Boris Johnson, 56, will take AztraZeneca jab, dismisses safety fears: Report

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will take COVID vaccine developed by AstraZeneca after a number of European countries blocked the use of the jab over safety fears, reports AFP. Dismissing questions in parliament about why several countries had suspended use of the vaccine by the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company, he he told lawmakers: “I finally got news and I’ve got to have my own jab, very shortly, I’m pleased to discover.”

He said he will be administered Oxford AstraZeneca jab. The 56-year-old PM is among the next category of people being called for vaccination as part of its programme. The UK government plans to vaccinate all adults by July. Britain is also using a jab developed by Pfizer/BioNTech in its rollout programme but recipients do not normally get a choice.

Since last week, many European countries, including France, Spain and Germany have halted using the jab pending a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Dismissing the reports of blood clots, Prince Charles, Johnson and WHO said the vaccine was safe to use. 

Also Read | The side-effects are mild, no need to worry: Doctors who are part of COVID-19 inoculation drive

The UK PM said, “The rate of reported cases (of clots) among the people vaccinated is lower than what would be expected to happen naturally in the general population.” 

Britain has given nearly 25 million people a first dose of a COVID vaccine, including 11 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab, after starting a mass inoculation programme in December last year. Vaccinations are seen as central to getting Britain out of lockdown and back to normality.