Thailand yesterday joined several European nations in suspending the AstraZeneca vaccine over blood clot fears, despite a range of health authorities around the world insisting it was safe.
The move came just hours after US President Joe Biden offered COVID-19-weary Americans hope of a return to some kind of normality by July 4, marking the national holiday as his target for “independence” from the virus.
After a shaky start, the US has ramped up its vaccination program, following the advice of scientists who say jabs are the only way out of a pandemic that has killed 2.6 million people around the world.
Photo: Bloomberg
Global hopes received a blow on Thursday when Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway and Romania postponed or limited the rollout of their quota of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines after isolated reports of recipients developing blood clots.
Thailand and Bulgaria followed suit yesterday.
Health regulators said that there was no evidence of any link, but they were acting out of an abundance of caution.
Australia, Mexico and the Philippines said they would continue their rollouts, as they had found no reason to alter course. Canada said there was no evidence the jab causes adverse reactions.
Thailand’s decision led to the embarrassing spectacle of Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha abruptly canceling his own televised jab.
“Vaccine injection for Thais must be safe, we do not have to be in a hurry,” said Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, an adviser for the country’s COVID-19 vaccine committee.
The WHO said there was no reason to stop using AstraZeneca’s vaccine.
“Yes, we should continue using the AstraZeneca vaccine,” WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said, adding: “There is no indication to not use it.”
In the US, Biden laid out the path for escape from the darkest days of the pandemic in the world’s worst-hit country.
“This fight is far from over,” Biden said in his first televised primetime address as president, delivering an emotional tribute to the more than 530,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19.
Americans could overcome the virus if they worked together and followed health experts’ guidelines on wearing masks and getting vaccinated, he said.
“Just as we are emerging from a dark winter into a hopeful spring, and summer is not the time to not stick with the rules,” he said.
If Americans stay the course, they might be able to mark their cherished July 4 national holiday in somewhat normal circumstances, with a backyard cookout, he said.
“That will make this Independence Day something truly special where we not only mark our independence as a nation, but we begin to mark our independence from this virus,” he said.
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
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