Health Minister Tikatradze: Georgia continues AstraZeneca vaccination
European Medicines Agency has concluded today that the benefits of AstraZeneca vaccine ‘continue to outweigh the risk of side effects' in combating Covid-19. Photo: UNICEF Georgia/Twitter
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Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze has announced that Georgia will continue using AstraZeneca vaccine despite the recent case of an alleged complication following vaccination in the town of Akhaltsikhe earlier today.
Tikaradze said at a news briefing that the AstraZeneca vaccine is a safe vaccine the benefits of which overweight the possible risks.
The AstraZeneca vaccine rollout will continue in Georgia without delay”, Ministre Tikaradze said.
Earlier today a 27-year-old nurse developed an alleged anaphylactic reaction after receiving the first shot of AstraZeneca vaccine.
Healthcare experts had gathered immediately to assess the case and decide whether to temporarily suspend vaccination with AstraZeneca vaccine in Georgia.
Megi Bakradze, 27, who received her first shot of AstraZeneca vaccine this morning, had an alleged anaphylaxis, which is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rarely after vaccination. Photo: Shot from TV9 video
The Georgian nurse, who remains in critical condition, was delivered to the First University Clinic in Tbilisi. Prior to the accident she had encouraged everyone to get vaccinated and thus protect themselves from the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) safety committee concluded its preliminary review confirming that the benefits of the vaccine in combating Covid-19 ‘continue to outweigh the risk of side effects’.
EMA’s safety committee (PRAC) concludes that the benefits of the #COVID19Vaccine AstraZeneca still outweigh its risks despite possible link to rare blood clots associated with low levels of blood platelets.
— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) March 18, 2021
????Read more: https://t.co/WCdaKqOPxB pic.twitter.com/0NO8kh5a48
Georgia received the first 43,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine on March 13. Vaccination of health workers started on March 15 throughout Georgia.
President Salome Zurabishvili, who also received the AstraZeneca vaccine live on TV earlier today, said that without vaccination Georgia and the rest of the world will not be able to end the pandemic.
Getting the #AstraZeneca shot. World leaders must show the vaccine is not only safe, it’s our way back to normalcy. pic.twitter.com/VuHWB8LzEz
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) March 18, 2021