‘Look to China for vaccines’

LOS ANGELES. – After some 15 European countries halted the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine over blood clot concerns, some experts said the World Health Organization (WHO) and related organs should also temporarily suspend the distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative, and issue an inoculation warning to all countries that use the shots.

As the suspension has made things worse for Europe which is already suffering from a shortage of vaccines, Chinese analysts suggested Western pharmaceutical companies such as the France-based Sanofi to apply for authorisation from Chinese vaccine developers to stock the vaccines for Europe.

Germany, France, Italy and Spain on Monday became the latest European countries to suspend the rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after reports that some inoculated people died due to blood clots after taking doses of the vaccine. At least 15 European countries temporarily halted the vaccine.

An immunologist has urged Europe to carefully assess all the available Covid-19 vaccines worldwide to expand its vaccine list to include the safe inactivated Chinese vaccine, so that emergencies like this can be avoided in the future. – Global Times.