WHO urges nations to use 'Oxford jab'

The head of the World Health Organization encouraged nations on Friday to continue distributing the novel coronavirus vaccine produced by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, following earlier questions about the safety of the treatment.

The WHO advisory committee on vaccine safety said it had completed an analysis of the so-called Oxford jab after reports of blood clotting in vaccinated individuals led to a pause in distribution in several European nations.

"The committee has concluded that the available data do not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions following administration of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news briefing. "We urge countries to continue using this important COVID-19 vaccine."

A WHO panel of 12 independent experts reviewed safety data from Europe, the United Kingdom, India, and the WHO's global database, and reached the same conclusions as European Union and United Kingdom drug regulators, which have both signaled support for the continued use of the jab.

The WHO said the Oxford vaccine continues to have a "positive benefit-risk profile, with tremendous potential to prevent infections and reduce deaths across the world".

Most of the nations that halted distribution, which includes Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, indicated they will restart administering the jab, after the EU regulator concluded its own analysis on Thursday.

"We understand that people may have had concerns about the safety of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine," Tedros said. "The question with any pharmaceutical or vaccine is whether the risk of taking it is greater or less than the risk of the disease it is meant to prevent or treat. In this case, there is no question. COVID-19 is a deadly disease and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine can prevent it. It's also important to remember that COVID-19 itself can cause blood clots and low platelets."

Tedros said the treatment is central to international pandemic-control efforts because it accounts for more than 90 percent of vaccines being distributed through COVAX, which is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to novel coronavirus vaccines.

Tedros called on countries to remain vigilant with their pandemic measures because COVID-19 cases are increasing in most regions.

"After six weeks of declining COVID-19 cases in January and February, we are now on track for a fourth consecutive week of increasing cases," he said. "These are worrying trends as we continue to see the impact of variants, opening up of societies, and inequitable vaccine rollout."

Tedros also said that there are continued concerns about the pace of vaccine manufacturing around the world. He said he will meet with the director-general of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, next week to "discuss how we can overcome the barriers we face to boost COVID-19 vaccine production".