

Health Canada said it had been in talks with&nbsp;AstraZeneca, and once it has the requested information, it "will determine if additional regulatory actions are necessary."

The NACI earlier this month urged giving AstraZeneca shots only to people aged 18 to 64, saying clinical trials hadn't included enough seniors, then revised its recommendation to include people of 65 and over after reviewing "real-world evidence" of its effectiveness in seniors.

The AstraZeneca vaccine candidate was approved for use in&nbsp;Canada&nbsp;in February, alongside Johnson &amp; Johnson, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots.

The moves follow reports from Europe of rare but serious blood clots, bleeding and in some cases death after vaccination, mainly in young women. No such cases have been reported in Canada, with about 307,000&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;doses administered.

Many European countries briefly stopped using the Anglo-Swedish firm's vaccine while investigating the blood clot incidents earlier this month. Canada continued to administer doses, arguing that the benefits of vaccination outweighed potential risks.

Nearly all countries have since resumed use of the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine. But France broke with guidance from the European medical regulator and said on March 19 it should only be given to people aged 55 or older. France said the decision was based on evidence that the clotting affected younger people.

Canada is expecting another 1.5 million doses of the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine this week from the United States, which has not yet authorized its use. Canada has ordered more than 20 million doses from&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;and&nbsp;Serum Institute of India.

Canadian health officials said they would stop offering AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to people aged under 55 and require a new analysis of the shot's benefits and risks based on age and gender.

Canadian health officials said they would stop offering AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to people aged under 55 and require a new analysis of the shot's benefits and risks based on age and gender. Manitoba and Quebec provinces were the first to heed the new National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Health (NACI) guidelines, with each region responsible for its own immunisation program. "There is substantial uncertainty about the benefits of providing AstraZeneca vaccines to adults under 55 years of age," Canada's deputy chief public health officer Howard Njoo told a news conference. "At this time, we are pausing the use of AstraZeneca vaccine to adults under 55 years of age, pending further risk-benefit analysis," he said. Officials, meanwhile, urged Canadians who have received the AstraZeneca shot in the last 20 days to consult a doctor. AstraZeneca said in a statement it respected NACI's decision and that it was working closely with Health Canada's assessment. The British drugmaker also reiterated that authorities in Britain, the European Union as well as the World Health Organization have found the product's benefits to significantly outweigh the risks across all adult age groups. Njoo later noted that Canada was taking this "prudent" approach because alternative vaccines are available. Most of Canada's supply so far has come from Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc. Older people face a greater risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, and the complication seems to be rarer in that age group, NACI said, so they can be offered the vaccine "with informed consent." Health Canada said in a statement it would add new terms and conditions to the vaccine's authorizations, including "a requirement that the manufacturers conduct a detailed assessment of the benefits and risks of the vaccine by age and sex in the Canadian context." Health Canada said it had been in talks with AstraZeneca, and once it has the requested information, it "will determine if additional regulatory actions are necessary." The NACI earlier this month urged giving AstraZeneca shots only to people aged 18 to 64, saying clinical trials hadn't included enough seniors, then revised its recommendation to include people of 65 and over after reviewing "real-world evidence" of its effectiveness in seniors. The AstraZeneca vaccine candidate was approved for use in Canada in February, alongside Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots. The moves follow reports from Europe of rare but serious blood clots, bleeding and in some cases death after vaccination, mainly in young women. No such cases have been reported in Canada, with about 307,000 AstraZeneca doses administered. Many European countries briefly stopped using the Anglo-Swedish firm's vaccine while investigating the blood clot incidents earlier this month. Canada continued to administer doses, arguing that the benefits of vaccination outweighed potential risks. Nearly all countries have since resumed use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. But France broke with guidance from the European medical regulator and said on March 19 it should only be given to people aged 55 or older. France said the decision was based on evidence that the clotting affected younger people. Canada is expecting another 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine this week from the United States, which has not yet authorized its use. Canada has ordered more than 20 million doses from AstraZeneca and Serum Institute of India.

Canada to pause AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine use for those under 55

&nbsp;French authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a 26-year-old who passed away a few days after he received a shot of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine.</a>

The 26-year-old was a medical student who died on March 18 in Nantes, 10 days after receiving a jab of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-prez-promises-faster-vaccine-roll-out-as-infections-explode-372556" hreflang="en">French Prez promises faster vaccine roll-out as infections 'explode'&nbsp;</a>

While an interrogation has been launched into the matter, the authorities have stressed that no link has been established yet between the death of the medical student and the AstraZeneca jab.

The authorities had carried out an autopsy on him a day after his death but the public prosecutor in Nantes, Pierre Sennes, said that “it was necessary to carry out further tests to determine the causes and circumstances of his death”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/astrazeneca-to-release-more-data-after-us-raises-questions-on-shots-potential-372554" hreflang="en">AstraZeneca to release more data after US raises questions on shot's potential</a>

For now, the ANSM national drug safety watchdog has been informed about the death of the medical student “as part of our increased monitoring of thrombosis cases”, but stressed that no link has been established yet with AstraZeneca.

The watchdog also first stated the deceased’s age as 24, which the prosecutor’s office later corrected to be 26. “This death is the subject of an in-depth clinical investigation,” it said in a statement.

This news has come five days after France and several other European countries resumed AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccines. Earlier, several EU nations had suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over reports of blood clots in a handful of people who had received a jab of this vaccine.

The WHO said reported rates of so-called thromboembolic events after Covid-19 vaccines were in line with the usual number of people suffering these conditions.

French authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a 26-year-old who passed away a few days after he received a shot of the coronavirus vaccine.

French authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a 26-year-old who passed away a few days after he received a shot of the coronavirus vaccine. The 26-year-old was a medical student who died on March 18 in Nantes, 10 days after receiving a jab of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine. Also read | French Prez promises faster vaccine roll-out as infections 'explode' While an interrogation has been launched into the matter, the authorities have stressed that no link has been established yet between the death of the medical student and the AstraZeneca jab. The authorities had carried out an autopsy on him a day after his death but the public prosecutor in Nantes, Pierre Sennes, said that “it was necessary to carry out further tests to determine the causes and circumstances of his death”. Also read | AstraZeneca to release more data after US raises questions on shot's potential For now, the ANSM national drug safety watchdog has been informed about the death of the medical student “as part of our increased monitoring of thrombosis cases”, but stressed that no link has been established yet with AstraZeneca. The watchdog also first stated the deceased’s age as 24, which the prosecutor’s office later corrected to be 26. “This death is the subject of an in-depth clinical investigation,” it said in a statement. This news has come five days after France and several other European countries resumed AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccines. Earlier, several EU nations had suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over reports of blood clots in a handful of people who had received a jab of this vaccine. The WHO said reported rates of so-called thromboembolic events after Covid-19 vaccines were in line with the usual number of people suffering these conditions.

