Estonia is planning to postpone the use of the vaccine against Covid-19 by US pharmaceutical manufacturer Johnson & Johnson until the European regulator completes a review, officials said on Thursday.
The doses of the jab will remain in storage until the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issues an opinion on cases of blood clots that could be associated with the vaccine, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs in Tallinn, which includes health in its remit.
This decision was made on the recommendation of the national expert committee on disease prevention, the ministry said.
For now, Lithuania also plans not to use Johnson & Johnson's vaccine in its inoculation campaign against Covid-19.
"We have received a request from the manufacturer to keep the vaccine in stock for the time being," Lithuania's Health Minister Arunas Dulkys said.
So far, Estonia has received 2,400 doses of the vaccine, while Lithuania has 4,800 doses.
The plans follow similar decisions by some other European countries after reports of rare thrombosis side effects.
'More benefits than risks'
However, the EMA continues to maintain that the vaccine's "benefits in preventing Covid-19" outweigh the risks of side effects.
Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday that it was delaying the launch of its vaccine in Europe. It said it had received reports of sinus vein thrombosis following vaccinations and decided on the delay. The company said it was working with experts and health authorities to investigate the cases.
US authorities on Tuesday suspended use of the vaccine until they can clarify whether there is a link or not.
In the United States, about 6.8 million people have been vaccinated with the product so far.
The EMA plans to issue an opinion next week.
