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Is the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine safe despite blood clot reports in Europe?

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The Canadian and Provincial governments are trying to reassure Canadians that the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine is safe to use even though a large number of European countries have suspended the vaccine due to allegedly causing blood clots.

Austria was the first country on March 8 to block distribution of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine following the death of a 49-year-old nurse from “severe bleeding disorders” days after receiving it.

The batch administered in Austria has been delivered to 17 countries and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters and a Montreal news conference that Canada did not receive doses from that batch.

Trudeau said Canada is “closely monitoring what is going on with the specific batch from Europe.”

Healthcare workers have been trying to explain the benefits of the vaccine to Canadians who are concerned about taking it.

Canada’s Prime Minister reassured Canadians saying, “Health Canada and our experts have spent an awful lot of time making sure every vaccine approved in Canada is both safe and effective. The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is safe and Canadians should have no concerns about receiving it.

Over a dozen European countries have suspended the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine including Austria, Germany, France and Italy after reports of people developing blood clots in Denmark and Norway. Despite there being no evidence that the vaccine was the cause. The Netherlands suspended the vaccine for precautionary measures only.

AstraZeneca said it has reviewed data on 17 million people that have received the vaccine and found 37 cases where people developed blood clots with “no evidence of an increased risk” of blood clots in any gender or age in any country across the globe.

“When you look at the number of people who have received the vaccine vs. the number of blood clots that’s just the baseline risk,” said Dr. Christopher Labos, a Montreal cardiologist, reported from the CBC. Dr. Labos added, “some people would have gotten blood clots anyway, even without receiving the vaccine, especially older people with pre-existing medical condition.”

Canada has ordered 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca plus two million doses of the same formula made by the Serum Institute of India.

Trudeau is urging Canadians to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity.

“The best vaccine vaccine for you to take is the very first one that is offered to you. That’s how we get through this as quickly as possible and as safely as possible,” said Prime Minister Trudeau.

with notes from MTLtimes Staff

Other articles from mtltimes.catotimes.caotttimes.ca

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