France launches investigation into death of student who got AstraZeneca vaccine

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Tuesday it will release further data "within 48 hours" on trials in the United States of its Covid-19 vaccine, after health officials raised concerns about initial information disclosed.

"We have reviewed the preliminary assessment of the primary analysis and the results were consistent with the interim analysis," the company said in a statement.

"We intend to issue results of the primary analysis within 48 hours."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/astrazeneca-may-have-included-outdated-data-in-vaccine-trials-us-regulator-372491" hreflang="en">AstraZeneca may have included 'outdated' data in vaccine trials: US regulator</a>

AstraZeneca&nbsp;may have released outdated information on its latest COVID-19 vaccine trial, giving an "incomplete" picture of its efficacy, a leading US&nbsp;health agency said on Tuesday, casting doubt on the shot's potential US&nbsp;rollout and plunging its developers, once again, into controversy.

The surprise public rebuke from federal health officials comes just one day after interim data from the drugmaker showed better-than-expected results from the US&nbsp;trial. That had been seen as a scientific counter to concerns that have dogged the shot over its effectiveness and possible side effects.

The vaccine, developed with Oxford University, was 79 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic illness in the large trial that also took place in Chile and Peru, according to the data. It was also 100 per cent&nbsp;effective against severe or critical forms of the disease and hospitalisation, and posed no increased risk of blood clots.

The Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent committee overseeing the trial, has "expressed concern that&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data," the US&nbsp;National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said in a statement released after midnight in the United States.

"We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible," it said, adding that the DSMB had informed&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;of its concerns.

AstraZeneca's shares were down 1.2 per cent&nbsp;in midmorning trade.

The statement raises fresh questions about the vaccine's efficacy as it is being administered in dozens of countries worldwide and clouds the timeline for its emergency use authorization in the United States.

"This is indeed an extraordinary act. The negative reports about this vaccine do not stop, although my assessment is that it is well tolerated and safe, but clearly less effective than the two mRNA vaccines," Peter Kremsner, from the University Hospital in Tuebingen, Germany.

Rival vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that use so-called mRNA technology produced efficacy rates of around 95% each, far above the 50% benchmark set by global regulators.

The DSMB is organised by NIAID, and its role is to provide study oversight and evaluate clinical data to ensure safe and ethical conduct of the study. NIAID is headed by U.S. infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci and is part of the National Institutes of Health.

"DSMB externalisations of concerns are deeply unusual for multinational pharma companies and suggest an extraordinary high level of friction between the DSMB and the sponsor," Citi analysts said in a note.

Doubts raised

Hailed as a milestone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic when it first emerged as a vaccine contender, the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;shot has faced questions since late last year when the drugmaker and Oxford University published data with different efficacy readings due to a measurement error.

Later analysis suggested the dosing interval rather than the amount of dose administered was responsible for the difference.

Confidence in the vaccine took a further hit this month when more than a dozen countries, mostly in Europe, temporarily suspended the shot after reports linked it to a rare blood clotting disorder in a very small number of people.

The European Union's drug regulator said last week it was safe but an opinion poll on Monday showed Europeans remained sceptical about its safety.

Fauci, who also serves as chief medical advisor to US&nbsp;President Joe Biden, said on Monday the US&nbsp;trial found no indication at all of the rare blood clots and the statement from the NIAID didn't raise questions about the trial's findings regarding blood clotting.

The latest data, which has yet to be reviewed by independent researchers, was based on 141 infections among 32,449 participants.

Analysts had noted&nbsp;AstraZeneca's achievement of producing strong trial data against a backdrop of more infectious variants spreading in the United States and other countries.

Stephen Evans, a pharmacoepidemiology professor at London School of Hygiene &amp; Tropical Medicine, said the up-to-date data request may have to do with efficacy readings from recent infections which may include new variants and thus lower protection rates.

"The other vaccines may also show such reduced efficacy and we don’t know by how much. It does not leave me concerned particularly unless they had found a safety issue that was being hidden, which does not appear to be the case."

The&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine is seen as crucial in tackling the spread of COVID-19 across the globe because it is easier and cheaper to transport than rival shots.

It has been granted conditional marketing or emergency use authorization in more than 70 countries. Many countries are relying heavily on it to end the pandemic, and several state leaders have taken the shot to boost confidence in the vaccine including South Korea's President Moon Jae-in who received it on Tuesday.

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Tuesday it will release further data "within 48 hours" on trials in the United States of its Covid-19 vaccine, after health officials raised concerns about initial information disclosed.

