A trial of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in children has been paused as regulators investigate a possible link with rare blood clots in adults.
Meanwhile, Downing Street has said the vaccination programme remains “on track” to meet its targets - including offering all adults a jab by the end of July - despite official estimates of supplies being sharply downgraded.
The Cabinet Office has indicated that an average of 2.7 million doses a week will be given in England until the end of July, down from a previous estimate of 3.2 million - a drop of 500,000.
“The health secretary set out a couple of weeks ago now the fact that there will be a slight reduction in April but the key thing to remember is that doesn’t mean that we are not on track to hit our pledges,” the prime minister’s official spokesperson said.
It comes as Boris Johnson stressed the safety of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine amid reports that health regulators are considering limiting its use in younger people.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon, the prime minister urged Britons to go and get the jab when called to do so.
His comments came after an official at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has said there is a link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and rare cases of blood clots reported across the continent.
The vaccines minister has said the UK’s medicines regulator is looking at “very rare instances of blood clotting”, adding both the Oxford/Astrazeneca and Pfizer jabs saved thousands of lives in the country in a few months.
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