Sweden’s health agency said on Tuesday it was pausing vaccinations against COVID-19 using AstraZeneca’s vaccine as a precautionary measure.
Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they would stop administering the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after several countries reported possible serious side-effects while the World Health Organisation has said there was no proven link.
“The Swedish Public Health Agency has decided to suspend the use of AstraZeneca’s covid-19 vaccine until the European Medicines Agency’s investigation into suspected side effects is done,” the Health Agency said in a statement.
Sweden’s Nordic neighbours Denmark and Norway have reported isolated cases of bleeding, blood clots and a low platelet count after inoculations with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The Swedish Medical Products Agency said on Monday it had recorded 10 cases of blood clots and one case of low levels of platelets among people who were given the AstraZeneca vaccine, but not in combination.