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Tuesday it will release further data "within 48 hours" on trials in the United States of its Covid-19 vaccine, after health officials raised concerns about initial information disclosed. "We have reviewed the preliminary assessment of the primary analysis and the results were consistent with the interim analysis," the company said in a statement. "We intend to issue results of the primary analysis within 48 hours." Also read| AstraZeneca may have included 'outdated' data in vaccine trials: US regulator AstraZeneca may have released outdated information on its latest COVID-19 vaccine trial, giving an "incomplete" picture of its efficacy, a leading US health agency said on Tuesday, casting doubt on the shot's potential US rollout and plunging its developers, once again, into controversy. The surprise public rebuke from federal health officials comes just one day after interim data from the drugmaker showed better-than-expected results from the US trial. That had been seen as a scientific counter to concerns that have dogged the shot over its effectiveness and possible side effects. The vaccine, developed with Oxford University, was 79 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic illness in the large trial that also took place in Chile and Peru, according to the data. It was also 100 per cent effective against severe or critical forms of the disease and hospitalisation, and posed no increased risk of blood clots. The Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent committee overseeing the trial, has "expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data," the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said in a statement released after midnight in the United States. "We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible," it said, adding that the DSMB had informed AstraZeneca of its concerns. AstraZeneca's shares were down 1.2 per cent in midmorning trade. The statement raises fresh questions about the vaccine's efficacy as it is being administered in dozens of countries worldwide and clouds the timeline for its emergency use authorization in the United States. "This is indeed an extraordinary act. The negative reports about this vaccine do not stop, although my assessment is that it is well tolerated and safe, but clearly less effective than the two mRNA vaccines," Peter Kremsner, from the University Hospital in Tuebingen, Germany. Rival vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that use so-called mRNA technology produced efficacy rates of around 95% each, far above the 50% benchmark set by global regulators. The DSMB is organised by NIAID, and its role is to provide study oversight and evaluate clinical data to ensure safe and ethical conduct of the study. NIAID is headed by U.S. infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci and is part of the National Institutes of Health. "DSMB externalisations of concerns are deeply unusual for multinational pharma companies and suggest an extraordinary high level of friction between the DSMB and the sponsor," Citi analysts said in a note. Doubts raised Hailed as a milestone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic when it first emerged as a vaccine contender, the AstraZeneca shot has faced questions since late last year when the drugmaker and Oxford University published data with different efficacy readings due to a measurement error. Later analysis suggested the dosing interval rather than the amount of dose administered was responsible for the difference. Confidence in the vaccine took a further hit this month when more than a dozen countries, mostly in Europe, temporarily suspended the shot after reports linked it to a rare blood clotting disorder in a very small number of people. The European Union's drug regulator said last week it was safe but an opinion poll on Monday showed Europeans remained sceptical about its safety. Fauci, who also serves as chief medical advisor to US President Joe Biden, said on Monday the US trial found no indication at all of the rare blood clots and the statement from the NIAID didn't raise questions about the trial's findings regarding blood clotting. The latest data, which has yet to be reviewed by independent researchers, was based on 141 infections among 32,449 participants. Analysts had noted AstraZeneca's achievement of producing strong trial data against a backdrop of more infectious variants spreading in the United States and other countries. Stephen Evans, a pharmacoepidemiology professor at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said the up-to-date data request may have to do with efficacy readings from recent infections which may include new variants and thus lower protection rates. "The other vaccines may also show such reduced efficacy and we don’t know by how much. It does not leave me concerned particularly unless they had found a safety issue that was being hidden, which does not appear to be the case." The AstraZeneca vaccine is seen as crucial in tackling the spread of COVID-19 across the globe because it is easier and cheaper to transport than rival shots. It has been granted conditional marketing or emergency use authorization in more than 70 countries. Many countries are relying heavily on it to end the pandemic, and several state leaders have taken the shot to boost confidence in the vaccine including South Korea's President Moon Jae-in who received it on Tuesday.

AstraZeneca to release more data after US raises questions on shot's potential

According to the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-risk-of-blood-clots-vaccine-100-effective-against-severe-coronavirus-astrazeneca-372252">AstraZeneca</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-risk-of-blood-clots-vaccine-100-effective-against-severe-coronavirus-astrazeneca-372252"> </a>may have provided an incomplete view of efficacy data for&nbsp;its COVID-19 vaccine from its trial in the United States.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/no-pork-in-our-vaccine-clarifies-astrazeneca-as-indonesia-raises-concern-372168/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent committee overseeing the trial, has expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data," NIAID said in a statement.&nbsp;

NIAID is headed by US infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci and is part of the National Institutes of Health with the AstraZeneca vaccine under scanner by health officials.

The vaccine developed by Oxford University is 80 per cent effective against the virus among the elderly, and poses no blood clot risks, the company had said on Tuesday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel while announcing a five-day lockdown in the country had said she backed the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's decision to ban AstraZeneca vaccines produced in the bloc from being exported unless it delivers more of the 90 million doses it agreed to supply in the first quarter of 2021.&nbsp;

"I support Commission President Ursula von der Leyen," Merkel said, adding, "We have a problem with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/astrazeneca-clarifies-its-vaccine-has-no-pork-derived-ingredients-372044">AstraZeneca</a>."

However, according to British pollsters YouGov, a majority of people in the biggest EU states view the AstraZeneca vaccine as unsafe.

According to the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), AstraZeneca may have provided an incomplete view of efficacy data for its COVID-19 vaccine from its trial in the United States.

According to the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), AstraZeneca may have provided an incomplete view of efficacy data for its COVID-19 vaccine from its trial in the United States. Watch: "The Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent committee overseeing the trial, has expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data," NIAID said in a statement. NIAID is headed by US infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci and is part of the National Institutes of Health with the AstraZeneca vaccine under scanner by health officials. The vaccine developed by Oxford University is 80 per cent effective against the virus among the elderly, and poses no blood clot risks, the company had said on Tuesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel while announcing a five-day lockdown in the country had said she backed the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's decision to ban AstraZeneca vaccines produced in the bloc from being exported unless it delivers more of the 90 million doses it agreed to supply in the first quarter of 2021. "I support Commission President Ursula von der Leyen," Merkel said, adding, "We have a problem with AstraZeneca." However, according to British pollsters YouGov, a majority of people in the biggest EU states view the AstraZeneca vaccine as unsafe.

AstraZeneca may have included 'outdated' data in vaccine trials: US regulator

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has -- yet again -- backed the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

The health agency has also urged countries to maintain the roll-out after reviewing reports of blood clots.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there was "no question" over the &nbsp;benefits after the UN health agency's vaccine safety experts found no increase in clotting conditions linked to an AstraZeneca shot.

"The available data do not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions following administration of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. We urge countries to continue using this important vaccine," Tedros told a press conference.

Several European countries resumed AstraZeneca vaccinations on Friday after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) likewise gave their green light on Thursday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-countries-to-resume-astrazeneca-jabs-after-safe-verdict-371547">Also read |&nbsp;EU countries to resume AstraZeneca jabs after 'safe' verdict</a>

The WHO's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) met virtually on Tuesday and Friday. It reviewed available information and data on thromboembolic events (blood clots) and thrombocytopenia (low platelets) after vaccination with an AstraZeneca Covid-19 shot.

The committee said the jab "continues to have a positive benefit-risk profile, with tremendous potential to prevent infections and reduce deaths across the world. The available data do not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions such as deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism."

Those two conditions "occur naturally and are not uncommon", and also occur as a result of Covid-19, the experts said.

"While very rare and unique thromboembolic events in combination with thrombocytopenia, such as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), have also been reported following vaccination with the AstraZeneca &nbsp;Covid-19 vaccine in Europe, it is not certain that they have been caused by vaccination."

The GACVS also agreed with the EMA's plans to further investigate and monitor for such events.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-share-4-million-doses-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-with-mexico-canada-371635">Also read |&nbsp;US to share 4 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with Mexico, Canada</a>

The EU's EMA regulators have reviewed 18 such cases out of more than 20 million AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccinations in Europe, and "a causal relationship between these rare events has not been established at this time".

The AstraZeneca vaccine accounts for more than 90 per cent of the doses being distributed around the world in the first wave of the Covax global vaccine-sharing facility. Just under 30 million doses have so far been distributed to 50 countries as part of the scheme, which aims to ensure poorer nations get enough doses to vaccinate at least 20 per cent of their population by the end of the year.

