Denmark has stopped vaccinating with the AstraZeneca vaccine with immediate effect. The Danish health authority has announced this. The measure applies in any case for two weeks. Iceland has also temporarily halted the use of AstraZeneca, local media report.
The decision in Denmark was taken as a precaution after blood clots were found in a few cases in people who had received the vaccine. In one case, one would have died in Denmark.
The Dutch Ministry of Health (VWS) and the RIVM are discussing the reports from Denmark. This afternoon, RIVM also expects an advice from the EU medicine agency EMA on the use of AstraZeneca. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport awaits the outcome of the EMA recommendation.
Yesterday, the EMA reported that preliminary research into cases of thrombosis in Austria does not indicate that the cause should be sought in the vaccine. Preliminary research results show that the percentage of thrombosis cases among the vaccinated group is not higher than among the total population.
‘Not an easy decision’
The Danish health authority also says that it is not clear whether there is a link between the blood clots and the vaccine. It speaks of “rare but serious possible side effects” with a drug “for which there is good evidence that it is safe and effective”. The EU drug agency has launched an investigation.
“It is not an easy decision to suspend vaccination,” said director of the health authority Brostrøm. “But precisely because we vaccinate so many people, we need to act quickly when we hear about potentially serious side effects.”
No known side effect
The Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board is of the opinion that the reported cases of thrombosis are most likely not related to the AstraZeneca vaccine. “Thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are not known side effects of the vaccine,” says a spokesman for the MEB. “When large groups are vaccinated as is currently the case, you can expect such reports. We are always obliged to investigate serious reports. That is what we do now.”
AstraZeneca Netherlands says in response to decisions in Denmark and other countries that the pharmaceutical industry is not about the use of vaccines. “It is not up to us to decide or advise on that. Health authorities are about that. It is good to investigate and we are in close contact with EMA. They ultimately decide what the consequence of this is.”
Austria
On Sunday, the Austrian regulator also decided not to use a specific batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to problems with blood clots. Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Latvia have also suspended vaccinations with vaccines from that batch.
According to a statement by the EMA, in Austria a person was diagnosed with thrombosis, the formation of blood clots in blood vessels. That person died 10 days after the vaccination.
In a second case, also in Austria, a person was admitted with a pulmonary embolism, a blockage of veins in the lungs. This person is recovering. The EMA has also received two reports of thrombosis after vaccination with a vaccine from this batch with the number ABV5300. According to the agency, no specific problem has been found with that party.
British experience
Vaccines from that batch have been delivered to 17 EU countries, including the Netherlands and Denmark. The EMA also says that no link has been demonstrated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
In total, 22 cases of thrombosis have been reported to the EMA among the 3 million people vaccinated with AstraZeneca in the EU.
There is already a lot of experience with AstraZeneca injections in the United Kingdom. The latest list of side effects, which runs until 21 February, shows that out of 8.4 million vaccinations, more than 42,000 reports of side effects, including 244 deaths. It has not been established whether this mortality is related to the vaccine.
There have also been reports of other serious but non-fatal health effects. But, emphasizes the British health authority MHRA, in no case is there reason to believe that the vaccine played a role.
The Netherlands
In the Netherlands, 264,200 injections have been done with the AstraZeneca vaccine so far. As of March 14, that must be 350,284. The Netherlands has so far received 636,500 AstraZeneca doses, according to figures from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. In the entire first quarter, that should be 1.6 million. In the second quarter 4 million.
According to the vaccination strategy of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the AstraZeneca vaccine in the Netherlands is now given to healthcare workers, mental health clients, all 60 to 64 year olds, and to people with Down’s syndrome and morbid obesity of all ages.
Side effect center Lareb says it has received one report in the Netherlands of a person vaccinated with AstraZeneca who was suspected of thrombosis. It was not a serious report, it did not require hospitalization and there were no serious consequences.
Yesterday, director Agnes Kant of Lareb said that there are differences between the side effects of the various corona vaccines. “The side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine appear to be slightly more likely to be experienced as severe,” said Kant.