Countries in Europe divided over AstraZeneca vaccine

European countries were divided in their responses to concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccine, with Germany and Poland continuing to use the jab while Bulgaria joined the ranks of those to stop using it temporarily.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn criticized the suspension of the use of AstraZeneca vaccine doses in some countries, saying that "the benefit ... is far greater than the risk."

Denmark, Norway and Iceland had earlier suspended use of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine after reports of severe cases of blood clots in people who had received it.

After consulting experts at the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Spahn said he could confidently state there was no noticeable accumulation of thrombosis cases in connection with the vaccination.

"I regret that ... some countries in the European Union have suspended vaccination with AstraZeneca," he said.

The president of Germany's Robert Koch Institute for disease control, Lothar Wieler, said that there is currently no indication that the events in Denmark and other countries are statistically significant.

Polish officials reached a similar decision, saying they saw no reason to suspend use of the vaccine.

A Polish Health Ministry spokesperson said the deaths in Austria and Denmark were not associated with people having received the vaccine, during a press briefing in Warsaw, citing the EMA's statements.

Case numbers are rising in Poland, which reported nearly 18,800 infections and 351 deaths on Friday, bringing its death toll to 46,724.

Suspended in Bulgaria

The British variant of the virus is spreading rapidly in Poland, making up around 40 per cent new cases, a proportion expected to rise to 50 per cent in the coming days.

Cases are also rising rapidly in Bulgaria, although officials there temporarily suspended use of the AstraZeneca jab.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said use of the vaccine would stop until the EMA ruled on possible side effects.

Health Minister Kostadin Angelov said he expected AstraZeneca to make a clear statement on the matter. The decision means Bulgaria will only use jabs made by Pfizer and Moderna for the time being.

Bulgaria has recorded 395 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period, according to data released on Thursday.

By Friday, there were 39,823 cases of the virus in a country of 6.9 million people, up from 34,237 a week ago. Bulgaria's death toll has reached nearly 11,100.

As cases rise, the country tightened health regulations in 16 of the country's 28 regions on Friday.