AstraZeneca vaccine is safe say Lincolnshire health bosses

The World Health Organisation is reviewing the vaccine after 11 European countries halted the roll-out due to a number oc cases of blood clots – however, UK regulators and the WHO itself has previously said there is “no evidence” of a link.

Lincolnshire County Council’s assistant director for public health Andy Fox said the temporary bans were “mind-boggling”.

He said: “We have proof that the vaccine saves lives, that is proven beyond all doubt scientifically.

“It’s safe and effective and is our way out of this, I would encourage everybody, everybody, no matter who they are, if they’re offered the vaccine jump at the chance and go and get vaccinated.

“It doesn’t take more than a cursory look at the number of cases they are reporting […] to see we’re talking about a handful of cases.

He said there was an incidence rate of deep vein thrombosis of one in 1,000 – meaning that in the 24 million doses given so far there should have been 24,000 people who “coincidentally” developed DVT.

He said: “There were 24 million doses given, pretty much anything that can happen to a human being will have happened to someone after getting the vaccine, it does not mean the vaccine caused it.

“I’m so clear that it is an incorrect decision of these other countries have made to stop the vaccination programme with this vaccine that is safe and effective and it could potentially cost lives, to stop vaccinating people.”