Is the AstraZeneca Vaccine Safe or Not?
Regulators in the U.K. and Europe still back the shot despite the risk of rare but potentially dangerous blood clots. Here’s what you need to know.
Benefits of the Astra shot still outweigh the risks … but there are risks.
Photographer: Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images
Last month, several European countries suspended use of the AstraZeneca Plc Covid-19 vaccine amid safety concerns after some blood-clotting events that regulators feared might be tied to the shot. At the time, the U.K. — which had already distributed the vaccine to millions — didn't seem to have the same experience. That's changing. U.K. regulators are now signaling there may be a link to rare but potentially life-threatening clotting — especially among younger people — and are recommending that those under 30 receive the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE shot or Moderna Inc. vaccine instead. European regulators are leaving this type of recommendation up to individual member states, and both European and U.K. regulators say the benefits of the Astra vaccine still outweigh the risks. Here, Sam Fazeli, a Bloomberg Opinion contributor who covers the pharmaceutical industry for Bloomberg Intelligence, answers questions about these recent developments and the potential risks.
Is there an increased risk of blood clotting with the Astra vaccine? How serious is it?