AstraZeneca to Withdraw COVID Vaccine, MOHW Weighs In  

The Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine is being withdrawn after more than three billion doses.  It is estimated that the serum has saved the lives of millions during the pandemic; however, it also caused rare, and sometimes fatal, blood clots.  According to the pharmaceutical company, it was a commercial decision to withdraw the vaccine.  Earlier today, we spoke with Health Minister Kevin Bernard for a local perspective on the latest development regarding the vaccine.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

“From my checks, as in any medication, any type, there will always be some level of side effect in some cases.  Now, from the information I have, the AstraZeneca vaccines were recalled not necessarily because of the side effects, that is one component of it.  However, the main reason for the recall has been because there has been zero demand for the vaccine and there were many in supply and I know that from the information [that] I have received as well, and I did check with my, our counterparts at WHO/PAHO in terms of what is the reality behind all of this.  What we found out is that yes, the company has decided to do the recall, yes, there have been some issues of thrombosis in some cases.  However, there is nothing in there to say that the vaccine hasn’t proven its efficacy.  And so from the understanding that I have, this decision was made, [but] it’s not something to be alarmed about or to be frantic about.  As you know, even in Belize, the demand for vaccines has also dropped tremendously.  COVID has gone past us but that doesn’t say that COVID still doesn’t exist.  We still have the Pfizer vaccine in country.  I don’t think we have any of the AstraZeneca, those that we had had expired and I think we had disposed of those.  So that gives us also that relief.”