As AstraZeneca pauses vaccine trial in children, Nigeria takes delivery of 100,000 from India
London, April, 7, 2021 (AltAfrica)-The University of Oxford has paused a trial of AstraZeneca vaccine in children and teenagers amid fears the jab could be linked to rare blood clots.
A spokesperson said the move was a precaution and that none of the young people involved in the trial have had health issues.
They said: ‘Whilst there are no safety concerns in the paediatric clinical trial, we await additional information from the MHRA on its review of rare cases of thrombosis/thrombocytopaenia that have been reported in adults, before giving any further vaccinations in the trial. ‘
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Parents and children should continue to attend all scheduled visits and can contact the trial sites if they have any questions.’
A pediatric trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been paused pending a review by the UK's medicines regulator of rare blood clot cases in adults, a University of Oxford spokesperson told CNN https://t.co/UCHDsHynXX
— CNN (@CNN) April 6, 2021
Meanwhile, Nigerian government on Tuesday took delivery of additional 100,000 doses of the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine from India.
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha made the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja.
The vaccines, donated by the government of India to Nigeria, will help boost the number of Nigerians to be vaccinated by about 50,000, Mr. Mustapha said.
Nigeria had received 3.94 million Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine doses from the WHO-backed vaccine initiative COVAX in early March, triggering the commencement of the country’s vaccination drive.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Nigeria had vaccinated 964,387 eligible persons against the Covid-19 virus, according to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
The additional vaccines from India are expected to boost the country’s efforts to vaccinate most of its population against the virus.
The Federal Government has said it is seeking to vaccinate no fewer than 70 percent of its over 200 million-strong population.
More vaccine doses are still expected from COVAX as well as from an African Union scheme financed by the African Export-Import Bank.
