AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine: No consensus have been reached yet

AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine: No consensus have been reached yet.  AstraZeneca’s safety issues have caused confusion, and the health authorities of various countries have not yet reached a consensus on the use of the vaccine.

[Global Times Special Correspondent in Germany, Aoki Wang Yi] The debate over the safety of AstraZeneca vaccine continues to cause chaos around the world. On the 7th, the British Medicines and Health Products Administration (MHRA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) almost simultaneously stated that there is a “possible but unproven” link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and the thrombosis case. , And has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the vaccine in protecting people from the new coronavirus, but the health departments of various countries have failed to reach a consensus on the use of AstraZeneca vaccine. “The side effects of the EMA decision,” German news television said on the 8th that the uncertainty of EMA’s assessment of AstraZeneca’s vaccine reflects the EU’s dilemma. As a result, the shortage of vaccines has become more prominent; on the other hand, the European Union is worried that the unpopularity of AstraZeneca vaccines will aggravate people’s suspicion of vaccines and may even affect the evaluation standards of European medicines.

According to a report by the US Political News Network on the 7th, although the assessment of the United Kingdom and the European Union came to the same conclusion-there is a potential link between the vaccine and the blood clot. The information seems to be contradictory. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), the British vaccine regulatory agency, said that it is recommended that young people aged 18 to 29 can be vaccinated with other brands of vaccines if they have options. The EMA listed thrombosis as a rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine and allowed member states to set their own restrictions.

Subsequently, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, the Philippines and other countries have successively announced the suspension of AstraZeneca vaccination for certain age groups. The Philippine Ministry of Health issued a statement on the 8th that the Philippines will suspend the AstraZeneca vaccination for people under the age of 60 due to reports of multiple cases of thrombosis after vaccination with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. The Philippine Ministry of Health also assured the public that people currently vaccinated with AstraZeneca in the country have not had blood clots. Prior to this, more than a dozen European countries including Germany and France have made similar decisions. The Australian government announced on the 8th that it recommends Pfizer vaccination for adults under 50, and AstraZeneca vaccination for people over 50.

The New York Times said on the 8th that AstraZeneca vaccine is the most widely used vaccine in the world. It is inexpensive, easy to store and transport, and has been approved for marketing in more than 110 developed and developing countries. AstraZeneca has promised to provide 3 billion doses of vaccine this year, enough for almost 20% of the world’s population to be vaccinated. At a time when the global number of cases is surging, the vague statements of regulators are a blow to countries that rely on AstraZeneca vaccine to eliminate the epidemic. What is more disturbing is that the fear of thrombosis has threatened the speed of vaccination outside Europe, or will have a serious impact on the global promotion of vaccines. Penny Ward, a professor of pharmacy at King’s College London, warned, “In developing countries, either the existing AstraZeneca vaccine is used or nothing is available. In this case, the slaughter caused by the COVID-19 virus will follow. .”

“This kind of suggestion will not increase confidence,” the German “Süddeutsche Zeitung” commented on the 8th that the decision of the EU authorities to recommend that people of all ages use the AstraZeneca vaccine was wrong. Because vaccination is not only a scientific issue, but also an emotional issue, undifferentiated recommendations will make people lose confidence in the safety of vaccines. People’s confidence in AstraZeneca is now even lower. Surveys in EU countries show that about half of people are still reluctant to get vaccinated, especially the AstraZeneca vaccine. The current vaccination rate in the EU is 13.8%. Portugal, the EU presidency, urges member states to reach a consensus on the use of AstraZeneca vaccine. Portuguese Minister of Health Termido said: “This is not a political decision. It should not be forgotten that a national decision will affect the entire European Union.”

(source:internet, reference only)

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