Also, the WHO vaccine safety experts recommended that countries continue monitoring Covid-19 vaccine safety and report suspected adverse events.

(with inputs from AFP)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has -- yet again -- backed the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The health agency has also urged countries to maintain the roll-out after reviewing reports of blood clots.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has -- yet again -- backed the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The health agency has also urged countries to maintain the roll-out after reviewing reports of blood clots. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there was "no question" over the benefits after the UN health agency's vaccine safety experts found no increase in clotting conditions linked to an AstraZeneca shot. "The available data do not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions following administration of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. We urge countries to continue using this important vaccine," Tedros told a press conference. Several European countries resumed AstraZeneca vaccinations on Friday after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) likewise gave their green light on Thursday. Also read | EU countries to resume AstraZeneca jabs after 'safe' verdict The WHO's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) met virtually on Tuesday and Friday. It reviewed available information and data on thromboembolic events (blood clots) and thrombocytopenia (low platelets) after vaccination with an AstraZeneca Covid-19 shot. The committee said the jab "continues to have a positive benefit-risk profile, with tremendous potential to prevent infections and reduce deaths across the world. The available data do not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions such as deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism." Those two conditions "occur naturally and are not uncommon", and also occur as a result of Covid-19, the experts said. "While very rare and unique thromboembolic events in combination with thrombocytopenia, such as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), have also been reported following vaccination with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in Europe, it is not certain that they have been caused by vaccination." The GACVS also agreed with the EMA's plans to further investigate and monitor for such events. Also read | US to share 4 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with Mexico, Canada The EU's EMA regulators have reviewed 18 such cases out of more than 20 million AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccinations in Europe, and "a causal relationship between these rare events has not been established at this time". The AstraZeneca vaccine accounts for more than 90 per cent of the doses being distributed around the world in the first wave of the Covax global vaccine-sharing facility. Just under 30 million doses have so far been distributed to 50 countries as part of the scheme, which aims to ensure poorer nations get enough doses to vaccinate at least 20 per cent of their population by the end of the year. Also, the WHO vaccine safety experts recommended that countries continue monitoring Covid-19 vaccine safety and report suspected adverse events. (with inputs from AFP)

WHO renews backing for AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

The United States is finally yielding to requests to share Covid-19 jabs with allies, and is set to send roughly 4 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine that it is not using to Mexico and Canada in loan deals with the two countries.

Mexico will receive 2.5 million doses of the vaccine and Canada is to receive 1.5 million doses, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

The Biden administration has come under pressure from countries around the world to share vaccines, particularly its stock of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which is authorised for use elsewhere but not yet in the United States.

AstraZeneca has millions of doses made in a US facility, and has said that it would have 30 million shots ready at the beginning of April.

The deal to share the vaccine does not affect President Joe Biden’s plans to have vaccine available for all adults in the United States by the end of May, a senior administration official said.

Psaki said the United States had access to 7 million releasable doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine but had no plans to share them with any countries at this time other than Canada and Mexico.

Mexico’s government said on Thursday it would restrict movement on its southern border with Guatemala amid rising apprehensions of migrants trying to enter the United States, many of them unaccompanied minors.

Reports of blood disorders have prompted more than a dozen nations to suspend use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, but the European Union’s drug watchdog said on Thursday that after an investigation, it was still convinced the benefits of that vaccine outweighed the risks.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-countries-to-resume-astrazeneca-jabs-after-safe-verdict-371547">Also read |&nbsp;EU countries to resume AstraZeneca jabs after 'safe' verdict</a>

Biden had earlier said if the United States has a surplus of vaccine, it would share it with the rest of the world. The White House has focussed on vaccinating people in the United States, which has seen more than 530,000 people die from the virus, the most of any country.

Biden said on Thursday that his goal of having 100 million vaccine shots administered in the United States during his first 100 days in office would be met early, on Friday. Biden took office on January 20.

The country is getting prepared to roll out the AstraZeneca vaccine domestically if it gets authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration, the White House said.

(with inputs)

The United States is finally yielding to requests to share Covid-19 jabs with allies, and is set to send roughly 4 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine that it is not using to Mexico and Canada in loan deals with the two countries.

The United States is finally yielding to requests to share Covid-19 jabs with allies, and is set to send roughly 4 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine that it is not using to Mexico and Canada in loan deals with the two countries. Mexico will receive 2.5 million doses of the vaccine and Canada is to receive 1.5 million doses, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. The Biden administration has come under pressure from countries around the world to share vaccines, particularly its stock of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which is authorised for use elsewhere but not yet in the United States. AstraZeneca has millions of doses made in a US facility, and has said that it would have 30 million shots ready at the beginning of April. The deal to share the vaccine does not affect President Joe Biden’s plans to have vaccine available for all adults in the United States by the end of May, a senior administration official said. Psaki said the United States had access to 7 million releasable doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine but had no plans to share them with any countries at this time other than Canada and Mexico. Mexico’s government said on Thursday it would restrict movement on its southern border with Guatemala amid rising apprehensions of migrants trying to enter the United States, many of them unaccompanied minors. Reports of blood disorders have prompted more than a dozen nations to suspend use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, but the European Union’s drug watchdog said on Thursday that after an investigation, it was still convinced the benefits of that vaccine outweighed the risks. Also read | EU countries to resume AstraZeneca jabs after 'safe' verdict Biden had earlier said if the United States has a surplus of vaccine, it would share it with the rest of the world. The White House has focussed on vaccinating people in the United States, which has seen more than 530,000 people die from the virus, the most of any country. Biden said on Thursday that his goal of having 100 million vaccine shots administered in the United States during his first 100 days in office would be met early, on Friday. Biden took office on January 20. The country is getting prepared to roll out the AstraZeneca vaccine domestically if it gets authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration, the White House said. (with inputs)

US to share 4 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with Mexico, Canada

The European Union (EU) threatened to invoke emergency powers to block&nbsp;European&nbsp;exports of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure "reciprocity" with other suppliers, urging Britain to send Europe more jabs.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen gave her warning as Brussels unveiled its plan for a vaccine travel certificate, part of its effort to free up travel despite an emerging third wave of the pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-boris-johnson-to-get-astrazeneca-vaccine-as-he-dismisses-safety-fears-371185" hreflang="en">UK's Boris Johnson to get AstraZeneca vaccine as he dismisses safety fears</a>

"All options are on the table," the former German defence minister said, warning that the vaccine situation would be addressed among EU leaders at talks next week.

