Several European countries suspend AstraZeneca vaccine use over blood clot concerns
Mar. 11, 2021 9:27 AM
Health authorities in Denmark, Norway, and Iceland have suspended the use of AstraZeneca's (NASDAQ:AZN) COVID-19 vaccine amid reports of blood clots in people after receiving the shot.
According to a statement from the Danish Health Authority, the European Medicines Agency (NYSEMKT:EMA) is investigating "reports of severe cases of blood clots," with the authority adding there was one death in Denmark in a patient following inoculation with AstraZeneca's vaccine.
However, the authority notes it is too early to tell if there is a connection between the AstraZeneca vaccine and the cases of blood clots.
Shortly after Denmark's announcement, health authorities in Norway and Iceland said they would also suspend inoculations of AstraZeneca's vaccine, Deutsche Welle reported.
The actions from the three countries follows the same move from Austria after a death from multiple thrombosis 10 days after vaccination and a case of pulmonary embolism following vaccination there, according to DW.
The EMA said yesterday that a preliminary investigation found there was "no indication" the vaccine caused these events in Austria.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg have also suspended use of the AstraZeneca shot, according to DW.
AstraZeneca shares are down 1.6% to $49.01 in premarket trading.