Norway postpones decision on AstraZeneca jab, TV2 reports

Norway will delay its decision on whether to resume the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, broadcaster TV2 reported on Friday, citing anonymous sources. Authorities suspended the rollout of the vaccine two weeks ago after several younger inoculated people were hospitalised for a combination of blood clots, bleeding and a low count of platelets, some of whom later died.

Norway will delay its decision on whether to resume the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, broadcaster TV2 reported on Friday, citing anonymous sources.

Authorities suspended the rollout of the vaccine two weeks ago after several younger inoculated people were hospitalised for a combination of blood clots, bleeding and a low count of platelets, some of whom later died. The TV2 report did not say how a delay would last.

Norway is one of over a dozen European countries to have suspended the rollout over safety concerns, although most nations have since resumed its use on the advice of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is due to publish its decision at 1200 CET (1100 GMT).

EMA has said the shot's benefits in protecting people from coronavirus-related death or hospitalisation outweighed the possible risks. The World Health Organisation has also backed the jab. AstraZeneca has said a review of safety data of more than 17 million people inoculated in the United Kingdom and European Union with its vaccine had shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)