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 The trials in the United States, Chile and Peru showed the vaccine
was 79% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and could
bolster confidence in the product after confusion over its efficacy
data, dosing regimen and possible side-effects.
Many European countries halted the use of the AstraZeneca shot
earlier this month after some reports that it was linked to blood
clots, but have since resumed inoculation after a regional regulator
said it was safe. A survey on Monday showed Europeans remained
sceptical over its safety.
Leaders in Asia have sought to boost public confidence by taking the
AstraZeneca shot themselves amid concerns a slowdown in the global
vaccination rollout could hurt the fight against COVID-19, which has
killed over 2.8 million people worldwide.
The AstraZeneca shot was among the first and cheapest of the
COVID-19 vaccines to be developed and launched at volume and is set
to be the mainstay of vaccination programmes in much of the
developing world.
"I have just finished getting the (AstraZeneca) injection, there is
no pain at the injection site, and there is no soreness of the
body," Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters as the island
launched its inoculation campaign on Monday.
Thailand's prime minister also became the first person in the
country to be inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine after its
rollout was temporarily put on hold over safety concerns, while
Indonesia began using it on Monday after suspending it last week.
But Indonesia's Food and Drug agency has warned against its use on
people with blood clotting disorders.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, 68, plans to get the shot on
Tuesday after the government said it could be used on older people.
Moon sought to reassure the public on Monday that the AstraZeneca
shot is safe and encouraged people to take it.
"Vaccination is to protect not just yourself but also our society as
a whole by creating herd immunity," he said.
[to top of second column] |
 British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson received his first dose of the
AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, saying
he "did not feel a thing."
HEADWINDS
The European Medicines Agency regulator said on
Thursday the vaccine is effective and not linked
with a rise in the overall risk of blood clots.
Yet a survey released on Monday showed that
people in seven European countries were more
likely to see the vaccine as unsafe than as
safe. Many Asian countries
heavily rely on the AstraZeneca vaccine to end the pandemic, as the
shot is being used in inoculation programmes in Australia, South
Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and India.
Some states in India, which has the highest coronavirus caseload
after the United States and Brazil, are seeking to accelerate the
vaccination drive, as the country reported its most COVID-19 cases
and deaths in months on Monday.
As vaccine demand rises at home, top producer the Serum Institute of
India has delayed further shipments of the AstraZeneca shot to the
United Kingdom, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Morocco..
Australia, which has inoculated just 1% of its population so far, is
also accelerating vaccination after the country's pharmaceutical
regulator approved on Sunday the local manufacturing of the
AstraZeneca vaccine by CSL.
Within 12 weeks, CSL is expected to produce 1 million doses of the
vaccine each week.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei, Krishna Das in New Delhi,
Colin Packham in Canberra, Stanley Widianto in Jakarta, Sangmi Cha
in Seoul and Neil Jerome Morales in Manila; Writing by Miyoung Kim;
Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa)
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