COVID digest: AstraZeneca slashes Polish vaccine deliveries

AstraZeneca will reduce the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses delivered to Poland by 550,000 in March, the prime minister's top aide Michal Dworczyk said on Friday.

The announcement comes after several EU countries announced they were halting the use of the shot, over concerns about a possible link to blood clots.

AstraZeneca has been struggling to fulfill its European vaccine contract commitments.

The manufacturer has cut back first-quarter projected deliveries from at least 80 million to 40 million doses, citing production difficulties. It later told EU countries it would cut deliveries by another 50% in the second quarter, frustrating lawmakers.

Poland's vaccination program has been hampered by delivery delays from producers. The country of 38 million has administered over 4 million vaccine doses.

In an unrelated development, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was listing severe allergic reactions as a possible side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine in a limited number of cases. 

It said the adjustment was being made after 41 reports of possible anaphylaxis from among around 5 million vaccinations in the United Kingdom.

The amendment followed 41 reports of possible anaphylaxis seen among around 5 million vaccinations in the United Kingdom, the EMA said. The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee said a link to the vaccine was likely in at least some of these cases.

Here's an overview of other developments around the world

Global

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio-Guterres expressed concern on Thursday that wealthier countries are far outpacing poorer nations with vaccinating their populations. 

Guterres called on coronavirus vaccines to be seen as a "global public good."

According to the New York Times coronavirus world vaccination tracker, Israel, Seychelles, and Bahrain are the top countries with the highest percentages of their populations fully vaccinated. Poorer countries are rushing to secure more doses, with developing nations such as Brazil facing a surge in deaths.

Europe

In Spain, all of the doses from a suspect batch of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine have already been distributed, said Health Minister Carolina Darias. Some countries suspect the vaccine, and this batch in particular, may cause severe side effects.

Frane's drug regulator, ANSM,  said the AstraZeneca jab should continue to be used, standing by the advice of Europe's medicine regulator, EMA. The French agency said that only one case of blood clotting has followed an AstraZeneca vaccination in France. There is no indication that this was linked to the vaccine.

The Romanian government followed several other European countries in banning 4,200 doses from the suspect AstraZeneca vaccine batch. "We take this measure as an extreme precaution," Romania's national vaccination center said in a statement, adding there was no "scientific reason" in Romania for banning the vaccine batch. 

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov also suspended the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine on Friday. "I order a halt in vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine until the European Medicines Agency dismisses all doubts about its safety," a government press service statement quoted Borisov as saying.

With a rise in infections, Italy is on the verge of further tightening restrictions. Measures are meant to curb contact more severely, especially on the weekends. The tighter restrictions are due to take effect across the country starting on Monday.

Africa

In Kenya, a nationwide curfew has been extended for 60 days to battle a third wave of COVID-19 infections. Places of worship are only allowed one-third of their total capacity for services. Bars and restaurants must close by 9 pm.

Tanzania's President John Magufuli is healthy and working, Prime Minister Kassim said in comments carried by state media. The statement comes amid reports that the president was critically ill with COVID-19 and had to be flown abroad for treatment

Americas

US President Joe Biden announced during an address on Thursday that US states should make all adult Americans eligible for vaccination by May 1. Biden had previously said there would be enough vaccines available for all Americans by the end of May.

Data also revealed on Friday that the US had hit a COVID-19 vaccine milestone, having administered 100 million shots.

Cuba has sent 100,000 doses of its candidate coronavirus vaccine, Soberana 2, to Iran for joint clinical trials. Cuba's Finlay Vaccine Institute and Iran's Pasteur Institute signed an agreement in January to cooperate on vaccine development.

The communist Caribbean island, under heavy US sanctions, has produced almost 80% of its vaccines locally since the 1980s. The country has been relatively unscathed by the coronavirus pandemic, recording fewer than 400 deaths in a population of over 11 million. It hopes to vaccinate residents with a locally produced vaccine by the end of the year.

Asia

In Azerbaijan, Russia's Sputnik V vaccine has been approved for use against the coronavirus, the Azeri health ministry said Friday. The country joins a list of more than 50 to have cleared Sputnik V for use. The vaccine will be delivered soon, the health ministry added.

Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, along with other top political leaders, scrapped plans to receive doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine on Friday, sharing the same concerns with Italy and Romania about possible blood clots.

jm, wd/sms (Reuters, AP, AFP)