in the uk, on pbs, and around the globe. europe has a very low vaccination rate for covid and yet today spain, france, italy and germany became the latest european countries to suspend use of the oxford/astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine. the decision follows reports from norway that a small number of recipients developed blood clots. but the world health organization, the manufacturer, and many other governments insist that the vaccine is safe and that there s no evidence linking it to blood clots. the bbc s fergus walsh has more. a public display of confidence in the oxford/astrazeneca vaccine from northern ireland chief medical officer today. by contrast, you cannot have the jab in the irish republic, in france, germany and a growing list of eu countries which have temporarily suspended its use. this is a safe, effective vaccine as recommended by mhra, let s remember, this virus kills people, it kills people my age, younger people and older people. the benefit is strongly in
and woke up 1,000 miles from home. hello, i m katty kay in washington. christian fraser is in london. the domino effect is in full flow, first norway and denmark, then germany, france, and italy, and now spain. all of them suspending the use of the astrazeneca vaccine today until the european medicines agency has issued new guidance, which should come tomorrow. 17 million people have had the astrazeneca jab in the uk and europe and there have been 37 reports of blood clots. but scientists say you would expect that number in that many people even without the vaccine. halting a vaccine roll out during a pandemic has consequences particularly when most of the countries in europe are seeing a steady rise in new cases. there were already issues surrounding the astrazeneca jab with some in europe refusing to take it. this will further complicate the roll out. tonight, the ema says it believes the benefits of the astrazensca jab in stopping deaths and hospitalisations outweigh a