OSLO — Norway should exclude the COVID-19 vaccines made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson from its inoculation program due to a risk of rare but harmful side-effects, a government-appointed commission said on Monday. On April 15, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said the AstraZeneca vaccine should be dropped entirely but the government sought further advice from its commission. Neither AstraZeneca nor Johnson & Johnson immediately replied to requests for comment. The EMA has also backed the J&J vaccine, which is based on a similar technology to AstraZeneca’s. The move comes in contrast to Germany, which said on Monday it would make the Johnson & Johnson shot available to all adults.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 10, 2021 10:35 UTC