[WATCH] People with family history of thrombosis can receive Janssen and AstraZeneca vaccines - Fearne

People with family history of thrombosis can receive Janssesn and AstraZeneca vaccines - Fearne

Persons with a family history of thrombosis can receive the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and AstraZeneca vaccines, Health Minister Chris Fearne confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday.

Fearne said that so far, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), has not put any restrictions on the two vaccines for people with a family history of thrombosis.

The European medicines watchdog said that blood clots should be listed as a rare side effect for both vaccines. However, the agency insisted that the benefits of combating COVID-19 outweigh the risk.

Last week Johnson & Johnson had suspended its EU rollout over reports of rare blood clotting witnessed in the US. Eight severe cases of unusual blood clots were reported in America, one of which had a fatal outcome.

However, Fearne said that Johnson & Johnson has now resumed its EU rollout and given the go-ahead for the consignment already in Malta to be distributed.

Fearne explained that there were different types of thrombosis and that the type seen in both vaccines was rare. He said they were not linked to the thrombosis of the veins or pulmonary thrombosis. Because of this, persons with a family history of thrombosis were not excluded from taking the Janssen and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.