"We are in the crisis of the century, and I'm not ruling out any anything for now, because we have to make sure that Europeans are vaccinated as soon as possible," she said and briefly alluded to emergency powers last used during the OPEC oil shock of the 1970s.

British foreign minister Dominic Raab hit back, accusing the Commission of brinkmanship and calling for an explanation after the government had received assurances that the EU did not intend to curb exports that are under contract.

"I think it takes some explaining because the world's watching... It also cuts across the direct assurances that we had from the Commission," Raab said. "We expect those assurances and legal, contracted supply to be respected."

"Frankly, I'm surprised we're having this conversation. It is normally what the UK and EU team up with to reject, when other countries with less democratic regimes than our own engage in that kind of brinkmanship."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-chief-proposes-digital-green-certificates-and-stricter-curbs-on-vaccine-exports-371168" hreflang="en">EU Chief proposes 'digital green certificates' and stricter curbs on vaccine exports</a>

Europe's vaccination campaign has struggled to get off the ground due to delayed deliveries, as well as a bitter row with pharma giant AstraZeneca and fears over the safety of its vaccine.

The EU has already set up special oversight of vaccine exports in which manufacturers contracted to supply Europe must declare if they intend to export doses outside the bloc.

Most of the EU's worry is over Britain, home of the AstraZeneca vaccine, where the inoculation campaign has progressed at a much faster pace than in the EU.

Brussels has accused London of operating a de facto export ban to achieve its vaccine success, a claim furiously denied by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government.

Digital vaccine certificates

Von der Leyen spoke as six EU countries complained to Brussels about reduced deliveries that are hampering the bloc's already troubled inoculation campaign struggling amid reduced deliveries by AstraZeneca.

Further complicating matters, various EU nations including its largest members Germany, France and Italy this week halted AstraZeneca shots pending safety checks.

The EU's announced travel certificate, meanwhile, is intended to help restore freedom of movement within the bloc for citizens inoculated against the coronavirus.

The certificate will show "whether the person has either been vaccinated, or has a recent negative test, or has recovered from Covid, and thus has antibodies," von der Leyen said.

The idea is to allow inoculated tourists to get around restrictions on non-essential travel that have spread across Europe, as a second and third wave of Covid-19 infections brought much intra-EU travel to a standstill.

"With this digital certificate we aim to help member states reinstate the freedom of movement in a safe, responsible and trusted manner."

The plan, however, will face stiff resistance from many member states, a key concern being that those still awaiting vaccinations would be discriminated against.

In addition, some member states are worried that the legal path to create the pass, which would include approval by&nbsp;European&nbsp;Parliament, will take too long, with the summer holidays just three months away.

The commission is adamant that the process can be fast-tracked and is working to have it ready by June.

The International Air Transport Association, the airline industry group, urged member states to approve the certificate "very soon".

"We should see something similar all around the world if it can help reopening air travel everywhere," said IATA head Alexandre de Juniac.

The European Union (EU) threatened to invoke emergency powers to block European exports of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure "reciprocity" with other suppliers, urging Britain to send Europe more jabs.

The European Union (EU) threatened to invoke emergency powers to block European exports of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure "reciprocity" with other suppliers, urging Britain to send Europe more jabs. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen gave her warning as Brussels unveiled its plan for a vaccine travel certificate, part of its effort to free up travel despite an emerging third wave of the pandemic. Also read: UK's Boris Johnson to get AstraZeneca vaccine as he dismisses safety fears "All options are on the table," the former German defence minister said, warning that the vaccine situation would be addressed among EU leaders at talks next week. "We are in the crisis of the century, and I'm not ruling out any anything for now, because we have to make sure that Europeans are vaccinated as soon as possible," she said and briefly alluded to emergency powers last used during the OPEC oil shock of the 1970s. British foreign minister Dominic Raab hit back, accusing the Commission of brinkmanship and calling for an explanation after the government had received assurances that the EU did not intend to curb exports that are under contract. "I think it takes some explaining because the world's watching... It also cuts across the direct assurances that we had from the Commission," Raab said. "We expect those assurances and legal, contracted supply to be respected." "Frankly, I'm surprised we're having this conversation. It is normally what the UK and EU team up with to reject, when other countries with less democratic regimes than our own engage in that kind of brinkmanship." Also read: EU Chief proposes 'digital green certificates' and stricter curbs on vaccine exports Europe's vaccination campaign has struggled to get off the ground due to delayed deliveries, as well as a bitter row with pharma giant AstraZeneca and fears over the safety of its vaccine. The EU has already set up special oversight of vaccine exports in which manufacturers contracted to supply Europe must declare if they intend to export doses outside the bloc. Most of the EU's worry is over Britain, home of the AstraZeneca vaccine, where the inoculation campaign has progressed at a much faster pace than in the EU. Brussels has accused London of operating a de facto export ban to achieve its vaccine success, a claim furiously denied by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government. Digital vaccine certificates Von der Leyen spoke as six EU countries complained to Brussels about reduced deliveries that are hampering the bloc's already troubled inoculation campaign struggling amid reduced deliveries by AstraZeneca. Further complicating matters, various EU nations including its largest members Germany, France and Italy this week halted AstraZeneca shots pending safety checks. The EU's announced travel certificate, meanwhile, is intended to help restore freedom of movement within the bloc for citizens inoculated against the coronavirus. The certificate will show "whether the person has either been vaccinated, or has a recent negative test, or has recovered from Covid, and thus has antibodies," von der Leyen said. The idea is to allow inoculated tourists to get around restrictions on non-essential travel that have spread across Europe, as a second and third wave of Covid-19 infections brought much intra-EU travel to a standstill. "With this digital certificate we aim to help member states reinstate the freedom of movement in a safe, responsible and trusted manner." The plan, however, will face stiff resistance from many member states, a key concern being that those still awaiting vaccinations would be discriminated against. In addition, some member states are worried that the legal path to create the pass, which would include approval by European Parliament, will take too long, with the summer holidays just three months away. The commission is adamant that the process can be fast-tracked and is working to have it ready by June. The International Air Transport Association, the airline industry group, urged member states to approve the certificate "very soon". "We should see something similar all around the world if it can help reopening air travel everywhere," said IATA head Alexandre de Juniac.

'Crisis of century': EU threatens ban on coronavirus vaccine exports to UK

Europe&nbsp;is a continent divided with 17 countries on one side and 27 on the other. Separating them is the AstraZeneca vaccine. Riled by fears of blood clots, Europe's big powers have suspended its use. Germany, France, Italy and Spain are among them.

