Philippine health authorities said Friday there was no reason to suspend the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines even if some European countries have halted the use of the jabs following reports of blood clots in some of those who were inoculated with it.
The Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration said there was no need to stop the local rollout, noting that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.
"At present, the DOH and FDA emphasize that there is no indication for the Philippines to stop rollout of AstraZeneca vaccines," the DOH and FDA said in a joint statement.
AstraZeneca is among two vaccine brands that are currently being used in the Philippines' COVID-19 immunization program along with China's Sinovac.
Even before it became available in the Philippines, several local government units and private companies have already placed orders for the jab developed with the University of Oxford.
Several European countries -- Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Luxemburg --have suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccines as a precautionary measure after some who were inoculated developed blood clots after receiving the jab.
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To allay public concerns, the Department of Health reiterated that the European Medicine Authority (EMA) had said that there is "currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects with this vaccine." The EMA is reviewing the blood clot reports.
Philippine health authorities also assured the public that they are monitoring vaccines used in the country.
"The public is assured they will closely monitor all deployed vaccines," the DOH and FDA said.