AstraZeneca woes continue as the Netherlands halts vaccine

"On the basis of this ongoing review, the benefits of the vaccines against COVID-19 continue to outweigh any risks and you should continue to get your vaccine when invited to do so", the agency said.

The agency said a causal link between unusual blood clots in people who have had the vaccine is "not proven, but is possible", adding that the benefits of the vaccine in preventing Covid-19 outweighed the risks of side effects.

Many have resumed the vaccine's use only for older people, aged 55 and above, because the blood clots are believed to affect younger people.

The agency said late Friday the cases relate to the period up to March 24, during which 18.1 million doses of the vaccine had been administered and that it hadn't received any similar reports with regard to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The rising number of blood-clot cases and the moves to suspend or limit shots have added to the uncertainty around the vaccine, which many countries around the world were relying on for their immunization programs.

The move came after five new cases in the Netherlands affecting women between 25 and 65 years of age, one of whom died.

Michael Kidd, said, however, that the blood clotting case is "likely" related to the vaccine.

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The law enforcement officials told the AP that the suspect was shot and was being taken to the hospital in critical condition. In the video clips, a heavy police presence is seen on the premises of the Capitol, which is sealed off with yellow tape.

"My general feeling is that given the contractual relationships that we have with a number of companies, that we have enough vaccine to fulfill all of our needs without invoking AstraZeneca", he said.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the jab does not increase the overall incidence of blood clots. Almost five million people have gotten their second jab. She died on 29 March of a blood clot on the brain.

"There were no reports for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine".

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) COVID-19 Working Group are meeting on Friday evening to discuss further advice on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

United Kingdom records more AstraZeneca blot cases and seven die as a result, Argentine president tests positive and the U.S. vaccinates more than 1 million people.

Britain, where the vaccine was developed with the University of Oxford, has been one of the countries worst-hit by coronavirus with almost 127,000 dead.