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* German Health Minister Spahn says move precautionary
* PEI cites more new cases of thrombosis
* Spahn expects EMA update following review of shot this
week
(Adds rate of occurrence)
BERLIN, March 15 (Reuters) - Germany has suspended use of
AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, Health Minister Jens
Spahn said on Monday, making it the latest of several European
countries to hit pause following reports of blood coagulation
disorders in recipients.
Spahn said the decision followed a recommendation from the
Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), Germany's authority in charge of
vaccines, following newly registered cases of thrombosis.
"The decision today is purely precautionary. It is a purely
technical and not a political decision. And that is why I am
following the recommendation of the Paul Ehrlich Institute
here," Spahn said, adding that cases were very rare.
The PEI said in a statement that more instances of
coagulation disorders had been reported following vaccination
with AstraZeneca's shot since Thursday.
The institute noted a "conspicuous accumulation" of cases of
a very rare cerebral vein thrombosis together with lack of blood
platelets known as thrombocytopenia and bleeding.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Friday that
several cases of immune thrombocytopenia, a lack of platelets in
the blood that can lead to bleeding and bruising, had been
reported under its vaccine safety monitoring process.
It added at the time it would assess reports of the
condition after vaccines by AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech
BioNtech and Moderna had been given.
Several EU countries have called a halt to the AstraZeneca
vaccine after reports from Denmark and Norway of possible
serious side-effects, including bleeding and blood clots.
Spahn said on Monday the outcome of the review was open and
he was counting on the EMA to come to a decision and
recommendation ideally this week.
The EMA has said that as of March 10, a total of 30 cases of
blood clotting had been reported among close to 5 million people
vaccinated with the AstraZeneca shot in the European Economic
Area, which links 30 European countries.
PEI said people who were still feeling unwell four days
after receiving a dose of AstraZeneca's shot should immediately
seek medical treatment
Spahn said there have been seven reported cases after
vaccination that could be related to cerebral vein thrombosis
out of 1.6 million vaccinations in Germany.
Clemens Wendtner, head of infectious diseases and tropical
medicine at Munich clinic Schwabing, said the background
incidence, or normally expected risk, for this condition was two
to five cases per 1 million individuals per year.
āThis should be the reason to suspend the vaccination in
Germany until all cases, including suspected cases in Germany
and Europe, have been completely cleared up," he added.
In Britain, where more than more than 11 million doses of
AstraZeneca's shot have been administered, only three such cases
have been reported, government documents https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/968414/COVID-19_AstraZeneca_Vaccine_Analysis_Print.pdf
show.
Karl Lauterbach, the main health expert of Chancellor
Merkelās junior coalition partner SPD, called the suspension a
ābig mistakeā because it undermined trust in an urgently needed
vaccine.
The health minister for the state of Thuringia called the
decision to halt AstraZeneca vaccinations a "disaster".
(Reporting by Thomas Escritt, Ludwig Burger and Caroline
Copley; Editing by Maria Sheahan, Nick Macfie and Jonathan
Oatis)
