Norway says it needs more time to decide on use of AstraZeneca vaccine

Norway will take more time to assess whether it will resume the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 or stop it altogether, health minister Bent Hoeie said on Thursday.

Norway's Institute of Public Health has recommended ending the use of the AstraZeneca, but the government needs more information before making a final decision, he said.

Authorities on March 11 suspended the rollout of the vaccine after a small number of younger inoculated people were hospitalised for a combination of blood clots, bleeding and a low count of platelets, some of whom later died.