TRNC suspends the use of Astrazeneca vaccine due to alleged side effect

Just like the rest of Europe, northern Cyprus has joined in suspending the use of Astrazeneca vaccine.

Health Minister Ünal Üstel made the announcement on Tuesday.

Üstel said the Ministry received a call from the European Union at 9:00pm on Monday that the use of the vaccine be stopped.

He said about 1500 people have been vaccinated from this vaccine so far. 

The TRNC have so far received two batches of 7,500 doses of the Astrazeneca brand vaccines produced by Oxford University, which is among the vaccines provided by the EU.

The vaccine which is one of the first two vaccines developed against Covid-19, was suspended by some of Europe’s largest and most populous countries including Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria, Ireland and the Netherlands, on the suspicion that it could create blood clotting and increase the risk of diseases such as deep vein occlusion and pulmonary embolism. 

Southern Cyprus also announced that it has suspended the use of the vaccine until Thursday.