Philippine health authorities have suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine for people below 60 years of age to investigate reports of blood clots coming from overseas.
The temporary suspension came after the European Medicines Agency recommended to include blood clots as a rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, adding that there were no reports of such adverse side effects in the country.
“This temporary suspension does not mean that the vaccine is unsafe or ineffective — it just means that we are taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of every Filipino,” said Food and Drug Administration chief Rolando Enrique Domingo.
The Philippines has so far received 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, about a fifth of the country’s total inventory, through the COVAX facility. Another 2.6 million doses, purchased by the private sector, will be delivered next month.
The temporary suspension came after the European Medicines Agency recommended to include blood clots as a rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, adding that there were no reports of such adverse side effects in the country.
“This temporary suspension does not mean that the vaccine is unsafe or ineffective — it just means that we are taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of every Filipino,” said Food and Drug Administration chief Rolando Enrique Domingo.
The Philippines has so far received 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, about a fifth of the country’s total inventory, through the COVAX facility. Another 2.6 million doses, purchased by the private sector, will be delivered next month.