Worldwide, at least 20 nations have paused their vaccine rollout. They want more clarity on the jab's safety. It's a huge blow to the global immunisation drive. Every day&nbsp;AstraZeneca remains shelved, lives are lost.

The expert opinion is clear. The blood clots are unrelated to vaccines. The benefits of taking the shot outweigh the risks.

"While the investigation is ongoing, currently, we are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of these side effects," said Emer Cooke, Executive Director of European Medicines Agency.

The Europeans are playing wait and watch. On Thursday, EU's top medicines regulator will analyse the effects of AstraZeneca. They are expected to give a clean chit. Chances are, member states will lift the suspension soon after.

Unless the problem has something to do with other than just science.

Could the move to suspend AstraZeneca have been a political one? There is a strong case to be made.

For starters, AstraZeneca is a British vaccine. Relations across the channel have been frayed since Brexit. And two, Europe's vaccination drive was stumbling. AstraZeneca was the perfect distraction.

"The EU's own regulators said there's no reason, no grounds to suspend taking the vaccine or the rollout and that is itself echoed by the World Health Organization. So this vaccine is safe. We respect the processes and the procedures that some other countries may need to go through, but the vaccine is safe and people should certainly continue to take it to protect themselves and their friends and family, " said British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

So, is the fear over blood clots warranted? There have been 37 cases in 17 million recipients. Experts say it's hardly a trend.

And beyond Europe, AstraZeneca remains much sought after. The US has placed an order for half a million doses. Australia says it will continue to use the jabs. And on Tuesday, the Thai prime minister took the shot himself just hours after France and Germany announced their suspension.

In Europe, Serbia and Belgium plan to continue using AstraZeneca.

Europe's inoculation drive is already losing steam. The bloc has given 11 shots per 100 people. Britain is administering more than thrice that. The sudden suspension could also reignite anti-vaccine sentiments.

AstraZeneca was touted as the bulwark against the Wuhan virus. It is cheap and easy to store.

Time is of the essence in vaccination drives. And now is not the time to abandon your most potent weapon.

Europe is a continent divided with 17 countries on one side and 27 on the other. Separating them is the AstraZeneca vaccine. Riled by fears of blood clots, Europe's big powers have suspended its use.

Europe is a continent divided with 17 countries on one side and 27 on the other. Separating them is the AstraZeneca vaccine. Riled by fears of blood clots, Europe's big powers have suspended its use. Germany, France, Italy and Spain are among them. Worldwide, at least 20 nations have paused their vaccine rollout. They want more clarity on the jab's safety. It's a huge blow to the global immunisation drive. Every day AstraZeneca remains shelved, lives are lost. The expert opinion is clear. The blood clots are unrelated to vaccines. The benefits of taking the shot outweigh the risks. "While the investigation is ongoing, currently, we are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of these side effects," said Emer Cooke, Executive Director of European Medicines Agency. The Europeans are playing wait and watch. On Thursday, EU's top medicines regulator will analyse the effects of AstraZeneca. They are expected to give a clean chit. Chances are, member states will lift the suspension soon after. Unless the problem has something to do with other than just science. Could the move to suspend AstraZeneca have been a political one? There is a strong case to be made. For starters, AstraZeneca is a British vaccine. Relations across the channel have been frayed since Brexit. And two, Europe's vaccination drive was stumbling. AstraZeneca was the perfect distraction. "The EU's own regulators said there's no reason, no grounds to suspend taking the vaccine or the rollout and that is itself echoed by the World Health Organization. So this vaccine is safe. We respect the processes and the procedures that some other countries may need to go through, but the vaccine is safe and people should certainly continue to take it to protect themselves and their friends and family, " said British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. So, is the fear over blood clots warranted? There have been 37 cases in 17 million recipients. Experts say it's hardly a trend. And beyond Europe, AstraZeneca remains much sought after. The US has placed an order for half a million doses. Australia says it will continue to use the jabs. And on Tuesday, the Thai prime minister took the shot himself just hours after France and Germany announced their suspension. In Europe, Serbia and Belgium plan to continue using AstraZeneca. Europe's inoculation drive is already losing steam. The bloc has given 11 shots per 100 people. Britain is administering more than thrice that. The sudden suspension could also reignite anti-vaccine sentiments. AstraZeneca was touted as the bulwark against the Wuhan virus. It is cheap and easy to store. Time is of the essence in vaccination drives. And now is not the time to abandon your most potent weapon.

Europe divided over AstraZeneca vaccine

To quell fears around the Oxford-AstraZeneca <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a>, UK PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday said that he will take the jab.&nbsp;

"I finally got news and I've got to have my own jab, very shortly, I'm pleased to discover," the British PM told lawmakers.&nbsp;

"It will certainly be Oxford AstraZeneca, that I will be having."

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/european-medicines-agency-hold-briefing-over-astrazeneca-vaccine-370956/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The comments made by Johnson came after he repeatedly insisted that AstraZeneca's vaccine is safe despite many European nations stopping its rollout over cases of blood clots.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said that it is reviewing the safety of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, but recommended continuing its use.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-backs-use-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-approves-jj-for-covid-variants-371182">WHO backs use of AstraZeneca vaccine; approves J&amp;J for COVID variants</a>

"At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue," the global health agency in a statement said.&nbsp;

After some Nordic nations suspended the use of the vaccine, many European nations, including Germany, France and Italy also halted the use until a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is out.&nbsp;

The EMA on Tuesday stressed there was no evidence linking the jab to blood clots.&nbsp;

India, one of the largest producers of AstraZeneca's vaccine, said that the country will continue to use the vaccine with a top official saying there was nothing to suggest a "causal relationship" between the drug and blood clots. 
&nbsp;

To quell fears around the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, UK PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday said that he will take the jab. "I finally got news and I've got to have my own jab, very shortly, I'm pleased to discover," the British PM told lawmakers.

To quell fears around the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, UK PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday said that he will take the jab. "I finally got news and I've got to have my own jab, very shortly, I'm pleased to discover," the British PM told lawmakers. "It will certainly be Oxford AstraZeneca, that I will be having." Watch | The comments made by Johnson came after he repeatedly insisted that AstraZeneca's vaccine is safe despite many European nations stopping its rollout over cases of blood clots. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said that it is reviewing the safety of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, but recommended continuing its use. Also read | WHO backs use of AstraZeneca vaccine; approves J&J for COVID variants "At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue," the global health agency in a statement said. After some Nordic nations suspended the use of the vaccine, many European nations, including Germany, France and Italy also halted the use until a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is out. The EMA on Tuesday stressed there was no evidence linking the jab to blood clots. India, one of the largest producers of AstraZeneca's vaccine, said that the country will continue to use the vaccine with a top official saying there was nothing to suggest a "causal relationship" between the drug and blood clots.

