France President Emmanuel Macron has suspended the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the country, pending a review of its safety by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
He said the suspension will be effective “until tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon” when the EMA will make its position known.
The Netherlands had Monday morning announced the suspension of the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine over concerns about possible side effects.
The Irish Republic, Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria and Iceland have paused inoculations with the vaccine, while the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia have delayed the start of their AstraZeneca rollouts.
Several European countries, including Italy and Austria, have suspended the use of certain batches of the drug as a precautionary measure.
Macron said: “The decision has been made to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precaution, hoping that we can resume it quickly if the judgement of the EMA allows it,” Macron told a press conference, adding that an announcement by the EMA was expected on Tuesday afternoon.
“We have a simple guide, to be informed by science and the competent health authorities and to do it as part of a European strategy.”
The decision, which reverses previous guidance from French health authorities to continue using the jab, came just a day after French Prime Minister Jean Castex had defended the vaccine.
