Following Germany's lead, France and Italy have suspended the administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The decision, announced by French President Emmanuel Macron and the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), comes as a precautionary measure while the European Medicines Agency (EMA) conducts a review of the vaccine's safety data.
AIFA has officially banned the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine across the country "as a precautionary and temporary measure", pending the EMA's decisions. "This decision was taken in accordance with similar measures adopted by other European countries," the agency said in a statement.
President Macron stated that the suspension would remain in effect until the EMA issues its findings on Tuesday. "We have decided to suspend the use of AstraZeneca as a precautionary measure and we hope to resume it soon if the EMA's advice allows it," Macron said during a press conference on Monday.
The decision follows a number of other European countries that have suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine pending further evaluation, despite claims by the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunization (JCVI) that the vaccine has been "rigorously tested for safety".
