AstraZeneca: Expert says suspension could ‘dent confidence’
Italy, Spain, France and Germany had signed up to a deal with Russia, the country’s investment chief confirmed today.
The European factories will be used to supply the vaccine to Europe “once approval is granted by European Medicines Agency,” according to Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s Direct Investment Fund which bank-rolled the Sputnik V jab.
Mr Dmitriev added how this would be a major coup for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This comes after several EU Member States broke ranks with the bloc and began using the jab following the disastrous vaccine rollout across the continent.
This is despite European regulators, the World Health Organisation and the pharmaceutical company itself saying the UK jab is safe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Image: Getty)
AstraZeneca vaccine halted in Member States (Image: Getty)
Yesterday, Ireland became the latest country to halt the use of the AstraZeneca jabs, cancelling more than 30,000 vaccine appointments this week.
Ronan Glynn, Ireland’s deputy chief medical officer, said he hoped the delay would last only one week.
He said: “We have a safety signal and when we get those we have to act and proceed on the basis of a precautionary principle.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon SNUBS EU warning and insists she would take Oxford jab
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Image: Getty)
“So hopefully, as this week goes on, we’ll get more reassuring data from the EMA and we can recommence the programme.
“It may be nothing, we may be overreacting, and I sincerely hope that in a week’s time we are accused of being overcautious.”
Ireland followed the likes of Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Bulgaria who have all banned the use of AstraZeneca vaccine – which was developed with Oxford University.
This comes after countries across the continent have seen a rise in cases of the virus.
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Coronavirus cases around the world (Image: Express)
Italy has announced new lockdown measures from today, while Paris is also facing tighter measures as cases continue to overwhelm hospitals.
Cases have also risen sharply in countries such as Sweden, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Conservative MP Peter Bone hit back at Brussels arguing it is “beggars belief” that doses of the vaccine are going unused despite the EU’s disastrous vaccine rollout.
He told MailOnline: “I personally think the [EU] commission is trying to attack what we’ve done in this country and the vaccine that has been produced on the basis that attack is the best form of defence.”
Boris Johnson with the AstraZeneca vaccine (Image: Getty)
Europe has currently given the first dose of the vaccine to just eight percent of its entire population, whereas the UK has given the first dose to at least 35 percent.
Allegations the AstraZeneca vaccine causing blood clots have been slammed by health experts in the UK.
Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said: “We have to remember that there are 3,000 blood clots a month on average in the general population and because we’re immunising so many people, we are bound to see blood clots at the same time as the vaccination, and that’s not because they are due to the vaccination.
“One ought to also remember that Covid causes blood clots.
Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health (Image: Getty)
“So, the risks of not having the Covid vaccination far outweigh the risks from the vaccinations.”
Dr Phil Bryan, a safety expert at the UK’s medicines regulator (MHRA), added: “We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause.”
While Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford vaccine group, said it was “very reassuring evidence” there was no increase in blood clots in the UK.
The WHO also rejected the concerns last week and said there was no need to not keep using the AstraZeneca vaccine.