Denmark pauses AstraZeneca vaccine jabs to probe blood clots
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK » Denmark has temporarily suspended use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine after reports of blood clots in some people, but its health authority said Thursday it has no evidence the vaccine was responsible.
Other experts pointed out that of the millions of AstraZeneca vaccine shots administered elsewhere, including in Britain, there have been no reported cases of the vaccine causing blood clots or related problems.
Denmark’s Health Authority said its decision was “based on a precautionary principle” and that one person who developed a blood clot after vaccination had died.
“At present, it cannot be concluded whether there is a link between the vaccine and the blood clots,” authorities said. Danish officials did not say whether the patient had any underlying conditions and did not provide any other details.
In a statement on Thursday, the European Medicines Agency said “the vaccine’s benefits continue to outweigh its risks and the vaccine can continue to be administered” while a closer evaluation of the blood clot cases continues.
“There is currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions,” the regulator said. It said the number of people with blood clots in vaccinated people was no higher than those who hadn’t been inoculated.
Some doctors pointed out that people now being immunized against COVID-19 are more likely to already have health problems and that it would be difficult to determine whether a vaccine shot is responsible.
“The vast majority of people being vaccinated at the moment are elderly or have got underlying diseases,” said Dr. Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia. “They will be at increased risk for all sorts of adverse outcomes, regardless of whether or not they have been vaccinated.”
Hunter said there were 11 reports of blood clots in Britain among the more than 11 million people given the AstraZeneca vaccine, and none have been shown to have been caused by the shot. He said pausing immunizations was also a risky decision in itself.
“When you stop vaccinating, you know that some people will die of COVID-19,” he said.
Denmark’s suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine will last for at least two weeks, the agency said, adding it hinged on an evaluation by the EU medical regulator.