"Blood clots 'very rare' side effect of AstraZeneca vaccine, European regulator says
Because of a small number of blood clots in younger people reported in the U.K., people under 30 will be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.
April 7, 2021, 11:45 AM EDT
By Saphora Smith and Henry Austin
Unusual blood clots should be listed as "very rare" side effects of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, Europe’s main drug regulator said Wednesday.
Emer Cooke, the executive director of the European Medicines Agency, said that the "benefits of the AstraZeneca overall outweigh the risks of side effects."
The vaccine has "proved to be highly effective," she said at a news briefing, adding that it prevented "severe disease and hospitalization and it is saving lives."
However, Cooke added that after a "very in-depth analysis," the regulator had "concluded that the reported cases of unusual blood clotting following vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine should be listed as possible side effects of the vaccine.""