Denmark set to permanently halt use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine: Media
April 14, 2021, 9:16 am

Denmark set to permanently halt use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine: Media

Vials of the AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine are seen, as AstraZeneca vaccinations resume after a brief pause in their use over concern for possible connection to blood clots, in Milan, Italy, March 19, 2021. (File photo: Reuters)

Denmark will cease to administer AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine entirely following its possible link to very rare cases of blood clots, several Danish media outlets reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

The decision, which removes the shot from Denmark’s vaccination scheme, will delay Denmark’s vaccine roll-out by a few weeks, TV 2 said.

Danish health authorities will hold a press briefing at 1200 GMT, where they are expected to announce the decision to halt using the vaccine.

The European Union’s drug watchdog said last week it had found a possible link between the vaccine and very rare blood clot cases, but said the risk of dying from COVID-19 was “much greater” than the risk of mortality from rare side effects.

Denmark, the first country to initially suspend all usage of the vaccine in March over safety concerns, has also put Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine on pause pending further investigations into a possible link to rare blood clot cases.

source: Reuters

Image source: Reuters

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.