Denmark becomes first European country to stop rollout of AstraZeneca vaccine completely

Denmark has stopped rollout of AstraZeneca vaccine completely amid concerns over rare side effects caused due to virus. Danish Health authorities on April 14 announced that y will no longer resume use of AstraZeneca vaccine. Danish authorities are now going ahe with vaccination program with Pfizer/Biotech and Moderna vaccines.

With this, Denmark has become first country in European Union to drop AstraZeneca Plc’s vaccine amid concerns over serious side effects.

health authorities in a statement said that y will continue vaccination drive without use of AstraZeneca. y furr said that y might re-introduce vaccine if situation changes. Danish health authorities said that AstraZeneca vaccine is still an approved vaccine but it has been pulled out of vaccine rollout in country. decision comes after European Union Medicine Regulator said that an unusual blood clot should be listed as a 'very rare' side effect of AstraZeneca vaccine.  

On 11 March 2021, Danish Health Authority paused use of COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca due to worrying feedback from ongoing safety monitoring of COVID-19 vaccines. Since n, Danish vaccination effort has continued with vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, it said.

Danish Health Authority has decided to continue rollout at this time without AstraZeneca, but this does not exclude that we may re-introduce vaccine at a later date if situation changes, it ded.

Despite recommendations of  World Health Organization and Eurpean Union, Danish authorities has stopped giving AstraZenecavaccine to people. In statement, it was mentioned that people who h received first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine will receive an invitation for taking vaccination with anor vaccine. Danish Health agency Director General Soren Brostrom said that based on investigation into Astrazeneca vaccine, results showed serious effects after ministering vaccine.

Based on scientific findings, our overall assessment is re is a real risk of severe side effects associated with using COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca. We have, refore, decided to remove vaccine from our vaccination programme, said Brostrom.

Earlier last month, several countries in European Union temporarily suspended use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine over reports of blood clots in recipients. European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched an investigation into reports of blood clots in people who h been given AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. On March 18, EMA concluded that benefits of AstraZeneca vaccine fighting virus continue to outweigh risk of side effects.

(Image Credits: AP/PTI)