(Reuters) – Many countries are resuming the use of the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker’s vaccine after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said the benefits outweighed the risks following investigations into reports of blood clots.
At least 17 countries had suspended or delayed use after reports of hospitalisations with clotting issues and bleeding, while Asia is accelerating inoculations.
Fresh data on Thursday showed the AstraZeneca vaccine was 76% effective in preventing symptomatic coronavirus infections in a new analysis of its U.S. trial.
** Below is a list of countries and regions to resume or start using the vaccine after the investigations, in alphabetical order:
AUSTRALIA:
The pharmaceutical regulator approved on Sunday the local manufacturing of the vaccine by CSL.
BULGARIA:
Resumed inoculations from March 19.
CYPRUS:
Cyprus, which suspended the vaccine on March 15, restarted administering it on March 19.
CANADA:
To pause offering vaccine to people aged under 55 and require a new analysis of the shot’s benefits and risks based on age and gender.
FRANCE:
Medical regulator approved the resumed use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine on March 19, but said it should only be given to people aged 55 and older.
FINLAND:
To resume using the AstraZeneca vaccine from Monday, but will only give it to people aged 65 and over.
GERMANY:
Germany’s vaccine committee recommended using the vaccine only for people aged 60 and over following further reports of a rare brain blood disorder.
INDONESIA:
Began using the vaccine on Monday after suspending it last week. But the Food and Drug Agency has warned against its use on people with blood clotting disorders.
IRELAND:
Plans to resume rollout of the vaccine in the coming days for all those aged 18 and over, a committee said on March 19, after suspending it on March 14.
ITALY:
Resumed using the vaccine on March 19, and Italians who decline to be inoculated with it will be given an alternative later on.
LATVIA:
Also said it would restart administering the shots.
LITHUANIA:
Restarted administering the vaccine on March 19.
THE NETHERLANDS:
The health minister said on March 18 that the country would resume using the vaccine this week.
SOUTH KOREA:
President Moon Jae-in, 68, plans to get the shot on Tuesday after the government said it could be used on older people.
SPAIN:
Resumed administering AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine from Wednesday, with little sign public enthusiasm has been dented.
SWEDEN:
Will resume use of the vaccine for people aged 65 and older, its health agency said on Thursday, but keep the pause in place for younger Swedes.
TAIWAN:
Premier Su Tseng-chang got the vaccine on Monday as the island began its immunisation campaign.
THAILAND:
Began use on March 15, with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha becoming the first to be inoculated, after Thailand delayed rollout the week before.
UZBEKISTAN:
Will launch its vaccination campaign with the AstraZeneca vaccine from April 1.
** Below is a list of countries and regions where suspensions continue for now, in alphabetical order:
AUSTRIA:
Suspended use of one batch of the vaccine on March 7 after the death of one person and the illness of another.
CAMEROON:
Suspended administration of the vaccine it was scheduled to receive on March 20 as part of the global vaccines sharing scheme COVAX, the health ministry said.
DENMARK:
Will prolong its suspension of the shot by three weeks pending further investigations after its two-week pause ended on March 25. A local survey indicated that one in three Danes would decline to get the shot.
GEORGIA:
Has limited the use of the vaccine after a nurse died of anaphylactic shock, news agency TASS reported on March 19.
ICELAND:
To resume use of the vaccine after suspending it on March 11, pending investigations into reports that it might be linked to blood clots in some people who had been vaccinated.
NORWAY:
Norway will delay a decision over the use of the vaccine, authorities said on March 26. A decision is now expected by April 15, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said.
ROMANIA:
Temporarily stopped vaccinating people with one batch of the vaccine on March 11.
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka, Yadarisa Shabong, Manas Mishra, Amruta Khandekar, Mrinalika Roy and Vishwadha Chander in Bengaluru; Editing by Josephine Mason, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Ramakrishnan M.)
