Covid-19 Digest: AstraZeneca Vaccine Trial on Children Halted

KOMPAS.com - A UK trial of the AstraZeneca vaccine on children was halted amid fears of links to a rare blood clot, Oxford University said.

While the researchers insist there are "no safety concerns" in the trial, they said they would await additional data from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before resuming their work.

The news follows a statement from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday that the "risk-benefit" balance for AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine was still "largely" positive.

"There is no link for the moment between the vaccine and thrombotic events with thrombocytopenia," said Rogerio Pinto de Sa Gaspar, the WHO's director for regulation and pre-qualification.

Previously, an official of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) claimed there was a "clear connection" between the AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots. However, EMA's official position remains undecided — the agency said it was still reviewing data and had not reached any conclusion.

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About one in three people who survive Covid-19 suffer from neurological or psychiatric problems six months after diagnosis, according to a study in the medical journal, The Lancet. According to the research, Covid-19 patients were also more likely to develop brain conditions.

Also read: AstraZeneca Denies Using Swine Trypsin in Its Covid-19 Vaccine

This is the largest study until now on the mental toll of Covid-19 on survivors. About 230,000 recovered patients were surveyed, of whom 34 percent were diagnosed with a neurological or psychiatric issue.

About 17 percent of patients had anxiety, while 14 percent reported mood disorders. The risk for brain disorders was higher in patients who had had a severe form of Covid-19.

Norwegian Cruise Line, the third-largest cruise line in the world, said that it would resume trips beginning in July for passengers who have received the full dosage of the coronavirus vaccine. The cruise operator said that on July 25 it would gradually resume cruises on new routes in Greece and the Caribbean.

Also read: 1.1 Million Doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine in Indonesia Will Expire by End of May  

"All guests sailing aboard cruises with embarkation dates through October 31, 2021, will be required to be fully vaccinated and tested prior to boarding our ships," the company's chief executive said.

Norwegian said that it would have "medical-grade air filtration" on board as well as sanitation measures and "enhanced" medical resources.

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