Netherlands suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine

LThe Netherlands suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19 on Sunday as a precaution until March 28 inclusive, after “possible side effects” were reported in Denmark and Norway, without a proven link at this stage .

“Based on new information, the Dutch Medicines Authority has advised, as a precautionary measure and pending further investigation, to suspend the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine” against Covid-19, announced the Dutch Ministry of Health in a statement. “The crucial question is whether these are complaints after vaccination or due to vaccination. There should be no doubt about vaccines, ”Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said in the statement. “We always have to be careful which is why it is wise to press the pause button now as a precaution,” he added.

Suspended in many countries

Many countries Norway, like Iceland or Denmark, announced Thursday the suspension of AstraZeneca vaccine injections, invoking the principle of “precaution” because of fears related to the formation of blood clots. Bulgaria followed suit on Friday and Thailand delayed its campaign.

No similar case is currently known in the Netherlands, said the ministry, which however advises people who received the vaccine to contact their doctor if they have “unexpected and / or unknown” symptoms after three days.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that there was “no reason not to use” the vaccine developed by the Swedish-British laboratory AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. AstraZeneca says its vaccine is safe.