Thailand joins the list of growing countries that have suspended the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines due to rising concerns over the blood clot-related casualties linked to the vaccine.
The Thai Prime Minister and members of government were supposed to receive the vaccines this morning, but the exercise has now been postponed until a tangible conclusion has been reached.
Although the European Medicines Agency disclosed that it was still investigating, presumed to last for two weeks, the link between the blood clots and the vaccines. It maintains that no relationship has been linked between the vaccines and the reports of blood clots.
Thailand, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have all disclosed plans to pause innoculations with the virus until the investigations have been concluded. Over 30 million of the AstraZeneca vaccines have been administered globally. Other countries that have suspended the innoculant include Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.
Nigeria’s NAFDAC DG, Mojisola Adeyeye hasconfirmed that the vaccines in circulation within the country are not the ABV5300 variant and as such expressed confidence that the vaccines are safe for use. Read her statement in part below
We are aware of precautionary concerns that have been raised regarding one specific batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine, namely ABV5300. We understand that investigations are being conducted to determine if the batch is in any way linked to an observed side effect.
While we await the outcome of the investigations; it is important to clearly state that Nigeria did not receive any doses from the batch of vaccines with issues.”
NAFDAC DG, Mojisola Adeyeye
The vaccine as of its last research was found to be 70% effective against preventing thhe virus, and 76% efficacy at preventing the symptoms after an initial dose.
