Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Other European Countries Suspend Use of AstraZeneca Vaccine

Italy’s medicines regulator on Monday announced the precautionary, temporary ban on using AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine amid new reports of people developing dangerous blood clots after taking the shot.

Italy’s AIFA (Italian Agency of Medicines) said the decision “was taken in line with similar measures adopted by other European countries”.

It added that “further looking into the matter is currently underway”.

The announcement followed a day after the latest known death of a person in Italy shortly after receiving the vaccine.

A 57-year-old clarinet teacher, who received the vaccine in the northern Piedmont region on Saturday evening as part of a national rollout for teachers, died at home early Sunday morning.

Autopsies have been ordered for that death, as well as to a handful of other deaths last week of others in Italy who had received the vaccine.

France and Germany also suspended the vaccine’s use on Monday.

AstraZeneca and global health authorities insist the shot is safe.