Cyprus, Luxembourg, and Venezuela have entered the list of countries that have banned the use of Covid-19 vaccines manufactured by AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish company.
Cyprus is temporarily delaying AstraZeneca vaccines until the European Medicines Agency (EMA) completes an analysis of how to proceed, according to a spokesman for the Cypriot Ministry of Health who spoke on RIK state radio on Tuesday.
Instead, Cyprus will aim to buy 50,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia, but it will wait before the Russian vaccine has been approved by EU health authorities.
Late Monday, the Luxembourg Ministry of Health declared a similar suspension, describing it as a “precautionary measure” before the EMA study is available.
Luxembourg is adopting the actions of many other European countries, according to the ministry.
The step was prompted by news of blood clots linked to the vaccine, according to the statement.
On Monday, a number of European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, briefly halted AstraZeneca vaccinations.
Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Norway have all stopped using the vaccine.
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The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which approved approval of the vaccine in late January, has opened an inquiry into the vaccine, as have national health authorities in many European countries.
The EMA said on Monday that it has found no proof that the shot is to blame for suspected thrombosis incidents, but that it will continue its investigation. A decision on next steps is due on Thursday.
The CDC insisted that the vaccine was safe to use, claiming that the positives of shielding the public from Covid-19 greatly outweighed any potential negative consequences.
Based on available data, the British vaccine regulator has stated that the vaccine, which AstraZeneca created in collaboration with Oxford University, is not responsible for blood clotting.
The new suspensions are the latest chapter in Europe’s fraught relationship with AstraZeneca’s vaccine. For weeks, there have been questions about the vaccine’s efficacy. Around the same time, EU officials are furious with the firm for failure to produce vaccine batches on time.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was quoted by the Foreign Ministry as saying on Monday that the Covid-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca would not be accepted due to “adverse effects” around the world.
The ministry quoted Rodriguez as saying, “Venezuela will not offer a permit to use the AstraZeneca vaccine due to adverse effects around the world.”
Rodriguez, who heads the Presidential Commission to Monitor and Avoid Covid-19, said talks were underway with Russia, China, and Cuba to receive Sputnik V doses, which she described as “very good.”
Venezuela’s vaccination program began with the Sputnik V vaccine, with President Nicolas Maduro pledging that 10 million doses would be delivered by the end of March.
He reported that the government had put $200 million into securing supplies.
According to a government announcement, the nation also got 500,000 doses of the Chinese-made vaccine Sinopharm earlier this month.
Official estimates indicate that Venezuela has had just over 146,000 Covid-19 infections and about 1,400 deaths as a result of the outbreak.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it would meet on Tuesday to review the vaccine’s available safety details, though its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there had been no proof of a connection so far.
SOURCE: ATLFMONLINE
