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https://apnews.com/article/what-do-we-know-astrazeneca-vaccine-blood-cots-reports-3ce214ebf3b4a3167e44d114646faa2d
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German officials have decided to limit the use of AstraZeneca’s
coronavirus vaccine in people under 60 after more unusual blood clots
were reported in a small number of people who received the shots.
In response, Europe’s drug regulator reiterated Wednesday that “there is
no evidence that would support restricting the use of this vaccine in
any population,” though an expert said more brain clots were being
reported than would be expected, and it continues to investigate.
Earlier in March, more than a dozen countries, including Germany,
suspended their use of AstraZeneca over the blood clot issue. Most
restarted — some with the kinds of restrictions Germany imposed Tuesday
— after the European Medicines Agency said the benefits of the vaccine
outweighed the risks of not inoculating people against COVID-19.
But the seesawing back and forth in some countries on who can take the
vaccine has raised concerns that its credibility could be permanently
damaged. Here’s a look at what we know — and what we don’t.
WHAT HAPPENED IN GERMANY?
Earlier this week, Germany’s medical regulator released new data showing
a rise in reported cases of unusual kinds of blood clots in people who
recently got a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. In response, Health
Minister Jens Spahn and state officials agreed to only give the vaccine
to people aged 60 or older, unless they are at high risk of developing
serious complications from COVID-19 and have agreed to take the shot.
“It’s about weighing the risk of a side effect that is statistically
small, but needs to be taken seriously, and the risk of falling ill with
corona,” Spahn said.
Germany’s medical regulator said its tally of the rare blood clots
reported by March 29 had increased to 31. Some 2.7 million doses of
AstraZeneca have been administered in Germany so far. Nine of the people
died and all but two of the cases involved women, who were aged 20 to
63, the Paul Ehrlich Institute said.
Some clots have also been reported elsewhere, among the tens of millions
of people who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
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