The Safety Committee at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has concluded that they cannot rule out a possible connection between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine (Vaxzevria) and the rare blood clots found in some recipients of the vaccine. The committee has therefore advised that the unusual blood clots with low platelet counts should be listed as very rare side effects of the jab.
The EMA examined 62 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and 24 cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis reported in the EU since March 22. 18 of these cases proved fatal.
In spite of this discovery, the EMA has maintained that the benefits of the vaccine in preventing COVID-19 outweigh the risk of possible side effects.
Last weekend, the Dutch government announced that it was once again temporarily halting use of the AstraZeneca jab. With the latest advice from the EMA, the Health Council of the Netherlands will discuss the use of the vaccine in the Netherlands and issue its advice on Thursday morning.
Once the council has published its advice, Hugo de Jonge and the Ministry of Health will take a final decision. De Jonge wrote on Wednesday that the GGD was "ready to start vaccinating again" as soon as the AstraZeneca jab was deemed safe.