Norway won’t resume AstraZeneca use: report

Norway will not resume usage of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine due to concerns about a blood-clotting issue that arose in some patients after taking the first dose, its prime minister is expected to announce.

Reuters reported, citing local newspapers, that Prime Minister Erna Solberg is expected to announce at 12 p.m. EDT the country’s decision on whether to use a vaccine manufactured by Johnson & Johnson as well.

Norwegian authorities suspended the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine in March while also delaying the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to similar concerns. A decision on whether to resume the use of AstraZeneca was delayed by the country’s health ministry last month.

In March, the country’s health minister Ben Hoeie told reporters that a decision to permanently end usage of the AstraZeneca vaccine would likely affect the country’s decision on the J&J one-dose vaccine as well.

“If we say a final ‘no’ to the AstraZeneca vaccine, this could also impact our ability to consider using the Janssen vaccine, which is built on the same technology,” he said, according to Reuters.

A number of countries have suspended administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to concerns about a blood-clotting issue that has arisen in some younger patients, particularly women, who were administered the vaccine. A handful of deaths have been reported as a result of the rare side effects.

The U.S. has not yet authorized AstraZeneca’s vaccine for emergency use, while the J&J vaccine remains available across the country.