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Netherlands halts use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
Updated 07:48, 15-Mar-2021
CGTN

The Netherlands will suspend the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine until at least March 29 as a precaution, the Dutch government said on Sunday.

The move follows similar decisions by a number of countries in recent days, including Ireland on Sunday. It is based on reports from Denmark and Norway of possible serious side effects, the Dutch government added.

Three health workers in Norway who had recently received the jab were being treated in hospital for bleeding, blood clots and a low count of blood platelets, health authorities in the country said on Saturday.

Earlier on Sunday, AstraZeneca said a review of safety data of people vaccinated with its COVID-19 vaccine has shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.

"A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and UK with COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country," the company said.

"Additional testing has, and is, being conducted by ourselves and independently by European health authorities and none of these re-tests have shown cause for concern," it added.

European Medicines Agency has also said there is no indication that the events were caused by the vaccination, a view that was echoed by the World Health Organization on Friday.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in collaboration with Oxford University, has been authorized for use in the European Union and many countries but not yet by U.S. regulators.

As growing number of countries are putting a hold on rollout, some other countries including Greece are continuing vaccination scheme with the AstraZeneca shot despite concern around thrombotic events.

(With input from Reuters)

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