Use of the AstraZeneca vaccine was temporarily halted in several European countries earlier this month over concerns about the rare blood clots. On Monday, Canada suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in people under 55, citing new concerning data from Europe. Photo / APTwo state-owned hospitals in Berlin announced Tuesday that they had stopped giving the AstraZeneca vaccine to female staff members under 55. Appointments for the AstraZeneca shot were available sooner than ones for the vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The study, which hasn't been peer-reviewed yet, doesn't provide a conclusive explanation for why some people vaccinated with the AstraZeneca shot develop the rare blood clots.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 30, 2021 17:35 UTC