• Ema on Astrazeneza: "Possible link to very rare thrombosis".

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April 07, 2021 Use of the AstraZeneca vaccine may be recommended above 60 years of age.

This is what is learned from qualified sources who closely follow the extraordinary meeting of EU health ministers under way via videoconference.

The indication could be accepted by all EU countries in a unitary position currently under discussion.



The situation in Europe

We are moving towards a unitary solution starting from a very asymmetrical situation in Europe: in France AstraZeneca is used only over 55 years, in Finland over 55, in Germany over 60 (under this age for those who have already had a first dose, the use of another product is recommended), in Spain in the 55-65 age group (over 65 only for essential service workers), in the Netherlands and Denmark the vaccine is suspended, in Sweden restrictions under 65 years , in Lithuania only over 65, In Italy those who refuse can wait to obtain an alternative product.



Kyriakides: "Unique voice"

The Twenty-seven must coordinate and "speak with one voice, that of the EU" on the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus, of which several countries have already limited its use.

We must do this in order not to feed the mistrust.

The European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides says so.

"It is essential that we follow a coordinated approach. We must speak with one voice across the EU to increase public confidence" on the subject of vaccination, he tweeted.



"Strengthening confidence in vaccines"

"I hope the meeting will be effective in reaching a common position on the progress of vaccination plans. It is necessary to fight the spread of disinformation and strengthen confidence in the effectiveness of vaccines against Covid-19 ".

This was stated in a tweet by the Portuguese Health Minister, Marta Temido, who chairs the meeting of the European Union Health Ministers, now underway after the EMA opinion on the side effects of AstraZeneca.

Portugal holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council. 



Meeting in progress

The extraordinary videoconference meeting with the health ministers of the European Union began at 6 pm.

The meeting, which follows the EMA conference in Brussels on the AstraZeneca vaccine, to take stock of the situation and decide whether to limit the use of Anglo-Swedish serum.



Health ministers from the 27 EU member states discuss the recommendations of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) regarding the rare risk of blood clots from the AstraZeneca vaccine.



EMA's findings - that low platelet blood clots should figure as very rare side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine - are expected to have an immediate impact on vaccination and require a coordinated response.

"We expect this announcement to have a direct and immediate impact not only on our national vaccination plans, but also on our citizens' confidence in Covid-19 vaccines," says a letter viewed by Reuters.



Ema relies on politics

Ema does not provide indications on the 'optimal' use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but it is the national authorities who do so and to this end they must 'consider the pandemic situation of each individual country and other factors such as hospitalizations and availability of vaccines ". The head of the EMA, Emer Cooke, reiterated.



Today the European Medicines Agency corrected the previous evaluation indicating the existence of a probable causality between extreme events of thrombosis and vaccine intake. The president of the Ema Prac committee, Sabiner Straus, indicated that there is a strong link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and "rare and extreme" side events.



In a press conference this afternoon, EMA head of data analysis, Peter Arlett, indicated that out of 4.5 million doses administered of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, three cases of thrombosis similar to those observed in the case of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been reported.