Matt Hancock has urged Brits to keep getting the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine which is “saving lives”.
The Health Secretary spoke out after a string of European countries suspended the rollout of the jab over concerns about alleged side-effects.
He told Brits “if you get the call, get the jab”, adding: “The vaccine keeps you safe and helps protect you, it helps protect those around you, your loved ones, and it will help us to all get out of this pandemic.”
Denmark, France and Germany are among countries that have paused the jab’s progress in their population.
Yet the European Medicines Agency today said there is “no indication” the vaccine is causing blood clots.
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The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has also said evidence "does not suggest" the jab causes clots.
Emer Cooke, European Medicines Agency (EMA) executive director, told a press conference: "They have not come up in the clinical trials and they are not listed as known side events with this vaccine.
"In clinical trials, both vaccinated people and people who received the placebo have shown some very small number of blood clot developments.
"The number of thromboembolic events overall in vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population."
She added the benefits of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab outweighed the risks.
Mr Hancock tonight told journalists: “The Oxford/AstraZeneca jab is safe. We know that over 10million people have had it in this country.
“That’s what the British regulator says but also the World Health Organisation and even the European regulator.
“Now, we keep the effects of these vaccines under review all the time and we know the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is saving lives in the UK right now.
“So if you get the call, get the jab.”
Asked if there was any evidence of people turning down the jab in the UK, he replied: “We’re still getting huge numbers of people vaccinated every day, and in fact the numbers yesterday were one of the highest numbers that we’ve seen.
“I’m really, really grateful to the whole team who are delivering on that.
“The enthusiasm for getting the vaccine is incredibly strong and we’re still seeing that and there’s a good reason.
“Because the vaccine keeps you safe and helps protect you, it helps protect those around you, your loved ones, and it will help us to all get out of this pandemic.”
Asked what he would say to European countries that have suspended their rollout, he replied: “What I’d say is this Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and that we should listen to the regulators.
“And the British regulator, a world-class regulator, the MHRA, the World Health Organisation and the European Medicines Agency have all looked at the data.
“Over 11 million people have been vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
“We can see in the real world its impact. We can see that it’s not only safe, but saving lives.
“So it helps make you safe by taking it. So when you get the opportunity, I’d recommend to everybody to get the jab as soon as you can.”
