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UK's Boris Johnson to get AstraZeneca vaccine as he dismisses safety fears

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Mar 17, 2021, 08:22 PM IST
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Boris Johnson to take Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Photograph:(Reuters)

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The comments made by Johnson came after he repeatedly insisted that AstraZeneca's vaccine is safe despite many European nations stopping its rollout over cases of blood clots

To quell fears around the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, UK PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday said that he will take the jab. 

"I finally got news and I've got to have my own jab, very shortly, I'm pleased to discover," the British PM told lawmakers. 

"It will certainly be Oxford AstraZeneca, that I will be having."

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The comments made by Johnson came after he repeatedly insisted that AstraZeneca's vaccine is safe despite many European nations stopping its rollout over cases of blood clots. 

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said that it is reviewing the safety of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, but recommended continuing its use. 

"At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue," the global health agency in a statement said. 

After some Nordic nations suspended the use of the vaccine, many European nations, including Germany, France and Italy also halted the use until a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is out. 

The EMA on Tuesday stressed there was no evidence linking the jab to blood clots. 

India, one of the largest producers of AstraZeneca's vaccine, said that the country will continue to use the vaccine with a top official saying there was nothing to suggest a "causal relationship" between the drug and blood clots.