The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has said that the version and batch of AstraZeneca vaccine used in the Caribbean is not the same as what has now been temporarily discontinued in Europe.
Some European countries have suspended the use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford in England after deaths due to diseases related to blood clotting after receiving the vaccine. Denmark announced the first suspension, while Italy’s pharmaceutical agency on Thursday also ordered a precautionary ban on a specific group of AstraZeneca vaccine following ‘serious adverse events’.
Jamaica began vaccinating its front-line workers this week to include health workers and police, after receiving 50,000 doses as a gift from India on Monday.
In a release yesterday, CARPHA said a link between the vaccine and the deaths has not yet been established, pointing out that the suspensions are a precautionary measure while the reports are fully investigated.
“Adverse reactions that occur after vaccination with any vaccine should be fully investigated to rule out various factors, such as associated diseases, disease progression and group assessment, before the health authorities make a final decision,” CARPHA said.
It continued: “It should be noted that the vaccine used in the Caribbean is not the same version or group as the one in Europe.”
The local health agency said it would immediately communicate the findings and recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) to local and international health partners once the body has a full understanding of the link between deaths and the vaccine. The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is said to be carefully reviewing current reports on the AstraZeneca vaccine.
CARPHA reassures member states that its Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS) verifies vaccines with emergency use authorization granted by strict regulatory authorities of reference.
It encourages individuals vaccinated with any of the COVID-19 vaccines available in their country to report adverse events occurring after vaccination to their local health authorities.
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