Fears of blood clots pause AstraZeneca vaccinations in Europe

A vial with AstraZeneca's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine is pictured in Berlin, Germany, March 16, 2021. Photo by REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

Four European countries, including France and Germany, announced a pause in the usage of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine this week. That’s due to reports of blood clots in some recipients. But the drug maker, the World Health Organization, and the European Medicines Agency argue there’s no evidence of a link between the forming of blood clots and the vaccine. The vaccination roadblock follows feelings of vaccine skepticism across the region.