Denmark to permanently discontinue use of AstraZeneca vaccine amid blood clots

COPENHAGEN (AP) — Denmark has decided not to resume use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine following reports of rare blood clots.

The decision, which would remove the shot from Denmark's vaccination scheme, could delay the country's vaccine rollout by up to four weeks, based on previous statements by health bodies.

Danish health authorities are expected to announce the decision to halt using the vaccine and present a new timeline for the country's vaccination programme.

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 has also put Johnson & Johnson's vaccine on pause pending further investigations into a possible link to rare blood clot cases.

Almost one million Danes have received their first jabs, 77% with Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine, 7.8% with Moderna's shot and 15.3% with AstraZeneca's, before it was suspended.

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