COVID-19: vaccine roll-out goes on in NI despite temporary halt to AstraZeneca jab in Republic
Last updated 14th Mar 2021
The roll-out of the vaccination programme will continue in Northern Ireland despite the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine being suspended in the Republic.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended the move following reports of serious blood clotting events in adults in Norway.
And in a tweet, the Irish Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said it was a "precautionary step".
But in a statement yesterday evening (Sunday), NI's Department of Health said the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) was advising the public to continue getting their COVID-19 vaccines.
Health Minister Robin Swann and the Department of Health sought an update from the MHRA today, in light of the temporary AstraZeneca halt announced by the Republic of Ireland.
The MHRA has today advised: “We are aware of the action in Ireland. We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause.”
In line with MHRA guidance, the roll-out of Northern Ireland’s vaccination programme will continue. A further expansion of this programme will be announced very shortly.
AstraZeneca vaccines are helping to protect the most vulnerable in our community from COVID-19, saving lives and reducing hospitalisation levels.
The statement the MHRA issued on Thursday can be viewed here:
Similar advice was issued by the European Medicines Agency, the EU’s regulator for medicines: