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HEALTH-VIRUS-SWEDEN-ASTRAZENECA
Sweden suspends AstraZeneca vaccine
STOCKHOLM, March 16, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Swedish health authorities said
Tuesday they had suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine,
following the example of many other EU countries after reports of possible
serious side effects.
The Public Health Agency (FHM) said it was halting the use of the vaccine
“as a precautionary measure” following reports of “suspected side effects”.
Sweden’s state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told national news agency TT
that 10-20 cases in Europe of post-jab haemorrhages were the main concern and
needed further investigation.
Other EU countries have suspended the use of the vaccine amid reports of
blood clots, but FHM stressed that no such serious side effects had been
confirmed in the Scandinavian country.
The European Medicines Agency is to hold a special meeting on Thursday to
decide whether measures are needed.
The World Health Organization has meanwhile said countries should continue
to use the jab, saying no association between blood clots and the vaccine had
been found and that the benefits of the jab outweighed the risks of any side
effects.
The WHO has also said it would convene its expert panel on Tuesday to
review the vaccine’s safety.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1651 hrs