WHO says its advisory committee looking at AstraZeneca vaccine issues

GENEVA (Reuters) – A World Health Organization expert advisory committee is currently looking at AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after some countries paused distribution of it, but there is no reason not to use it, a spokeswoman said on Friday.

Health authorities in several countries including Denmark, Norway, Iceland have suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine following reports of the formation of blood clots in some people who have been vaccinated.

Margaret Harris told a briefing that it was an “excellent vaccine” and that no causal relationship had been established between the shot and the health problems reported, calling the pause in use “a precautionary measure”.

“It’s very important to understand that, yes, we should continue to be using the AstraZeneca vaccine. All that we look at is what we always look at: Any safety signal must be investigated…,” she said.

The WHO’s global advisory committee on vaccine safety is currently reviewing the reports and will report on its findings, she added, as it does with any safety issues.

“It is very important we are hearing safety signals because if we were not hearing about safety signals that would suggest there is not enough review and vigilance”,” she said.

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