UK's Boris Johnson to get AstraZeneca vaccine as he dismisses safety fears

After several countries imposed a temporary suspension on AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) has backed the use of this <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccine.</a>

WHO has recommended countries to continue using AstraZeneca's vaccine 'at this time', till the experts conclude the ongoing assessment of reports that claimed blood clotting to be a side-effect of the vaccine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-chief-proposes-digital-green-certificates-and-stricter-curbs-on-vaccine-exports-371168" hreflang="en">EU Chief proposes 'digital green certificates' and stricter curbs on vaccine exports</a>

"The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is carefully assessing the latest available safety data," the agency said in a statement. "At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue."

Experts at WHO have assured that the results of the review will be communicated as soon as the assessment of the reports is finished.

The statement has come after several countries temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca after a few cases of formation of blood clots were reported around the world.

However, the European Union's medicines regulator has stressed that, as of now, there is no evidence that points towards a link between the vaccine shot and formation of blood clots — termed as thromboembolic events.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderna-to-begin-coronavirus-vaccine-trials-on-children-in-us-and-canada-371034" hreflang="en">Moderna to begin coronavirus vaccine trials on children in US and Canada</a>

The WHO backed this by explaining that it is a routine procedure for experts and countries to flag any potential side-effects of a vaccine, but also stressed that "this does not necessarily mean that the events are linked to vaccination itself, but it is good practice to investigate them. It also shows that the surveillance system works and that effective controls are in place".

"Vaccination against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Covid-19</a> will not reduce illness or deaths from other causes," WHO assured. "Thromboembolic events are known to occur frequently. Venous thromboembolism is the third most common cardiovascular disease globally."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, WHO experts have also recommended Johnson &amp; Johnson's coronavirus vaccine for use against the different variants of coronavirus.

"We have a vaccine that shows to be safe and it shows to have the necessary efficacy to be recommended by us for use in people above the age of 18, without an upper age limit," SAGE chair Alejandro Cravioto said. "In the countries where there is a high spread of the variants and in countries where we now have information about the use of this vaccine to control SARS-CoV-2 caused by these variants, we recommend that you use it."

After several countries imposed a temporary suspension on AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) has backed the use of this vaccine.

After several countries imposed a temporary suspension on AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) has backed the use of this vaccine. WHO has recommended countries to continue using AstraZeneca's vaccine 'at this time', till the experts conclude the ongoing assessment of reports that claimed blood clotting to be a side-effect of the vaccine. Also read | EU Chief proposes 'digital green certificates' and stricter curbs on vaccine exports "The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is carefully assessing the latest available safety data," the agency said in a statement. "At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue." Experts at WHO have assured that the results of the review will be communicated as soon as the assessment of the reports is finished. The statement has come after several countries temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca after a few cases of formation of blood clots were reported around the world. However, the European Union's medicines regulator has stressed that, as of now, there is no evidence that points towards a link between the vaccine shot and formation of blood clots — termed as thromboembolic events. Also read | Moderna to begin coronavirus vaccine trials on children in US and Canada The WHO backed this by explaining that it is a routine procedure for experts and countries to flag any potential side-effects of a vaccine, but also stressed that "this does not necessarily mean that the events are linked to vaccination itself, but it is good practice to investigate them. It also shows that the surveillance system works and that effective controls are in place". "Vaccination against Covid-19 will not reduce illness or deaths from other causes," WHO assured. "Thromboembolic events are known to occur frequently. Venous thromboembolism is the third most common cardiovascular disease globally." Meanwhile, WHO experts have also recommended Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine for use against the different variants of coronavirus. "We have a vaccine that shows to be safe and it shows to have the necessary efficacy to be recommended by us for use in people above the age of 18, without an upper age limit," SAGE chair Alejandro Cravioto said. "In the countries where there is a high spread of the variants and in countries where we now have information about the use of this vaccine to control SARS-CoV-2 caused by these variants, we recommend that you use it."

WHO backs use of AstraZeneca vaccine; approves J&J for COVID variants

European countries France and Italy&nbsp;suspended&nbsp;the use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine over safety fears on Monday.

Several EU countries have called a halt to the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine after reports from Denmark and Norway of possible serious side-effects, including bleeding and blood clots.

The WHO said its advisory panel was reviewing reports related to the shot and would release its findings as soon as possible. But it said it was unlikely to change its recommendations, issued last month, for widespread use, including in countries where the South African variant of the virus may reduce its efficacy.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-suspends-astrazeneca-jabs-over-reported-clot-risks-health-ministry-370703" hreflang="en">Germany suspends AstraZeneca jabs over reported clot risks: Health Ministry</a>

"As of today, there is no evidence that the incidents are caused by the vaccine and it is important that vaccination campaigns continue so that we can save lives and stem severe disease from the virus," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said.

AstraZeneca's shot was among the first and cheapest to be developed and launched at volume since the coronavirus was first identified in central China at the end of 2019 and is set to be the mainstay of vaccination programmes in much of the developing world. The virus has killed more than 2.7 million people.

Thailand became the first country outside Europe to delay rolling out the vaccine on Friday, when its political leaders were due to have the first shots, but the government said on Monday they would receive the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine on Tuesday.

Indonesia, however, said it would delay administering the shot due to the reports of blood clots among some recipients in Europe and would await a review from the WHO.

The WHO had already said there was no indication the events were caused by the vaccination, a view also expressed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which said the number of reported blood clots was no higher than seen in the general population.

The handful of reported side-effects in Europe have upset vaccination programmes already under pressure over slow rollouts and vaccine scepticism in some countries.

The Netherlands said on Monday it had seen 10 cases of possible noteworthy adverse side-effects from the&nbsp;AstraZeneca&nbsp;vaccine, hours after the government put its vaccination programme on hold following reports of potential side-effects in other countries.

Denmark reported "highly unusual" symptoms in a 60-year-old citizen who died from a blood clot after receiving the vaccine, the same phrase used on Saturday by Norway about three people under the age of 50 it said were being treated in hospital.

"It was an unusual course of illness around the death that made the Danish Medicines Agency react," the agency said in a statement late on Sunday.

AstraZeneca&nbsp;Plc said earlier it had conducted a review covering more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the UK which had shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.

European countries France and Italy suspended the use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine over safety fears on Monday. Several EU countries have called a halt to the AstraZeneca vaccine after reports from Denmark and Norway of possible serious side-effects, including bleeding and blood clots.

