The corona vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine have been suspended in Germany for the time being.
A decision by the EMA on whether or not to continue using the vaccine is expected on Thursday.
In Germany, the corona vaccinations * with AstraZeneca have been stopped for the time being.
It is precisely in the third wave that fewer vaccinations can be given in Germany.
The WHO recommends continuing vaccinations with the British-Swedish vaccine.
(see update from March 17th, 3:21 p.m.)
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) wants to decide on Thursday on the further use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
(see update from March 18, 7:05 a.m.)
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Update from March 18, 7:05 a.m.:
The European Medicines Agency EMA wants to decide this Thursday whether the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus should continue to be used.
Its use was suspended in Germany and other countries after a few cases of blood clots (thrombosis) in cerebral veins in connection with the corona vaccinations.
The federal and state governments want to discuss how things will continue in Germany after the EMA assessment at a vaccination summit on Friday.
Health Minister Jens Spahn was initially heavily criticized for his decision to suspend the corona vaccination with AstraZeneca.
Most recently, there was also support for the CDU politician from many quarters.
Spahn had no other option than to follow the recommendations of the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), said CDU boss Armin Laschet on Wednesday evening in the
ARD
broadcast “maischberger.
the week".
The institute responsible for vaccine safety had advised to suspend vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine due to possible health risks.
“Politics can't help but follow science,” said Laschet.
The NRW Prime Minister presented himself to the criticized Minister of Health.
Spahn has "the hardest job ever".
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The EMA wants to decide on Thursday on the further use of AstraZeneca's corona vaccine.
(Symbol image)
© Matthias Bein / dpa
Corona vaccine from AstraZeneca: WHO recommends continuation of vaccinations
Update from March 17, 3:21 p.m.:
A bang in the AstraZeneca affair: The WHO now recommends vaccinating with the corona vaccine from the Swedish-British manufacturer until further notice.
"The WHO is of the opinion that the benefits outweigh the risks," said the organization in Geneva on Wednesday.
Some EU countries, including Germany, France and Spain, have suspended vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine for the time being because several cases of blood clots in the cerebral veins were reported in relation to the vaccination.
The WHO is now emphasizing that vaccination against Covid-19 does not reduce diseases or deaths from other causes.
Thrombosis happened frequently.
"Venous thromboembolism is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases worldwide," said the WHO.
It is routine to register and investigate possible incidents during vaccination campaigns.
This shows that the surveillance systems are working.
However, a temporal proximity does not necessarily mean a causal connection.
You stay in close contact with the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Meanwhile, the UK has also responded to Ursula von der Leyen's harsh words at AstraZeneca.
A British government spokesman referred to a conversation between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and von der Leyen earlier this year.
The head of the commission promised at the time that the EU export control mechanism would only serve transparency.
“We expect the EU to keep its promises”.
After AstraZeneca vaccination stop: Ursula von der Leyen shoots against the manufacturer
Update from March 17, 1:41 p.m.:
The corona vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine has been suspended in some EU countries, including Germany.
But Ursula von der Leyen also seems convinced that it will be used again soon.
So much so that it is now even threatening the manufacturer.
Because the EU is considering stopping exports for manufacturers in vaccine-producing countries who do not keep their delivery promises.
This was announced by the President of the EU Commission at a press conference on Wednesday.
This particularly refers to AstraZeneca.
She sharply criticized the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company for the delivery difficulties of its vaccine.
According to current information, the company will only deliver about 70 million cans in the second quarter, she said.
“That is considerably less than the 180 million that they have contractually agreed to deliver.” At Astrazeneca there is still “a lot of room for improvement”.
In the event of a possible export stop, the aim is to ensure “reciprocity and proportionality”.
"We will also think about whether exports to countries that have higher vaccination rates than we do are proportionate," cited
Bild
von der Leyen.
The politician is clearly alluding to Great Britain.
Von der Leyen stuck to the goal of 70 percent of adults in the EU to be fully vaccinated by the end of the summer.
The start of the vaccination campaign was difficult.
But progress has been made.
After severe thrombosis cases: Germany suspends vaccination with AstraZeneca
First report from March 17th:
Munich - Germany is not alone with this decision, but it is still causing criticism.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) decided on Monday to suspend vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine for the time being.
The Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) advised him to do this after eight cases of thrombosis.
There were three deaths among the eight people.
It mainly affected women of young and middle age.
This step had also been taken in numerous other EU countries such as France, Italy and Spain or Sweden.
A mistake?
Massive criticism of Spahn: EMA is sticking to AstraZeneca vaccine for the time being
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) remains convinced that the benefit of the vaccine - protection against Covid-19 * - outweighs the risk.
There is currently no evidence that the blood clots that occurred in individual vaccinated people were caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine, said authority chief Emer Cooke on Tuesday.
Your authority is now advising again on the British-Swedish vaccine and wants to come to a final assessment on Thursday.
The EU Commission then hopes for a Europe-wide resumption of vaccinations with the corona vaccine from AstraZeneca.
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides is confident about Thursday's assessment.
"We are waiting for that and follow the EMA's scientific advice," she said on Tuesday.
The FDP and the Greens are also critical of the vaccination ban in Germany.
The already slow vaccination campaign * could be even further delayed due to the suspension.
“It is and remains a mystery to me how Mr. Spahn came to his decision.
That causes confusion, it creates uncertainty in the whole country, "said Green parliamentary group leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt.
The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach * called the decision "a mistake".
FDP vice-president Wolfgang Kubicki even demanded the dismissal of Spahn.
The vaccination summit scheduled for Wednesday (March 17) has been postponed to Friday to await the EMA's renewed assessment.
In Germany alone, around 1.6 million people had been vaccinated with AstraZeneca before the stop.
Despite the stop for AstraZeneca - large deliveries are expected in Bavaria
Spahn's decision, however, was defended by the head of the intensive care medicine association DIVI, Uwe Janssens.
"Mr. Spahn can't decide otherwise when the experts from the Paul Ehrlich Institute put such a message on the table for him," he told Deutschlandfunk on Wednesday.
The diseases were rare sinus vein infections.
The number of thromboses that occurred after vaccination with AstraZeneca is significantly higher "than the number of cerebral vein thromboses that normally occur in the population without vaccination." The PEI explains on its website.
Only about one case was expected, but seven had been reported pending the recommendation for suspension.
In Bavaria, the Ministry of Health expects further deliveries for the time being, regardless of the current stop of the corona vaccinations * with the AstraZeneca preparation.
From the beginning of March to the beginning of April, a total of 660,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses were announced.
“Of these, 309,600 vaccination doses have already been delivered, while the delivery of the remaining 350,400 vaccination doses is still imminent by the 13th calendar week,” said the ministry in Munich on request.
(mam / dpa / AFP) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
List of rubric lists: © Matthias Bein
