WHO, NAFDAC assure of safety, say no reason to stop using AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine

*AstraZeneca is an excellent COVID-19 Vaccine, as are the other vaccines that are being used ─ WHO Spokeswoman Margaret Harris

*The effectiveness of AstraZeneca vaccine outweighs the risk, as there is no medicine without its side effect, especially when still going through the developmental stage, says Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Sequel to concerns expressed in some lands after taking the Coronavirus vaccine, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said there is no reason to stop using AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 Vaccine after several European countries suspended the rollout over blood clot fears.

The global health body said its Vaccines Advisory Committee was currently looking at safety data, and stressed that no causal link had been established between the said vaccine and clotting, reports AFP.

Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Italy and Romania have postponed or limited the rollout of AstraZeneca vaccines after isolated reports of recipients developing blood clots, according to report.

WHO Spokeswoman Margaret Harris, however, told reporters at a briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, that “AstraZeneca is an excellent vaccine, as are the other vaccines that are being used.

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC

“We’ve reviewed the data on deaths. There has been no death, to date, proven to have be caused by vaccination.

“Yes, we should continue using the AstraZeneca vaccine… any safety signal must be investigated.”

Harris stated: “We must always ensure that we look for any safety signals when we roll out vaccines, and we must review them.

“But there is no indication to not use it.”

In the same vein, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has announced to Nigerians, that the Astrazeneca vaccine recently inaugurated and distributed to states in the country to treat COVID-19 pandemic has no side effect.

ConsumerConnect reports Prof. Adeyeye, who stated this Thursday, March 11, in Abuja, FCT, shortly after she got vaccinated and displayed her vaccination card on live television, said that NAFDAC went through the application dossier of the vaccine before it was approved to be administered on Nigerians for the treatment of COVID-19.

The NAFDAC Chief said: “When we got the dossier or the application package of the vaccine, we went through it line by line.

“But before we got the application itself, we went through other assessments.

“I am talking about their assessment report so that we are prepared and guided when we start our own and that was exactly what happened.”

According to her, “we conclude based on quality, safety and efficacy because we have to depend on the report, this particular AstraZeneca vaccine, over 20, 000 people were involved in phase three of the report.”

Adeyeye, who said that the effectiveness of AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the risk, also clarified that there is no medicine without its side effect, especially when still going through the developmental stage.

From all indications of quality and efficacy, the benefits of AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the risk and the side effect, she stated.

Adeyeye added that the regulatory agency also believes in traditional (herbal) medicine, but such must be backed with research before such could be approved.

Such herbal medicine must be antiviral to cater for various illnesses, she noted, adding, that the agency had accommodated 14 of such herbal medicines for listing to ascertain whether it was safe to use it or otherwise.

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