(Adds quotes, background)
OSLO, April 15 (Reuters) - Norway will take more time to
assess whether to resume the use of the AstraZeneca
vaccine against COVID-19 or stop it altogether, health minister
Bent Hoeie said on Thursday.
Norway's Institute of Public Health recommended ending the
use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but the government needs more
information before making a final decision, he said.
Authorities on March 11 suspended the rollout of the vaccine
after a small number of younger inoculated people were
hospitalised for a combination of blood clots, bleeding and a
low count of platelets, some of whom later died.
"The government believes that we do not have a good enough
basis for drawing a final conclusion that the AstraZeneca
vaccine should be removed from the Norwegian vaccination program
at this point," Hoeie told a news conference.
The government will appoint a public commission to broaden
the evaluation and include additional information from other
countries. The commission will deliver a report by May 10, Hoeie
said.
"We have to be open to waiting for the international
knowledge, and we must be open for the fact that this can lead
to these vaccines being used," he added.
(Reporting by Gwladys Fouche and Victoria Klesty, editing by
Terje Solsvik)
Astrazeneca (AZN)
