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Agence France-Presse

Thailand has delayed its roll-out of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, a health official said Friday, after several European nations suspended their programmes over blood clot fears.
The kingdom was scheduled to start the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine roll-out on Friday, with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha expected to get the first jab. But by 8.30am (local time) the former general was nowhere to be seen, the event was abruptly cancelled, and a press conference with health officials was called.
“Vaccine injection for Thais must be safe, we do not have to be in a hurry,” said Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, an adviser for the country’s Covid-19 vaccine committee, in a press conference.
“Though the quality of AstraZeneca is good, some countries have asked for a delay. We will delay [as well].”
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The move followed decisions in Bulgaria, Denmark, Norway and Iceland to suspend the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab over safety concerns.
Austria on Sunday stopped using doses from one batch after a 49-year-old nurse died of “severe blood coagulation problems” days after receiving an anti-Covid shot.
However, there is still no established link between the vaccine and side effects of blood clots, and Denmark stressed that its move was merely precautionary as they examine the risks more closely.
“We are waiting for Denmark and Austria to make a conclusion,” virologist Yong Poovarawan said.
“We are delaying to let others prove [the side effects] of whether or not it is because of the vaccine or if it is only on that specific batch,” he said, adding that the batch Thailand has received was manufactured in a factory in Asia.


Prayuth said on Friday afternoon that he had been prepared to be vaccinated but then was told to refrain from it.
“I have to listen to the doctors ... I think the company itself will also have an explanation,” he told reporters who asked if he was afraid.
“I live until today – what do I have to be afraid of?” he scoffed.
On the other hand, Philippine health authorities said they saw no reason to halt using the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“At present, the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration emphasise that there is no indication for the Philippines to stop roll-out of AstraZeneca vaccines,” the health ministry and the country’s food and drug administration said in a joint statement, adding that benefits outweigh the risks.
The Philippines has so far received 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine through the Covax facility.
Australia will also continue with its roll-out of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“I trust our Therapeutic Goods Administration [TGA] and the advice that they give me,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. “All the data from all of the places that we have relationships with, which obviously includes Europe, is being fed into the TGA, and that data is examined and that’s what informs the decisions that we take here in Australia.
What if vaccines aren’t enough for herd immunity?
“Remember, the batches that we distribute across Australia, those batches are tested here in Australia. They’re tested here by the TGA, I was watching them doing it just earlier this week, and so we have a very robust process for examining that.”
A World Health Organization expert advisory committee is currently looking at AstraZeneca’s vaccine, but there is no reason not to use it, a spokeswoman said on Friday.
Margaret Harris told a briefing that it was an “excellent vaccine” and that no causal relationship has been shown between the vaccine and reports of blood coagulation.
Outside Asia, Canada has also said there is no indication the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine causes adverse effects.
“At this time, there is no indication that the vaccine caused these events,” Canada’s health department said in a statement.
Additional reporting by Reuters, Associated Press


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The Philippines has so far received 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine. Photo: AFP

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(210301) -- BEIJING, March 1, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul receives a shot of COVID-19 vaccine from China's Sinovac in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 28, 2021. Thailand on Sunday started its COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, with the first shot, using China's Sinovac vaccine, going to Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. (Thai Government House/Handout via Xinhua)

(210228) -- BANGKOK, Feb. 28, 2021 (Xinhua) -- A man receives a shot of COVID-19 vaccine from China's Sinovac in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 28, 2021. Thailand on Sunday started its COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, with the first shot, using China's Sinovac vaccine, going to Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

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HANDOUT - 09 March 2021, Thailand, Bangkok: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sprays hand sanitiser on the media representatives after he was questioned about a possible cabinet reshuffle during a press conference. Photo: -/Government of Thailand/dpa - ATTENTION: editorial use only and only if the credit mentioned above is referenced in full

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Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said he had been prepared to be vaccinated but then was told to refrain from it
Denmark, Norway and Iceland have suspended inoculations but Australia and the Philippines plan to continue



Denmark, Norway and Iceland have suspended inoculations but Australia and the Philippines plan to continue.


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