Europe Temporarily Suspends AZ Vaccine Over 'Blood Clot' Concerns... Experts Say "No Evidence of Causation"

Temporary Suspension of Vaccinations in Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, etc.
EMA "No Evidence of Side Effect Induction"
"Vaccination Benefits Still Outweigh Risks"

A staff member at the vaccine vaccination center's preparation room is holding up a sample to be used for vaccine aliquoting and preparation. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The number of countries in Europe temporarily suspending the use of the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Oxford University is increasing. This comes after reports emerged suggesting the possibility of blood clotting side effects following vaccination. However, experts believe the causal relationship between the vaccine and such side effects is very low.

According to local European media such as The Telegraph and The Guardian on the 14th (local time), reports of blood clots forming after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine were made by health authorities in Denmark and Norway on the 11th.

Blood clots are lumps formed by coagulated blood inside blood vessels, and if clots accumulate, they can block blood vessels and cause various diseases.

This is not the first time suspected side effects such as blood clotting have been reported after vaccination in Europe. Previously, Austrian health authorities suspended AstraZeneca vaccine administration on the 7th.

At that time, two deaths were reported in Austria after vaccination; one showed severe coagulation disorder, and the other had pulmonary embolism caused by blood clots blocking the pulmonary vessels.

COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by AstraZeneca UK and the University of Oxford. / Photo by Yonhap News

Additionally, Ireland suspended AstraZeneca vaccine administration following reports of suspected side effects in Norway, and the Piedmont region in northern Italy also temporarily halted vaccinations.

Amid these circumstances, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the EU's pharmaceutical regulatory authority, has started an investigation together with the health authorities of these EU member states.

However, the EMA recommends continuing vaccinations. In a statement released on the 11th, the EMA said, "There is currently no evidence that the vaccine causes side effects such as blood clots," and stated, "The benefits of vaccination still outweigh the risks associated with the vaccine."

Professor Kim Wooju of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital also said on the 12th to 'KBS', "The causal relationship between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clot formation side effects is thought to be very low," and pointed out, "Blood clot formation is not a side effect of the vaccine."

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that there have been no reports of blood clot formation after vaccination in South Korea to date.

Son Youngrae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, explained at the COVID-19 regular briefing that day, "It has been confirmed that there are currently no reports of blood clot formation caused by side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine in South Korea," and added, "The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is comprehensively reviewing these matters and will consult with experts such as the Vaccination Review Committee regarding the relevant issues."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.