The European Union drug regulator has said the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is “safe and effective” after several mostly European countries suspended its use following reports of blood clots after the jab inoculation, writes DW.

Speaking during a news briefing, Emer Cooke, head of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the AstraZeneca vaccine is “a safe and effective option to protect citizens against COVID-19”.

Cooke said the agency “cannot rule out definitively a link” between rare types of blood clots and the vaccine, and experts recommend raising awareness among doctors and recipients of possible risks.

But she said in a briefing the “clear” conclusion of the review was that the vaccine “benefits in protecting people from COVID-19 with the associated risk of death or hospitalisation outweighs the possible risks”.

The EMA recommended adding a description of these cases to the vaccine leaflets so health workers and patients would be aware of these rare blood clots.