SMI Asks Rama to Pause AstraZeneca Vaccine Rollout
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The vice-head of the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) Petrit Vasili, asked today from the Albanian government to stop the vaccination process with AstraZeneca, considering the latest developments in the EU, where many Member States have blocked temporarily the process. “Enough, Albanians are not for experiment! […] Great concern among the large countries with absolutely high scientific standards regarding the safety of the vaccines, and for guaranteeing the full integrity of vaccines for their citizens ,” said Vasili, who asked whether the Prime Minister had contacted with the other EU Member States regarding the safety of the vaccine. “Where do they find the guarantee and security Edi Rama and the Minister, or do they think Albanians are second-class citizens. Did they communicate with these big countries?” concluded his remarks Vasili.
Albania started two days ago the vaccination of the elderly and academic staff with the first doses of AstraZeneca (38,400 doses), which arrived in Albania through the COVAX program. Talking about the safety of the vaccine, both the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health Ogerta Manastirliu and the Head of the Control of Infectious Diseases Department of the Institute of Public Health Silvia Bino have declared that there are no reasons to be worried about the vaccine because it is safe.
During the last days, AstraZeneca vaccine has caused a lot of debate regarding its safety, and many countries, including Germany, Italy and France, the biggest Member States of the EU, have suspended its use until an official review over a number of reports of blood clots will be published by the European Medicines Agency, which is expected to happen on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Agency issued today a statement, saying that “While its investigation is ongoing, EMA currently remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects.” According to the Agency, “Many thousands of people develop blood clots annually in the EU for different reasons. The number of thromboembolic events overall in vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population.” EMA’s safety committee will further review the information and has called an extraordinary meeting on Thursday 18 March to conclude on the information gathered and any further actions that may need to be taken.
On this issue, the World Health Organization declared that “no causal link has been established between the AstraZeneca vaccine and clotting.”
