Sweden Joins Germany, France, Others in Pausing Use of Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine

STOCKHOLM – Sweden is pausing the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as a precautionary measure amid concerns about reports of blood clots in some recipients in Europe.

“The decision is a precautionary measure,” Sweden’s chief epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, said in a statement.

The move by the Swedish Public Health Agency was to remain in effect until an investigation by the European Medicines Agency into suspected side effects is complete.

A growing number of European countries – including Germany, France, Italy and Spain – have suspended use of AstraZeneca´s vaccine, though the company and international regulators say there is no evidence the shot is to blame for the blood clots.

Sweden has stood out for its comparatively mild response to the pandemic. The country avoided lockdowns and relied instead on citizens´ sense of civic duty to control infections. As of Tuesday, more than 13,140 people had died of COVID-19 in the Scandinavian country, far more per capita than in Sweden´s neighbors but fewer than in other European countries that did implement strict lockdowns or curfews.