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UK regulator reports dozens of blood clot cases, and several deaths linked to AstraZeneca jab

The UK medical regulator said Saturday that out of 30 people who suffered blood clots after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, seven have died. The British acknowledgement of deaths comes as several European countries have paused the use of the AstraZeneca jab over a potential link to blood clots.

Agencies and A News WORLD
Published April 03,2021
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Health worker prepares AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus disease [Reuters]

Britain's medicines regulator said it has identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events associated with the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine but stressed the benefits "continue to outweigh any risks."

After more than 18 million people have received vaccinations with AstraZeneca's jab, MHRA said seven people had died due to rare blood clots, although it was unclear whether these are a coincidence.

The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency said the risk associated with this type of blood clot is "very small" and that the public should continue to take up the vaccine when offered it.

The agency said late Saturday the cases relate to the period up to March 24, during which 18.1 million doses of the vaccine had been administered and that it hadn't received any similar reports with regard to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Concerns over the AstraZeneca vaccine prompted some countries including Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands to restrict its use to older people.

The World Health Organization has urged countries to continue using the jab.