Covid-19: Morocco decides to continue using AstraZeneca jab

Morocco has decided to continue using AstraZeneca vaccine in its immunization campaign against Covid-19, saying the lifesaving benefits outweigh the risk of potential side effects of the vaccine developed by the UK-Swedish pharmaceutical company.

The decision was announced Wednesday following a meeting held by the country’s experts and medical consultants after global reports of serious side effects including blood clothing in some recipients of the AstraZeneca jab.

The Health ministry said it would continue to monitor closely the safety of the coronavirus vaccines, analyzing their related scientific data and side effects at the national and international level.

It also affirmed that no death cases linked to AstraZeneca shot have been reported in Morocco besides the common side effects. In the North African Kingdom, over 6.3 million people have been vaccinated against covid-19, including more than 2.1 million people who received their second shot.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has said there was “no indication” the AstraZeneca shot causes blood clots, after several EU countries suspended temporarily the vaccine.

For its part, the World Health Organization has urged countries not to halt vaccinations.