(Reuters) – The European medicines regulator said on Thursday the benefits of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the risks after an investigation into blood clots, prompting several countries to say they will resume use of the vaccine.
At least 17 countries had suspended or delayed the vaccine after reports of blood clots in people who have received the shot.
Below is a list of countries and regions to resume using the vaccine:
(In alphabetic order)
CYPRUS:
Cyprus, which suspended the vaccine on March 15, will restart administering it on Friday.
FRANCE:
French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the country will resume vaccinations with the vaccine. [nFWN2LG0FV]
ITALY:
Italy will resume using the vaccine from Friday, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said.
LATVIA:
Latvia also said it would restart administering the shots.
LITHUANIA:
Lithuania’s health minister said the country will restart administering the vaccine and people will be able to pick their vaccine starting Friday.
COUNTRIES WHERE THE VACCINE SUSPENSION CONTINUES:
AUSTRIA:
Suspended use of one batch of the vaccine on March 7 after the death of one person and the illness of another. That batch was shipped to 17 EU countries.
BULGARIA:
Halted inoculations with vaccine until the European regulator sends a written statement dispelling all doubts about safety.
DENMARK:
On Thursday, suspended use for two weeks after reporting “highly unusual” symptoms in a 60-year-old citizen who died from a blood clot after receiving vaccine.
GERMANY:
On March 15, Germany paused use of the shot as a “precaution”.
The premier of the Western-German region of Rhineland-Palatinate told Funke newspapers that it would resume the shots as soon as the government gives the green light.
ICELAND:
Suspended vaccine use on March 11 following halt by Norway and awaits results of an investigation by European regulators.
INDONESIA:
Delayed giving vaccine on March 15 while awaiting WHO review.
IRELAND:
Ireland expects to announce on Friday its decision on whether to resume the rollout of the vaccine, after suspending it on Sunday.
THE NETHERLANDS:
The government put its vaccination programme on hold on Sunday due to side-effects in other countries. On Monday, it reported 10 cases of noteworthy adverse side-effects from the vaccine.
NORWAY:
Halted the rollout of the vaccine on March 11, and later said three health workers were being treated for bleeding, blood clots and a low count of platelets. One of the individuals has since died, authorities said.
ROMANIA:
Temporarily stopped vaccinating people with one batch of vaccine on March 11.
SPAIN:
Spain’s government has called a meeting of the interregional council for the coronavrius response on Thursday to evaluate possible resumption of vaccinations with AstraZeneca shots.
SWEDEN:
Sweden needs “a few days” to decide whether to restart paused vaccinations with the vaccine.
THAILAND:
Going ahead with the vaccine on March 15, after having delayed the rollout last week.
VENEZUELA:
Venezuela will not authorize the vaccine, citing its “effects on patients”.
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka and Yadarisa Shabong, Manas Mishra, Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Josephine Mason, Barbara Lewis, Philippa Fletcher and Shinjini Ganguli)