European countries France and Italy suspended the use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine over safety fears on Monday. Several EU countries have called a halt to the AstraZeneca vaccine after reports from Denmark and Norway of possible serious side-effects, including bleeding and blood clots. The WHO said its advisory panel was reviewing reports related to the shot and would release its findings as soon as possible. But it said it was unlikely to change its recommendations, issued last month, for widespread use, including in countries where the South African variant of the virus may reduce its efficacy. Also read: Germany suspends AstraZeneca jabs over reported clot risks: Health Ministry "As of today, there is no evidence that the incidents are caused by the vaccine and it is important that vaccination campaigns continue so that we can save lives and stem severe disease from the virus," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said. AstraZeneca's shot was among the first and cheapest to be developed and launched at volume since the coronavirus was first identified in central China at the end of 2019 and is set to be the mainstay of vaccination programmes in much of the developing world. The virus has killed more than 2.7 million people. Thailand became the first country outside Europe to delay rolling out the vaccine on Friday, when its political leaders were due to have the first shots, but the government said on Monday they would receive the AstraZeneca vaccine on Tuesday. Indonesia, however, said it would delay administering the shot due to the reports of blood clots among some recipients in Europe and would await a review from the WHO. The WHO had already said there was no indication the events were caused by the vaccination, a view also expressed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which said the number of reported blood clots was no higher than seen in the general population. The handful of reported side-effects in Europe have upset vaccination programmes already under pressure over slow rollouts and vaccine scepticism in some countries. The Netherlands said on Monday it had seen 10 cases of possible noteworthy adverse side-effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine, hours after the government put its vaccination programme on hold following reports of potential side-effects in other countries. Denmark reported "highly unusual" symptoms in a 60-year-old citizen who died from a blood clot after receiving the vaccine, the same phrase used on Saturday by Norway about three people under the age of 50 it said were being treated in hospital. "It was an unusual course of illness around the death that made the Danish Medicines Agency react," the agency said in a statement late on Sunday. AstraZeneca Plc said earlier it had conducted a review covering more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the UK which had shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.

France, Italy suspend use of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine

Norwegian health officials reported three more cases of blood clots or brain haemorrhages in younger people who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab, but said they could not yet say they were vaccine-related.

The Norwegian Medicines Agency said similar incidents had been reported in other European countries.&nbsp;

The World Health Organisation said no causal link had been established between the vaccine and blood clotting after Denmark, Norway and Iceland on Thursday temporarily suspended the use of the vaccine over concerns about patients developing post-jab blood clots.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/excellent-vaccine-who-backs-use-of-astrazenecas-coronavirus-vaccine-369954">Also read |&nbsp;'Excellent vaccine': WHO backs use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine</a>

A number of other countries have also suspended use of vaccines from one batch. The manufacturer and Europe's medicines watchdog have meanwhile insisted that the vaccine is safe.

Denmark was first to announce its suspension, although it stressed that the move was precautionary, and that "it has not been determined, at the time being, that there is a link between the vaccine and the blood clots".

On Saturday, the Norwegian Medicines Agency said it had "received several adverse event reports about younger vaccinated people with bleeding under the skin (tiny dots and /or larger blue patches) after coronavirus vaccination.

"This is serious and can be a sign of reduced blood platelet counts," it added.

Geir Bukholm, director of Infection Control and Environmental Health at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health,&nbsp;said that following the decision to suspend the jab, it was now "the Norwegian Medicines Agency's role to follow up on these suspected side effects and take the necessary measures".&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/severe-allergy-side-effect-of-astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine-eu-drug-regulator-370029">Also read |&nbsp;Severe allergy side-effect of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine: EU drug regulator</a>

AstraZeneca, an Anglo-Swedish company which developed the vaccine with Oxford University, has, on its part, defended the safety of its product.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;India will carry out a deeper review of post-vaccination side effects from the AstraZeneca shot next week although no cases of blood clots have been reported so far, an official told AFP Saturday.

"We are looking at all the adverse events, particularly serious adverse events like deaths and hospitalisation. We will come back if we find anything of concern," N.K. Arora, a member of India's national task force on Covid-19, told AFP.

India has given at least 28 million shots in its vast vaccination programme, most of them AstraZeneca's which are produced at the Serum Institute of India.

New Delhi has also gifted and allowed exports of millions of these jabs to around 70 countries over the last few weeks as a part of its vaccine diplomacy.

(with inputs from AFP)

Norwegian health officials reported three more cases of blood clots or brain haemorrhages in younger people who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab, but said they could not yet say they were vaccine-related.

Norwegian health officials reported three more cases of blood clots or brain haemorrhages in younger people who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab, but said they could not yet say they were vaccine-related. The Norwegian Medicines Agency said similar incidents had been reported in other European countries. The World Health Organisation said no causal link had been established between the vaccine and blood clotting after Denmark, Norway and Iceland on Thursday temporarily suspended the use of the vaccine over concerns about patients developing post-jab blood clots. Also read | 'Excellent vaccine': WHO backs use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine A number of other countries have also suspended use of vaccines from one batch. The manufacturer and Europe's medicines watchdog have meanwhile insisted that the vaccine is safe. Denmark was first to announce its suspension, although it stressed that the move was precautionary, and that "it has not been determined, at the time being, that there is a link between the vaccine and the blood clots". On Saturday, the Norwegian Medicines Agency said it had "received several adverse event reports about younger vaccinated people with bleeding under the skin (tiny dots and /or larger blue patches) after coronavirus vaccination. "This is serious and can be a sign of reduced blood platelet counts," it added. Geir Bukholm, director of Infection Control and Environmental Health at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, said that following the decision to suspend the jab, it was now "the Norwegian Medicines Agency's role to follow up on these suspected side effects and take the necessary measures". Also read | Severe allergy side-effect of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine: EU drug regulator AstraZeneca, an Anglo-Swedish company which developed the vaccine with Oxford University, has, on its part, defended the safety of its product. Meanwhile, India will carry out a deeper review of post-vaccination side effects from the AstraZeneca shot next week although no cases of blood clots have been reported so far, an official told AFP Saturday. "We are looking at all the adverse events, particularly serious adverse events like deaths and hospitalisation. We will come back if we find anything of concern," N.K. Arora, a member of India's national task force on Covid-19, told AFP. India has given at least 28 million shots in its vast vaccination programme, most of them AstraZeneca's which are produced at the Serum Institute of India. New Delhi has also gifted and allowed exports of millions of these jabs to around 70 countries over the last few weeks as a part of its vaccine diplomacy. (with inputs from AFP)

Norway probes blood clot cases after AstraZeneca vaccine suspension