THE EU are on the cusp of making a U-turn on the suspension of the Oxford jab with its regulator expected to declare the vaccine safe today. France and Italy have already stated they will “promptly” start doling out doses once the immunisation is given the all-clear. Cases are now on the rise across Europe […]
THE EU are on the cusp of making a U-turn on the suspension of the Oxford jab with its regulator expected to declare the vaccine safe today.
France and Italy have already stated they will “promptly” start doling out doses once the immunisation is given the all-clear.
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Cases are now on the rise across Europe with Poland and Bulgaria the latest nations to announce further lockdown measures.
Boris Johnson will also receive the shot imminently in another vote of confidence in the UK-made vaccine.
More than a dozen EU nations have halted its use over unsubstantiated fears it may trigger blood clots.
But the European Medicines Agency is expected to say the link there is no increased risk.
The UK regulator the MHRA will also release a fresh statement on the issue today and the World Health Organisation will follow suit tomorrow.
Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine “far outweigh its risk” and its use “should continue to save lives”.
Addressing a WHO press briefing on Thursday, he said it was “routine to signal adverse events” but people should “have confidence” in the protection given by vaccines.
“The Covid-19 vaccination will not reduce death or illness from other causes,” he said.
“As of now we do not know whether some or all of the conditions have been caused by the vaccine or by other coincidental factors.
“At this point in time, the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine far outweigh its risk and its use should continue to save lives.”
Scientists have rushed to reassure people that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is safe after 20 EU countries, including France, Germany and Spain, suspended its use over unproven concerns about blood clots.
England’s deputy chief medical officer has said evidence suggests there is no increased risk of blood clots from the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said that “vaccines don’t save lives if they’re in fridges” as he sought to reassure the public after a dozen European countries suspended the vaccine over isolated cases of blood clotting.
Appearing at a Downing Street press conference, he referred to comments by the European Medical Agency (EMA), which said there was “no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions”.
The EU has blamed its shambolic vaccine programme’s problems on AZ not producing enough of the jabs.
Yet, despite countries questioning whether it is safe, Brussels is threatening to hoard millions more doses.
The move would delay Britain’s jabs roll-out, as many of our supplies come from factories on the continent.
A No10 spokesman said restrictions on vaccine supply would “endanger global efforts to fight the virus”.
It comes as a new study suggests the vaccines from Oxford/AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech may be more effective against the P1 Brazil variant of coronavirus than previously thought.
Research from Oxford University, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, measured the level of antibodies that can neutralise – or stop infection from – variants that are circulating in South Africa, Brazil and elsewhere.
It found that vaccines do not work as well against the variants as against the original strain of coronavirus, but that the P1 Brazilian variant may be less resistant to vaccine-induced antibodies than first feared.
