AstraZeneca resumed the vaccination with coronavirus vaccine in Germany on Friday, following a recommendation by European regulators that the benefits of the shot outweigh the risks.
On Thursday, the European Medicine Agency shared information that the vaccine is safe, but it cannot rule out a link to a small number of rare blood clots reported on the continent, and patients should be excluded for any warning signs. Researchers in Germany say they may find an effective method for treating rare cerebral vein blood clots seen in a few cases after vaccination.
The move paved the way for more than a dozen European countries, which suspended more shot use from the previous week, to resume use. Officials in Berlin said two large vaccination centers that offer the AstraZeneca shot to people in the German capital will reopen on Friday, and those whose appointments were canceled this week will be able to get the vaccine at weekend.
Dilek Kailasi, Berlin’s top health officer, told public broadcaster RBB, “We’ve got a lot of room as far as vaccinations with AstraZeneca are concerned”. AstraZeneca’s suspension further slowed Germany’s already sluggish vaccine campaign this week. About 10 million doses have been administered in the country so far, with 8.4% of the population receiving both at least one shot and 3.7% administered with both.
Germany’s Disease Control Agency reported 17,482 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, and 226 deaths overnight. Officials have warned that the country could face a withdrawal of stringent lockdown measures by Easter.
Health Minister Jens Spahn said, “The rising case numbers could mean that we won’t be able to undertake further opening steps in the coming weeks”. He also added, “On the contrary, we may have to take steps backward.”
His remarks were a clear message to some state governors, who two weeks ago agreed with Chancellor Angela Merkel to re-oppose new restrictions in areas where new weekly cases have been opposed. The number rises above 100 per 100,000 inhabitants. The nationwide average stood at 95.6 on Friday.
Meanwhile, researchers in Germany say they may find an effective way to treat rare cerebral vein blood clots seen in small numbers after vaccination. Andreas Greincher, head of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the University of Greifswald, said his team’s research is being presented to The Lancet for peer review magazine.
