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ASTRAZENECA

Denmark reports two more ‘serious’ blood clot cases in connection with AstraZeneca jab

Danish authorities on Saturday reported a further two cases of cerebral thrombosis among hospital staff shortly after they received an inoculation with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

Published: 20 March 2021 13:41 CET
Denmark reports two more 'serious' blood clot cases in connection with AstraZeneca jab
A health worker prepares an AtraZeneca vaccine in Italy. MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

The cases were reported in the capital Copenhagen, with one resulting in a fatality, Reuters reported on Saturday.

Both people had received the AstraZeneca jab within 14 days of suffering blood clots.

Denmark has held off on restarting vaccinations with the British-Swedish company’s jab, even after the European Medicines Agency declared it “safe and effective” on Thursday.

“Our decision to put vaccination with the Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca on hold until week 12 (March 22-28) remains in effect,” the head of the Danish Health Authority, Soren Brostrom, said in a statement late Thursday.

“In the coming days, the Danish Health Authority and the Danish Medicines Agency will assess the impact of EMA’s review of the Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca on the Danish vaccination programme,” he added.

Last week, Denmark was the first country to suspend use of the AstraZeneca jab, a decision then followed by more than a dozen other mostly European countries.

Sweden and Norway have also said they will wait before resuming its use as they investigate further, while Iceland has yet to announce its decision.

OPINION: European governments were cautious on AstraZeneca vaccines but they were neither stupid nor ‘political’

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VACCINE

Danish engineers first to be jabbed under voluntary vaccine scheme

Twenty employees of the Danish engineering firm Lowenco, together with their boss Mikael Hoier, on Sunday became the first people to be given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine under Denmark’s new optional vaccination scheme.

Published: 24 May 2021 19:03 CEST
Danish engineers first to be jabbed under voluntary vaccine scheme
Practio co-founder Jonas Nilsen said that the employees had all been given detailed adviuce before they were given the jab. Photo: Practio

The group wanted to get vaccinated so that they can travel to India to install 20 freezers at a vaccine factory.

“It went pretty well, pretty calm and then a little prick,” Hoier, director of Lowenco, told state broadcaster DR.

After undergoing a medical consultation on Saturday, the group were given the green light to get vaccinated on Sunday.

“They all had many questions about potential side effects and the pros and cons of receiving the vaccine,” said Jonas Nilsen, a doctor and co-founder of Practio, which has been given the task of vaccinating Danes under the new optional scheme.

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After thinking over the decision overnight, two of the company’s employees opted against receiving the vaccine. 

“That is absolutely OK by me. It’s a personal decision and it won’t go against them,” Hoier said. 

Practio doctors advised the company to delay their departure to India to the end of this week, so the vaccine has more time to take effect, and they do not suffer complications during their trip.

“There is a chance that someone will be affected by side effects such as headaches, fever and soreness shortly after being injected,” he said.

Sunday’s vaccinations were carried out at Sønderbro Apotek in Copenhagen, and from Monday, vaccinations will be given at Practio’s own vaccine site in Copenhagen, where up to 5,000 people can be vaccinated a day.

The company plans to soon open vaccination centres in Roskilde, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg. 

On Sunday, Nilsen told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that more than 20,000 people in Denmark had already put themselves down on the list for an optional vaccination, and said that his company is capable of treating about 70,000 vaccination patients a day. 

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