Astrazeneca vaccine suspended..... Not proven to be linked to the jab yet, but investigations are ongoing *title edited by GNHQ*

First we had the assertion from Macron that the AZ vaccine wasn’t effective for the over 65s.
This was followed by Angela Merkel publicly declaring that at 66 years old, she wouldn’t be having it.
She then embarrassingly backtracked and declared that she would!

What is all that if it’s not political ?

A man waits at a vaccination centre in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, south-western France, where a sign reads: 'No AstraZeneca vaccinations today'.

The roll out in the EU has, sadly, been an utter shambles. The sooner Europe (everyone) gets vaccinated the safer we will ALL be. Especially from mutant viruses which is a concern in case tweaking of the vaccine doesn’t continue to protect.

Germany's national disease centre warned that the country is now in a third wave that could see it break previous records by Easter, and there were also warnings that suspending the vaccine for just one week could cost the economy £1.7 billion.

In France, Jean Castex, the prime minister, said new Covid variants meant the country was "in a sort of third wave".

Frank Ulrich Montgomery, the German head of the World Medical Association, said: "The bottom line, sadly, is that this good and effective vaccine is not being accepted by the public in many countries because of the row and the suspension."

I agree with your first post Laura but not your second. We were seen as a positive influence in the EU but we threw that all away when we decided to leave. My many friends and colleagues in EU countries are bemused at our decision.

But the idea that EU politicians are looking for ways to undermine the UK's pandemic response, or even make opportunistic decisions to achieve the same aim, because they are still smarting about Brexit is, quite frankly, just laughable.

BTW JE- the Merkel story. When the AZ vaccine wasn't recommended for her age group by the German authorities, she said she wouldn't be getting it. When the authorities changed the advice, she said she would. So, abiding by her country's experts' opinions and not being political about it; quite the opposite of what you said.

Scientists and politicians in Britain have defended the AstraZeneca vaccine's record. Professor Dame Clare Gerada, one of the UK's leading doctors and a former president of the Royal College of GPs, accused Europe's leaders of "weaponising" fears over the jab and said they should "get a grip".

Honestly isn’t this just a right old Muldoon’s picnic? It’s so sad because surely people’s lives in Europe are at risk.

Well - all the more for us, I guess, but vaccinating the world is in everyone's interests. It is all quite ridiculous.

The idea that even one vaccination has been ditched because of all this nonsense makes me sick.

Sadly GP practices are now reporting up to 50% non attendees for the AZ jab today. This is the fall out from Europe's targeting the AZ vaccine, but not the Pfizer one, which has had more patients with clots. It is still a very insignificant number, and in fact less than would be expected in that population range without the vaccine. It UK citizens are frightened to have it because of what is happening in Europe, our wonderful roll out will stall.

Ms Van dear Leyen has said “the EU could seize production of vaccines and suspend intellectual property rights”

source @PoliticsForAll

Is it my imagination or is the EU going slightly bonkers over Covid/vaccinations? Could it be that Oxford Astra Zeneca is a non-profit vaccine as opposed to big bucks for Pfizer?

Italy, France and Germany are seeing an increase in daily cases!

If the EU set out to deliberately scupper our vaccination programme, they couldn’t have done a better job. Shameful.

I believe deliveries of the Moderna one are due here soon, which along with the Pfizer one means we have alternatives if too many people reject the AZ one.

What a mess.

If UK citizens are frightened to have it because of what is happening in Europe, our wonderful roll out will stall.

This is my fear too.

Well the EU have got their revenge for Brexit and our vaccine roll out success.
They’ve thrown a massive big spanner in the works to hold us back & it’s worked.

Nice one EU

Latest news from The Telegraph

The European Union has threatened to restrict vaccine exports to the UK to "make sure Europeans are vaccinated as soon as possible".

