The Netherlands stops vaccinating people under 60 with AstraZeneca

This Friday, the authorities of Netherlands announced that those under 60 will no longer receive the vaccine against him coronavirus developed by AstraZeneca for the next few days. This decision is taken by the Dutch government pending the completion of its investigation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the cases of blood clotting detected after vaccination.

In a letter sent to the Dutch Parliament, the acting Minister of Health, Hugo de Jonge, explained that this decision is motivated by possible blood clotting problems that could be related to vaccination with AstraZeneca, a possible side effect that is being investigated by the EMA safety committee (PRAC).

“The crucial question remains whether these are post-vaccination or pre-vaccination complaints. I think it is very important that the Dutch cases are also investigated properly. We must err on the side of caution. It is wise to hit the pause button as a precaution”Said De Jonge, who stressed that“there can be no question about the safety of vaccines”Used in the Netherlands.

This decision could paralyze some 10,000 appointments already set for injections with AstraZeneca, according to the Dutch agency ANP, although those under 60 who are risk groups will continue to receive the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

The center that monitors the side effects of drugs (Lareb) reported today that it has received five reports of women between 25 and 65 years who developed thrombosis in combination with a reduced number of platelets, one of them has died after developing an embolism extensive lung disease within 10 days of vaccination with AstraZeneca.

To date, the Netherlands has injected some 400,000 doses of this drugmaker’s vaccine.

There is still no clear evidence of the link between this death and the cases of thrombosis with vaccination, a connection that is being investigated, and it is expected to obtain some more clarity around next Wednesday, since the PRAC plans to meet between the April 6 and 9 to study the analysis and research done these weeks.

The EMA has reiterated on several occasions that it still does not see a direct link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and cases of thromboembolism, although it does not rule out this possibility, and still considers that the benefits it brings in its vaccination against covid-19, a disease which carries a risk of hospitalization and death, outweighs any possible side effects.

Germany decided last Wednesday to vaccinate with AstraZeneca only people over 60 years old due to the risk that thromboembolisms are actually a side effect of vaccination in younger people, while Canada has put that limit at 55 years.