COVID-19 vaccine: Government plays down fears after AstraZeneca suspensions
March 12, 2021
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/covid19-vaccine-governm...The Morrison government insists Aussies should have confidence in the AstraZeneca jab despite
three nations suspending its use overseas.
The government is playing down fears over the AstraZeneca vaccine after it was suspended in Europe over safety fears.
Denmark, Norway and Iceland
have halted use of the jab
over reports recipients subsequently formed
blood clots.
The AstraZeneca jab will make up the bulk of Australia’s vaccine rollout, with 50 million doses produced onshore to complement around three million ordered from overseas.
It was one of just two vaccines granted approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), alongside the Pfizer jab.
But Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said regulators would be seeking information from overseas but assured Australians they could have a “high degree of confidence” in the vaccine.
“There is no reason at present for concern and every reason for confidence in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines that will be distributed to Australians,” he told Sky News.
“Our administrators have and will continue to make sure there is expert oversight around these vaccinations.”
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles warned against overreacting to the reports, saying it was important to have “cool heads in this space”.
“The vaccine is safe … We have the best doctors in the world, the TGA have gone through this very carefully,” he told Today.
“We need to be rolling out the vaccine and there does need to be a sense of confidence about this. People can rightly feel confident about the safety of the vaccines.”
Danish Health Minister Magnus Heunicke described the suspension as “precautionary”, saying the reports needed to be “thoroughly investigated”.
“It is currently not possible to conclude whether there is a connection,” he said.
Copenhagen has halted its use of AstraZeneca for a fortnight, but Iceland and Norway have not revealed how long their suspensions would last.
There were more limited suspensions in Italy and Austria, but France and Germany have continued to administer the vaccine.
It comes just two months after a spate of deaths among elderly Norwegians who had received the Pfizer vaccine sparked fears over its side effects.
Oslo concluded the deaths were not linked to the jab, which continued to be rolled out across the country.
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