Germany, Italy and France suspend AstraZeneca vaccine amid blood clotting concerns

Germany, Italy and France have all suspended the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, those nations the latest in a series of European countries to pause their rollouts after reports of some recipients falling ill.

French president Emmanuel Macron said his country would be suspending the use of the vaccine for 24 hours pending an assessment by the European Medicines Agency.

“The decision which has been taken out of precaution is to suspend vaccinating with the AstraZeneca vaccine in the hope that we can resume quickly if the EMA gives the green light,” Mr Macron told a press conference.

“We are therefore suspending its use until tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon.”

Germany’s health minister Jens Spahn echoed Mr…