Amid mass
suspension of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by several countries due to blood
clotting fears, France, Italy and Germany became the latest European countries
on Monday to suspend the use of the drug. French President Emmanuel Macron
assured that he is hoping to resume the usage as soon as the European Medicines
Agency (EMA) gives a judgement on the its safety status, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, taking
cognizance of the latest reports of thromboses of the cerebral veins in
connection with the vaccination in Germany and other parts if Europe, the German health ministry also halted the usage of AstraZeneca vaccine till EMA nod.

Also Read| Oxford denies AstraZeneca vaccine links to blood clotting after several suspensions

Italy’s health agency also said that it would be joining the group of European nations to block the vaccine until the EMA issues a report on it.

The decision comes at the backdrop of Italy’s AIFA regulator’s move of banning the use of a single
batch as a precaution, while insisting there was no established link to the
alleged side-effects.

These nations now join several other EU nations like  like Denmark, Norway, Austria and Iceland, who had suspended the usage of AstraZeneca dose against COVID-19 after reports indicated that the jabs were causing blood clots in a few people.  

Also read: Five things to know about the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine

Post the allegations and suspensions, various health bodies like European Medicines Agency and WHO backed the Oxford generated vaccine and rebutted claims of clots.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday said it was “an excellent vaccine” and there is no reason to stop using it. “We do not want people to panic and we would, for the time being, recommend that countries continue vaccinating with AstraZeneca,” WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told a press briefing.

As far as the EMA report on the concerned, French president Emmanuel Macron said in a press conference the European agency is expected to make the announcement on the AstraZeneca vaccine safety standards on Tuesday.