Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccinations stopped in Spain

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Spain has decided to halt all vaccinations with the Astra Zeneca vaccine for two weeks.

This is due to the number of cases of blood clots reported in the EU by people who have had this particular vaccination.

Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccinations stopped in Spain

Although there have only been eleven cases of this thrombosis, which is rare in Europe, Spain, France, Germany and Italy have all decided not to use this vaccine for the time being.

The countries have decided to suspend its use until the European Medicines Agency (EMA) clarifies whether or not the drug is related to the thrombotic episodes detected.

The EMA, for its part, is keeping the investigation open and will issue a resolution on Thursday, although it insists that the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh its risks.

The warning came after several cases in Europe of a very rare type of thrombosis in recently vaccinated people which has caused the Ministry of Health, until now advocate of continuing with vaccination despite the stoppage of Denmark or Norway, to rethink its ideas.

María Jesús Lamas, director of the Spanish Medicines Agency explained this Monday, after the emergency meeting of the Interterritorial Health Council “Over the weekend the risk assessment has changed.

Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccinations stopped in Spain

From Saturday to Sunday we learned of a case of cerebral venous thrombosis, specifically a venous sinus thrombosis, which presented with a decrease in platelets, which implies an irregular activation of coagulation.

Fortunately, he is recovering, but that same day we learned of three cases of the same style in Norway, and Germany had also identified four cases” he went on to state “It seemed to us that this accumulation of cases of this very concrete and specific thrombosis deserves an additional evaluation“.

In just one week, part of the vaccination strategy in Europe has been blown up. At least temporarily.

Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccinations stopped in Spain Torrevieja

However, the EMA and the World Health Organization (WHO) insist that there have been very few cases and the causal relationship was not proven.

In fact, as of March 10th, only 30 cases of thromboembolic events had been reported after administering nearly five million doses in the EU, the EMA said. Spain agreed, but the detection of such specific and rare cases of thrombosis gave a twist to its risk assessment.

“There are very few cases in absolute number, but due to the qualitative importance of each one of them and as in the general population there are also very few cases of bleeding disorders, it seems prudent to stop”, the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias stated on Monday.

Nevertheless, the minister has not specified whether the stoppage will have an impact on global vaccination targets – reaching the end of the summer with 70% of the population immunized – or on people who have already received the first dose of AstraZeneca.

Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccinations stopped in Spain

“There is time” said Darías, “to organise the administration of the second dose if there is a favourable resolution from the EMA, since the period between injections can be up to 10 or 12 weeks”.

At the end of the day, we will have to wait until Thursday for the resolution and to see if Spain will begin administering the Astra Zeneca vaccine again, or if it will wait the full two weeks and see where we go from there.

Don´t forget there are other vaccines and the Astra Zeneca in Spain was only due to be given to the 45 to 55 year age group, so all the older residents will be getting one of the other vaccines, nevertheless it should be said that the Astra Zeneca was being given to the younger emergency workers who are being vaccinated at the moment so that might mean a slowdown in vaccinations for the older population.

Hopefully Spain will be receiving all the doses it has planned and the vaccination programme will move along more swiftly come April.

In the meantime keep yourself and your loved ones safe, take care and enjoy the sunshine!


1 thought on “Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccinations stopped in Spain”

  1. Pathetic. The Pfizer vaccine has a greater incidence of clotting. Spanish health should be responsible for every death due to the delay.

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