Netherlands halts use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Published March 15, 2021 6:37am

Boxes of vials of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are seen in a refrigerator at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol on January 9, 2021. The Netherlands suspended the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine until March 29 as precaution after reports of possible serious side effects were reported in Denmark and Norway. Andrew Matthews / POOL / AFP

AMSTERDAM - The Netherlands will suspend the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine until at least March 29 as a precaution, the Dutch government said on Sunday.

The move, which follows a similar decision by Ireland earlier in the day, is based on reports from Denmark and Norway of possible serious side effects, the government said.

Three health workers in Norway who had recently received the vaccine were being treated in hospital for bleeding, blood clots and a low count of blood platelets, its health authorities said on Saturday. —Reuters

Tags: covid-19 vaccine, Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine, The Netherlands