Denmark Control Of COVID-19 Rates Enough To Suspend Use Of AstraZeneca, J&J Vaccines - WHO

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th April, 2021) Denmark can afford to stop administering the coronavirus vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, as the authorities have managed to bring the epidemiological situation in the country under control, Catherine Smallwood, a senior emergency officer at the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, said on Thursday.

Media reported on Wednesday that Denmark became the first country to entirely drop the AstraZeneca vaccine from the country's immunization program amid concerns over a rare blood clotting disorder. The European country also suspended the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pending an EU probe into reports of post-inoculation blood clots.

"Denmark has had an ability to bring down cases to really controlled levels, has widespread testing, and has a testing positivity of significantly under one percent, which means that Denmark feels quite confident in its current ability to control COVID-19 in the country," Smallwood said at a briefing.

According to the WHO official, the epidemiological situation in the country has been a key factor allowing the authorities to halt the use of the two coronavirus vaccines.

"I understand the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark is ready to, or looking already into, options for sharing AstraZeneca vaccines with other countries, which is the recommendation that we had before Denmark made the decision," Hans Henri Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe, added.

Following the recommendation of the US food and Drug Administration on Tuesday to temporarily halt the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine over reports of blood clotting side effects, the pharmaceutical company itself decided to pause the distribution of the drug to Europe for the time being.

AstraZeneca's vaccine has also come under international criticism amid blood clot concerns. Despite the EU regulator's report confirming that post-inoculation thrombosis was a "very rare" side effect, a number of countries restricted its use last month.