‘We Were Right,’ Says Chris Fearne As European Countries Resume AstraZeneca Vaccinations
Health Minister Chris Fearne has hailed Malta’s decision not to suspend the AstraZeneca vaccine over concerns in Europe that it could be linked to blood clots.
“The decision taken by the Maltese Medicines Agency to continue using the AstraZeneca vaccine was a good one, and now the European Medicines Agency has concluded it is safe and effective.”
Id-deċiżjoni li tatna l-Aġenzija tal-Mediċini #Maltija, li nibqgħu nużaw il-vaċċin tal-#AstraZeneca, kienet deċiżjoni tajba, hekk kif issa l-European Medicines Agency #EMA ikkonkludiet li dan hu vaċċin sigur u effettiv. #vaccinatetosafety
— Chris Fearne (@chrisfearne) March 19, 2021
Yesterday, the European medicines regulator said it came to a clear and scientific conclusion that the AstraZeneca vaccine is both safe and effective.
“Its benefits in protecting people from COVID-19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation outweigh the possible risks,” Executive Director Emer Cooke said.
While the EMA concluded that the AstraZeneca vaccine’s benefits far outweigh the risks, the agency stated that it “cannot rule out definitively” a link to rare clotting disorders.
Following the EMA’s decision, several European countries which had suspended the vaccine in recent days, including Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia, decided to resume it.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex has pledged to get vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine to help restore public confidence in the jab.
Malta has vaccinated more people pro-rata than any other EU member state so far and plans to reach herd immunity by the end of August.
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