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  • Most of the European countries that suspended the use of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine have said they will start using it again after the use medical regulator declared it safe and effective.

  • Italy, Germany, France and Spain are among those resuming use of the jab.

  • After a pause over fears of a link to blood clots in a small number of people here, the UK's regulator said any link between the jab and clots is unproven and the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh any risks.

  • Here's our medical editor, Fergus Walsh.

  • Every injection every vaccine given is another person protected.

  • Half a million people a day here are getting immunized.

  • At present, many EU countries suspended using the Oxford AstraZeneca jab pending the outcome of today's safety review.

  • In Hull, there was no sign of vaccine hesitancy.

  • I was waiting a long time.

  • I'm like in my sixties, so I've only just really got man.

  • So I was just happy it's finally done, just took on board.

  • This is my appointment.

  • This is what needs doing.

  • This is keeping everyone safe, so let's go ahead and get it done, the UK medicines regulator said after a rigorous review there was no evidence that blood clots were caused by the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

  • It looked in particular at five cases of rare clots in the brain.

  • Among 11 million people immunized by the NHS.

  • All were men under 61 of whom died, it said.

  • Given the link was unproven, the benefits of the vaccine far outweighed potential side effects for those in their forties.

  • The risk of dying after covid infection is one in 1000.

  • As a precautionary measure, it's advising anyone with a headache that lasts more than four days after vaccination to seek medical attention.

  • There is no difference that blood clots in veins are occurring more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination for either vaccine.

  • The public can have every confidence in the thoroughness of our review, Mrs.

  • And in Amsterdam, the European Medicines Agency has come to the same conclusion about the AstraZeneca jab.

  • This is a safe and effective vaccine.

  • Its benefits in protecting people from Covid 19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalization outweigh the possible risks.

  • The committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thrombosis, a bolic events or blood clots.

  • The prime minister, who is 56 will get his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine tomorrow and said all adults would be offered a jab by the end of July.

  • Our progress along the road to freedom continues unchecked.

  • We remain on track to reclaim the things we love.

  • To see our families and friends again to return to our local pubs are gyms and sports facilities and, of course, our shops all.

  • Of course, as long as the data continue to go in the right direction and we meet our four tests, those in their forties seem likely to have to wait until May to get their first vaccine because older people will be getting their second shot and there won't be enough extra doses to go around due to supply issues caused by a delay in the delivery of vaccine from India and a batch here that needed retesting, Half of all adults in the UK have now had a first dose of vaccine.

  • The head of the in England, Sir Simon Stevens, got the AstraZeneca job at Westminster Abbey.

  • Safe and effective vaccines will answer all our prayers to be delivered from this pandemic.

  • Ferguson's BBC News Our Europe editor, Katia Adler, is in Brussels now.

  • Safe and effective is the verdict.

  • Is this going to be enough to restore confidence in the EU?

  • Well, so if you let me explain why that is such an important question because here in mainland Europe, covid infections are again on the rise.

  • If you have a look at parts of Central and Eastern Europe, you have some of the highest death rates now in the whole world.

  • And today France joined Germany and Italy that recently said that they are facing a third wave, so the EU desperately needs to vaccinate people.

  • But it faces two big problems.

  • Number one is supply.

  • The EU simply doesn't have enough vaccines at the moment, and the second big problem is public acceptance because many European Sophie are more vaccine wary than their counterparts in the U.

  • K.

  • And EU leaders on again, off again relationship with the AstraZeneca job really hasn't helped matters.

  • I mean, remember back in January when some EU leaders were suggesting it might not be as effective in the over 65 then they changed their minds.

  • Now they were the worries about blood clots and so a lot of people have been put off.

  • Angela Merkel admitted that the jab has what she called an acceptance problem in Germany and in France.

  • The prime minister said he would be getting the AstraZeneca job in order to try and boost public confidence.

  • But critics of how the EU has handled all they say it could be too late.

  • A lot of damage has already been done, Cata.

  • Thank you.

  • And let's talk to our political editor, Laura Ginsburg in Westminster and concerns today about supplies of the job here.

  • Well, that's right, Sophie.

  • After all the squall over the vaccine, over safety and also over supplies we learned yesterday, there's a real slow down.

  • The amount will be arriving into the UK I think the prime minister himself felt that he had to get out there front up to the concerns, because I think there was a bit of a worry, a bit of a nickel inside government, that there might be some little hints about public confidence not being where it should be.

  • And it has in this country, by comparison with others in the European Union been sky high So the prime minister was out there saying reassurance on number one.

  • It's safety boasting of his own vaccine tomorrow, and he will be rolling up his own sleeves.

  • Secondly, on supply that although there has been a bit of a slowdown and the government won't be able to speed ahead with their plan, they will absolutely be able to stick to their targets by giving everybody over 18 their first dose by the end of July.

  • And lastly, he also was determined to reassure on the bigger question the vaccines role in the gradual opening of the country's doors.

  • And he was adamant.

  • He said several times that for now we would be sticking to the so called road map, moving cautiously and carefully through different stages.

  • But the vaccine is such a vital part of that you can see today the government's absolutely adamant they do not want the public's faith in the program to be dented.

Most of the European countries that suspended the use of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine have said they will start using it again after the use medical regulator declared it safe and effective.

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