Denmark is the first country of the European Union to drop out AstraZeneca Plc’s vaccine from the Covid-19 vaccination program amid concerns about serious side effects.
The Danish health authority will “continue the rollout of its vaccination program without AstraZeneca,” a statement said on Wednesday.
“There is a link between rare, but serious” side effects and the Covid-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca, the authority said. It mentioned the risk of blood clots, bleeding and low platelet count.
Divided decision
Europe is failing to chart a coordinated course on the side effects of the Astra vaccine
Source: Bloomberg
In a written statement, an AstraZeneca spokesperson said: “We recognize and respect the decision” taken by the Danish health authority. “The implementation and roll-out of the vaccine program is a matter for each country, based on local circumstances. We will continue to work with regulators and local authorities to provide all available data to support their decisions. “
Mink
Denmark has defended one of the EU’s most cautious strategies to combat the pandemic since the coronavirus hit the continent more than a year ago. It was one of the first to impose a lockdown and close the borders. The government then made international headlines when it wiped out Denmark’s entire mink population for fear the animals would help spread the spread of coronavirus mutations.
Soren Brostrom, the head of the Danish health authority, said on Wednesday that his “best estimate” based on local research suggests a 1 in 40,000 risk of developing a blood clot after an Astra injection. He also said that the higher incidence of clotting in younger women seems to be related to the fact that many health professionals were vaccinated early, many of whom are female.
Denmark’s ability to control the virus thus far also contributed to the health authority’s decision and gives it some leeway to delay its vaccination program, Brostrom said.
Meanwhile, a number of countries have already said they will approach Denmark to ask if they can buy its unused Astra shots, of which it has around 200,000. Brostrom indicated he was open to the idea, but said Denmark would keep single doses in case it suddenly has to fight an intense third wave. About a third of the existing batch can only be kept until June, Brostrom said.
Denmark was one of the first countries to discontinue the Astra vaccine on March 11 following reports of blood clots. At the time, the Danish health authority called the decision a precautionary measure and reiterated its position that the vaccine was “effective and safe”.
Both European and UK drug regulators have said they have found a link between Astra’s vaccine and blood clots, but the benefits still outweigh the risks. Most Western European countries have limited use of the company’s vaccine to the elderly, while Astra has recovered largely without restrictions in Eastern Europe.
Denmark’s Scandinavian neighbor, Norway, which has also kept Astra on hold since last month, announced its decision on Thursday.
The Danish authorities said that people who have already received a first Astra injection will receive their second injection from another manufacturer, such as Pfizer Inc./BioNTech SE or From Moderna Inc.
Denmark’s announcement on Wednesday took a dramatic turn when the head of unit who provided much of the data behind the country’s decision, Tanja Erichsen, collapsed during her presentation. Reporters who attended the event were told she made a quick recovery after suffering a brief moment of weakness.
As elsewhere, health authorities in Denmark work around the clock to ensure that the country’s testing and vaccination facilities are operating efficiently.
Read more: EU urges to limit Astra shooting to people above 60 in Uniform rules
– With the help of Zoe Schneeweiss and Naomi Kresge
Adds comment from Astra