Countries Worldwide Resume Speeding Up AZ Vaccine Inoculations

Published 22 Mar.2021 16:44(KST)

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] As judgments have been made worldwide that the AstraZeneca (AZ) Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine is not related to blood clot formation, vaccination efforts have accelerated.

Taiwan began AstraZeneca vaccine vaccinations on the 22nd. Su Zhenchang, Premier of Taiwan, and Chen Shizhong, Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, also received their first doses that morning at the National Taiwan University Hospital.

Taiwan purchased 10 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and received 117,000 doses this month. The initial vaccination targets are about 60,000 medical personnel at COVID-19 dedicated hospitals.

Indonesia also started vaccinations on the same day. Indonesia secured 11.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the international vaccine joint purchase and distribution project COVAX and received 110,000 doses in the first batch earlier this month.

Indonesian authorities immediately approved emergency use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but due to blood clot controversy, they postponed vaccinations on the 15th, a week ago.

Thailand also postponed vaccinations but started on the 16th, with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha being the first to receive the shot.

In Europe, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) reviewed cases of thrombosis after AstraZeneca vaccination on the 18th and announced that it is a "safe and effective vaccine," maintaining its recommendation for approval.

Following EMA's decision, Germany, France, Italy, and others resumed vaccinations that had been halted.

In the developing country UK, on the 18th, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced there is no evidence that the AstraZeneca vaccine causes blood clots, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson was vaccinated the very next day.

However, according to the UK Telegraph, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Portugal, and others have still stopped AstraZeneca vaccine vaccinations.

In Korea, the Vaccination Expert Committee, composed of experts in health and infectious diseases, announced on the same day that there is no link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clot formation.