Vaccine update: ROI could see new surge in Covid cases
Queens Virologist criticises decision to suspend use of Astrazeneca
Last updated 19th Mar 2021
A top virologist in Belfast is warning the Republic of Ireland could see around 40,000 more Covid cases because of the decision to suspend the use of the Astrazeneca vaccine.
Ireland was one of many countries which paused the rollout of the jab while reports of blood clotting were investigated.
The UK continued using it with the Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty saying the 'benefits outweigh the risk' and the Prime Minister vowing to get the vaccine soon.
On Thursday the European Medicines Agency concluded the vaccine is 'safe and effective' and found no link between the jab and rare blood clots.
Dr Ultan Power, Professor of Molecular Virology at Queens University Belfast said the decision to suspend it may have caused more harm than good:
"I heard figures that this week because of the suspension in the Republic, 40,000 people are not going to be vaccinated.
"So if we consider then the amount of people who could possibly get infected, if 40,000 people were exposed to the virus, we could end up in a situation where those people could be the start of a new surge of the virus."