Speaking on Wednesday Ursula von der Leyen, head of the bloc's executive arm, said "all options are on the table" to boost the EU's stuttering immunisation campaign, including moves to halt exports to countries which "have higher vaccination rates than us", including the UK.

the idea that EU politicians are looking for ways to undermine the UK’s pandemic response, or even make.......decisions to achieve the same aim......

Your opinion only Alegrias.
And not what the BBC just reported a few minutes ago. Ursula von der Leyen has threatened to cut off export of Covid19 jabs to Britain. The BBC said there will be a massive political row over this. Reported about five minutes ago, BBC News at One.

Some info.

maddyone not just the BBC most news stations are reporting the same story............. Ursula Van der Leyen is having an almighty strop, worthy of a terrible twos tantrum

The EU vaccination roll out/take-up is appallingly low, so they intend to punish (there is no other valid description) the UK as our programme has been exemplary.

The BBC didn't report that the EU are trying to undermine our vaccine rollout because they want to get back at us. They reported that the EU are considering not exporting vaccines made in their own countries to third party countries that are not fulfilling their obligations to the EU.

The EU have lost the plot about vaccines; if they prevent export to any countries there is no justification for it in my mind. But to think that any of the above is about getting back at us about Brexit is, however, laughable. And just a wee bit paranoid.

Anyway - how do you square the fact that they want more AZ vaccine from us with the belief on this thread that they don't want any more AZ from us?

Alegrias my post of Tue 15-Mar-21 17:17:10 sums up Monsieur Macron’s thinking.

Anyway - how do you square the fact that they want more AZ vaccine from us with the belief on this thread that they don't want any more AZ from us?

I'm amazed at this. Maybe you can tell us why they have paused AZ but are demanding more?

And why hasn't Pfizer been paused when it has similar blood clotting issues?

Not that it does cause blood clots. We all know we're more likely to get a blood clot by having the virus.

I believe that this is a huge stumbling block that the EU didn't foresee. Nobody did.

But I believe that having the 27 countries muddling through together has caused a lot of the chaos. Had each country gone its own way maybe things would have been different.

I would like to think that Boris will hold a press conference before long to spell out clearly to everyone that his roadmap for getting out of lockdown is dependent upon the continued success of the vaccination programme.

He has always made it clear that certain criteria have to be met before each easing of restrictions happens, so if too many people here refuse the AZ vaccine, the timetable could be shot to pieces.

That might focus minds.

I went to have my AZ vaccine today and loads of people were turning up hopefully a sign people are still taking the vaccine and wanting to. I must admit I did feel a bit worried but I think that is partly because I am barely leaving the house

I'm amazed at this. Maybe you can tell us why they have paused AZ but are demanding more?

That's my question to you, and others on this thread Gannygangan. So much noise here about how they are pausing the AZ rollout because they want to undermine us, but at the same time UvdL saying she wants more deliveries of this vaccine.

Could it be that they're not trying to undermine us at all and really want our product but for some unknown reason are worried about the safety of it?

As so many of the population have been more sedentary since the outbreak of Covid, working from home etc, gyms closed, exercise options limited to your local area, no swimming pools or exercises classes in community halls, I am surprised that clots are not on the rise?

It is normal practice to suspend the use of any drug or vaccine that may be the cause of sudden death due to a thrombosis.

This is precisely what the authorities in many countries have chosen to do after some people who had received the AstraZenica vaccine died due to blood clots that may or may not turn out to have been a side-effect of the vaccination.

This decision has nothing to do with the ongoing argument between AstraZenica and the EU concerning the company's failure to supply the promised quota of vaccines.

Maybe fewer long haul flights account for a fair drop in the number of clots GrannyGravy?

It is intriguing and there will be people who jump to conclusions. I still like to believe there is another motive. Surely these countries would risk the lives of their citizens due to the fact that we've done rather well on the vaccine front.

So many experts are baffled as well. WHO and the EMA all say to continue.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, the decisions by individual nations to pause their rollouts have baffled experts.

This is quite a good article but still fails to explain fully the decision

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56360646