WHO Reaffirms Previous Position... "Continued Administration of AZ Vaccine Recommended"

On the 25th, one day before the COVID-19 vaccination, medical staff at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul are inspecting the AstraZeneca vaccine. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended continuing the administration of the AstraZeneca (AZ) COVID-19 vaccine.

On the 17th (local time), WHO stated in a press release that "the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks." This reaffirmed its previous stance, similar to the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

More than 20 countries worldwide have suspended the use of the AZ vaccine due to concerns that blood clots may form after vaccination. WHO said, "Blood clot incidents are known to occur frequently, and venous thrombosis is the third most common cardiovascular disease globally," adding, "COVID-19 vaccination does not reduce diseases or deaths caused by other reasons."

The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is currently evaluating the latest safety data on the AZ vaccine. Once the review is complete, the results will be promptly communicated to the public. WHO emphasized, "It is common practice for countries to report potential side effects after widespread vaccination," and "while these incidents do not necessarily indicate a causal relationship with the vaccination itself, investigating them is a prudent practice."

Both WHO and EMA have recommended continuing vaccination, stating there is no causal link between the AZ vaccine and blood clots. EMA also announced yesterday that there are no signs of blood clot induction by the AZ vaccine. EMA plans to make a final decision on the use of the AZ vaccine on the 18th.

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