The Dutch government has announced that the country will suspend the use of the anti-coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca for two weeks, BBC reported.
“Based on new information, the Dutch medicines regulatory authority (CBG) has advised, as a precautionary measure, to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca anti-coronavirus vaccine pending the investigation,” reads a statement posted on the government’s website.
It was noted that the decision was made not to use the AstraZeneca vaccine “during the next two weeks (through 28 March inclusive).”
Following the authorities’ announcement, the country’s health bodies decided to cancel 43,000 appointments for AstraZeneca vaccinations.
It should be noted that earlier, the Austrian authorities had also decided to suspend the use of a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure following the death of a woman after receiving the vaccination and the development of a blood clot in another individual.
Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Latvia followed Austria’s example. Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria, Romania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have also suspended use of the vaccine.
It should be noted that this vaccine was developed through joint British-Swedish efforts.
