Trudeau says AstraZeneca vaccine is safe after some European countries suspend its use

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccineis safeand Canadians should have no concerns about receiving it, afternearly a dozen European countriessuspended its use over concerns about blood clots.

"Health Canada and our experts have spent an awful lot of time making sure every vaccine approved in Canada is both safe and effective," Trudeau said.

"The best vaccine for you to take is the very first one that is offered to you. That's how we get through this as quickly as possible and as safely as possible."

Trudeau said regulators are "following what has been happening with a specific batch used in Europe." He said none of the AstraZeneca doses deployed in Canada have come from that batch.

All of Canada's current supply is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, which secured separate regulatory approvals from Health Canada. That version, which is biologically identical to the AstraZeneca shot but is manufactured under different conditions, has been branded "Covishield."

Out of the approximately 5 million European residents who have received AstraZeneca's shot, about 30 have experienced "thromboembolic events" clots forming in blood vessels and a very small number of deaths have beenreported.

Quebec Premier Franois Legault, who joined Trudeau today fora funding announcement for an electric battery plant in Montreal, said health officials in the province have told him there's nothing to worry about.

"There's absolutely no risk associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine. It's in fact safe," he said in French. "They're assuring us there's no risk."

Trudeau said he will not hesitate to get a COVID-19 vaccine when thetime comes. "I will wait my turn," he said.

Other world leaders like U.S. President Joe Biden, who, at 78, is much older than the 49-year-old prime minister have received their shots publicly to boost public confidence in theproducts'safety andefficacy.

Trudeau'smotherMargaret, who lives in Quebec,recently received a dose.

WATCH: Trudeau says 'I will wait my turn' for COVID-19 vaccine

'I will wait my turn': Trudeau on the timing of his COVID-19 shot

4 years ago

Duration 0:59

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he will wait for his turn to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

France, Germany suspends AstraZenecavaccine

On Monday, France and Germany joined Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland and Ireland and several other countriesin suspendingthe use of the vaccine.

Germany's health minister said the decision was taken on the advice of Germany's national vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which called for further investigation into seven reported cases of clots in the brains of people who had been vaccinated.

"Today's decision is a purely precautionary measure," Jens Spahn said.

WATCH: Blood clots likely unrelated to AstraZeneca vaccine, epidemiologist says

Blood clots likely unrelated to AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, epidemiologist says

4 years ago

Duration 4:01

People who got blood clots after taking the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine probably would have gotten them anyway, says epidemiologist and cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos. He says blood clots are a common ailment among people who are currently the focus of many vaccine programs.

The European Medicines Agencyand the vaccine maker itself have said that blood clots are not uncommon and there'snothing to indicatethat the vaccine is to blame for these events.

"A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and U.K. with Covid Vaccine AstraZeneca has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country," the company said in a statement.

The World Health Organization said in a mediastatement Monday its global advisory committee on vaccine safety is "carefully assessing the current reports related to the AstraZeneca vaccine."

"As of today, there is no evidence that the incidents are caused by the vaccine and it is important that vaccination campaigns continue so that we can save lives and stem severe disease from the virus.The AstraZeneca vaccine has been administered to more than 10 million people in the United Kingdom with no evidence of related serious adverse events."

The U.K.Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said Sunday there is no evidence the vaccine has caused any problems in that country the AstraZeneca product has been in use there formonths and people should still get vaccinated when it's their turn.

"Blood clots can occur naturally and are not uncommon.More than 11 million doses of the Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine have now been administered across the U.K.," theMHRA told BBC News.