The European Commission will confront drugs giant AstraZeneca in a Belgian court today over coronavirus vaccine delivery shortfalls that hampered efforts to kickstart inoculations across the bloc. Lawyers for both sides are due to appear before a judge in the French-speaking court in Brussels from 9.00 am (0700 GMT). Another […]
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Hong Kong suspends its order of AstraZeneca jabs
Hong Kong today confirmed it has requested AstraZeneca suspend delivery of its Covid-19 vaccine amid fears of severe side effects and concerns over its efficacy against new variants of the coronavirus. Europe’s medicines regulator said this week the AstraZeneca vaccine could cause very rare blood clots in some recipients, prompting […]
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AstraZeneca vaccine safe and effective in US, Chile, Peru trials
The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca was 79 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic illness a large trial in the United States, Chile and Peru, the company said on Monday, paving the way for it to apply for US approval. The vaccine was 100 per cent effective […]
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EU countries to resume AstraZeneca jabs after ‘safe’ verdict
Leading EU countries said yesterday they would resume AstraZeneca vaccinations after the European medical regulator said the jab is “safe and effective” and not associated with a higher blood clot risk after days of commotion around the shot. The closely-watched announcement from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) came after the […]
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Denmark, Norway, Iceland Suspend Use Of AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine
Denmark, Norway, and Iceland on Thursday temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine over concerns about patients developing post-jab blood clots, as the manufacturer and Europe’s medicines watchdog insisted the vaccine was safe. Denmark was first to announce its suspension, “following reports of serious cases of blood clots” among […]
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Thai PM, Cabinet cancel Friday’s scheduled AstraZeneca vaccinations
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and members of his Cabinet today cancelled plans to receive AstraZeneca vaccine shots after the country delayed use of the vaccines over reports of blood clots in some European nations, a health official said. In a health ministry news conference, Prasit Watanapa, Dean of the […]
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South Korea probing two deaths after AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine
South Korean authorities said today they are investigating the deaths of two people after a media report said the pair ― both with pre-existing conditions ― died within days of receiving AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine. A 63-year-old nursing home patient with cerebrovascular disease developed symptoms, including high fever, after being given […]
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UK to receive 10 million AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses from India’s Serum Institute
The UK will receive 10 million AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses made by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the UK government said in a statement yesterday. SII, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, is mass producing the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed with Oxford University, for dozens of poor and middle-income […]
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AstraZeneca to produce coronavirus vaccine doses in Japan for 40 million people
The AstraZeneca company is going to produce in Japan doses of the coronavirus vaccine enough for 40 million people, the executive director of the Japanese department of the firm said. The company’s representative told the NHK broadcaster that AstraZeneca had signed a contract with Japan on providing the country with doses for 60 million people. Doses for 40 million people will […]
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WHO backs AstraZeneca jab in boost for poor countries
The World Health Organisation yesterday approved the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca, in a boost for poorer countries where millions of doses are set to be distributed. While inoculation drives have been gaining pace, with nearly 172 million vaccine doses given worldwide, most of the jabs have so far gone […]
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South Korea advises caution on AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine for elderly
A panel of South Korean advisers has urged caution over the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine for people older than 65, citing a lack of data, the food and drug safety ministry said today. A decision to limit the use of the vaccine, which is on track to become the […]
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AstraZeneca denies report vaccine less effective in elderly
AstraZeneca denied yesterday its Covid-19 vaccine is not very effective for people over 65, after German media reports said officials fear the vaccine may not be approved in the European Union for use in the elderly. German daily papers Handelsblatt and Bild said in separate reports the vaccine — co-developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford […]
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South Africa to pay $5.25 a dose for AstraZeneca vaccine from India’s SII
South Africa will pay $5.25 per dose for 1.5 million shots of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII), a senior official said on Thursday, more than some wealthier countries are paying. Health department Deputy Director-General Anban Pillay told Reuters that SII’s price was based on South […]
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Nepal approves AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use – government statement
Nepal on Friday granted approval for AstraZeneca’s COVISHIELD vaccine against the novel coronavirus in the country. “Conditional permission has been granted for emergency use authorization of COVISHIELD vaccine against COVID-19 in Nepal,” a statement by the country’s Department of Drug Administration said. Nepal has reported 266,816 cases and 1,948 deaths […]
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Serum Institute expects WHO emergency approval for AstraZeneca shot soon
The Serum Institute of India expects WHO emergency-use authorization soon for the Oxford University/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, which it is producing for mid and low income countries, its chief executive said. “The emergency use licensure from the WHO (World Health Organization) should be available and coming through in the next week […]