Denmark has suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine after several patients developed blood clots.
The Danish Health Agency said it was not certain the blood clots were linked to the vaccine but was taking the decision as a precaution.
The country extended its recommendation for AstraZeneca’s vaccine to be given to people over 65 less than a week ago, shortly after France also opened up access to people aged 65-74.
Several European countries, also including Germany, Italy and Austria, initially limited recommendation of the shot to under 65-year-olds due to efficacy concerns.
On Monday, Austria stopped administering a batch of vaccines produced by the Anglo-Swedish laboratory, after a 49-year-old nurse died of “serious clotting disorders” days after being immunised.
Four other European countries – Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Luxembourg – also suspended vaccinations of doses from the same batch, which was delivered to 17 countries and included one million vaccines.
A preliminary investigation by the European Medicines Agency found there was no link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and the death in Austria.
(www.newsnow.co.uk)