New AZ glitches as nations scramble for Covid vaccines
The fallout over the AstraZeneca jab persisted on Thursday with several countries halting its use among younger people, as nations raced to secure much-needed vaccines in the face of fresh virus surges.
Europe’s medicines regulator said this week the AstraZenea vaccine could cause very rare blood clots among some recipients, prompting a cascade of countries to pull the plug on giving it to people under a certain age.
Britain sought on Thursday to quell fears over the jab, saying the potential side effects were extremely rare — and the risk of getting seriously sick from Covid-19 was far greater.
The furore over the jab comes as a number of countries battle mounting caseloads and deaths, more than a year into the pandemic that has killed almost 2.9 million people worldwide and ravaged the global economy.
Germany sparked controversy on Thursday after launching talks with Russia about purchasing doses of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine without waiting for coordinated EU action.
Health Minister Jens Spahn said the European Union had decided it will not sign contracts for Sputnik.
“So I said we will hold talks with Russia,” he admitted as Germany needs more vaccines quickly.
On the AstraZeneca front, the Netherlands and Portugal became the latest countries to restrict the use of the vaccine to older populations — mostly over 60 — joining a list that includes Australia, the Philippines, Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Canada that took the decision earlier.
“It has not been our practice to jump at shadows, it has not been our practice to take unnecessary precautions,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said as he announced the measure.
“We’ve been taking the necessary precautions based on the best possible medical advice.”
The decision came after the European Medicines Agency said on Wednesday that blood clots should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of the jab, though it did not say any particular groups were at greater risk.
Britain said it would offer people under 30 “alternative” vaccines to AstraZeneca — the country has also approved Pfizer and Moderna jabs — but on Thursday sought to reassure people about getting inoculated.
“The vaccines are safe, and if you want to have the Pfizer vaccine or Moderna vaccine instead then that is fine,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC.
“Covid is a horrible disease and long Covid affects people in their 20s just as much it seems as any other age group and can have debilitating side effects that essentially ruin your life.”
AstraZeneca has been dogged by controversy — first banned by some governments for older people over lack of data, then banned outright over clot fears.
It is stored at a warmer temperature and billed as the vaccine of choice for poorer countries.