Head of vaccine group reassures over jab

The head of the Oxford University vaccine group has sought to reassure the public over its Covid-19 jab after several countries temporarily suspended its use.

Professor Andrew Pollard said that while it was right that regulators investigated reports of blood clots in people who have had the vaccine, data from millions of people was “very reassuring” that there was no link.

It comes after France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands became the latest countries to suspend use of the Oxford/astrazeneca vaccine over concerns about possible side effects. The Dutch government said the precautionary move will last until at least March 29, following a similar decision made by the Republic of Ireland.

Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Iceland and Thailand temporarily suspended their use of the Astrazeneca jab.

Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the UK’S Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said there was no evidence of a link between the jab and an increased risk of blood clots.

Prof Pollard said “safety is clearly absolutely paramount” but that about 3,000 cases of blood clots occur every month in the UK from other causes.

“So, when you then put a vaccination campaign on top of that, clearly those blood clots still happen and you’ve got to then try and separate out whether, when they occur, they are at all related to the vaccine or not,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Prof Pollard said that more than 11 million doses have now been given in the UK.