coronavirus, astrazeneca, vaccine, blood clots, suspension, germany, france, norway, denmark
Leading epidemiologists have slammed a decision made by several European nations to suspend the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine, calling the move highly irresponsible. Several countries, including Germany, France, Norway and Denmark have paused their rollout of the vaccine, citing a small number of cases of people developing blood clots after receiving the jab. But University of New South Wales epidemiology professor Mary-Louise McLaws said the decisions had the potential to negatively impact vaccine confidence in Australia. Australian health authorities, including those in the ACT, said the AstraZeneca rollout would still proceed as planned despite the suspensions overseas. “While the decision is highly precautionary, it lacks a sense of responsibility because it hasn’t put what’s happening in Europe in full context,” Professor McLaws said. “It’s irresponsible given that this response by Europe can be translated by the rest of the world that something is wrong with the vaccine. “They have joined two dots together that are so far apart.” Professor McLaws said there was no evidence the vaccines directly caused blood clots and that there was not a higher rate of blood clotting in those who had received the vaccine compared to the rest of the general population. “I would say Australians need to be reminded that regardless of politics, the government has gone out of their way to keep us safe and would not put our safety at risk by rolling out a vaccine that would increase the likelihood of clots,” she said. “The Therapeutic Goods Administration was criticised for being too slow to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine, because they’re so careful and they have so much data to go through, and they were slow because they were careful and one of the best in the world.” Canberra Hospital’s senior specialist in infectious diseases, Dr Sanjaya Senanayake, said Australia shouldn’t suspend its rollout just because of the decisions of countries overseas. “There’s always a danger of vaccine confidence when someone tries to raise concerns over the efficacy,” he said. “More than 300 million people have received a single dose of the vaccine in the global rollout, and out of that, you’re going to still have some people, irrespective of the rollout, that are going to have heart attacks or clots.”
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Leading epidemiologists have slammed a decision made by several European nations to suspend the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine, calling the move highly irresponsible.
Several countries, including Germany, France, Norway and Denmark have paused their rollout of the vaccine, citing a small number of cases of people developing blood clots after receiving the jab.
But University of New South Wales epidemiology professor Mary-Louise McLaws said the decisions had the potential to negatively impact vaccine confidence in Australia.
Australian health authorities, including those in the ACT, said the AstraZeneca rollout would still proceed as planned despite the suspensions overseas.
“While the decision is highly precautionary, it lacks a sense of responsibility because it hasn’t put what’s happening in Europe in full context,” Professor McLaws said.
“It’s irresponsible given that this response by Europe can be translated by the rest of the world that something is wrong with the vaccine.
“They have joined two dots together that are so far apart.”
Professor McLaws said there was no evidence the vaccines directly caused blood clots and that there was not a higher rate of blood clotting in those who had received the vaccine compared to the rest of the general population.
“I would say Australians need to be reminded that regardless of politics, the government has gone out of their way to keep us safe and would not put our safety at risk by rolling out a vaccine that would increase the likelihood of clots,” she said.
“The Therapeutic Goods Administration was criticised for being too slow to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine, because they’re so careful and they have so much data to go through, and they were slow because they were careful and one of the best in the world.”
Canberra Hospital’s senior specialist in infectious diseases, Dr Sanjaya Senanayake, said Australia shouldn’t suspend its rollout just because of the decisions of countries overseas.
“There’s always a danger of vaccine confidence when someone tries to raise concerns over the efficacy,” he said.
“More than 300 million people have received a single dose of the vaccine in the global rollout, and out of that, you’re going to still have some people, irrespective of the rollout, that are going to have heart attacks or clots.”
