WHO urges nations to continue using the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries not to pause Covid vaccinations, as several major EU member states halted their rollouts of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab. The WHo said there was no evidence of a link between the vaccine and blood clots.

Commenting on several countries suspending the use of AstraZeneca vaccines after reports of blood clots in people who had received the vaccine from two batches produced in Europe, WHO chief said, it does not necessarily mean these events are linked to vaccination, but it’s routine practice to investigate them, and it shows that the surveillance system works and that effective controls are in place.

Germany, France, Italy and Spain joined smaller nations in halting vaccinations as a precaution while checks are made. The WHO's vaccine safety experts are meeting on Tuesday to discuss the jab.