PIERS Morgan has slammed the EU for causing “panic” as a string of countries suspended use of the Astrazeneca vaccine over blood clot fears.
The former GMB presenter, 55, said there was “no evidence” that the jab was harmful after Germany, France and Italy announced a ban today.
Fourteen EU states — including France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands — have paused roll-out as a precaution after unsubstantiated fears the jab might trigger blood clots.
It followed a small number of reports of people experiencing blood clots in the days and weeks after their vaccination.
Alongside a retweet of the news of European nations banning the jab, Piers wrote: “Great, more for us. There’s no evidence to support this ridiculous EU panic.
“Boris Johnson should tell AstraZeneca we’ll take all their unwanted vaccines for Britain.”
The PM last night insisted the vaccine, which has already been given to over 11million Brits, was effective and safe.
But medical experts have sought to reassure Brits that the vaccine is safe, with the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) saying there was no evidence of a link between the jab and an increased risk of blood clots.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was asked if he could tell the public the jab is safe, and answered: “Yes, I can. In the MHRA we have one of the toughest and most experienced regulators in the world.
“They see no reason at all to discontinue the vaccination programme… for either of the vaccines that we’re currently using.
“They believe that they are highly effective in driving down not just hospitalisation but also serious disease and mortality.
“We continue to be very confident about the programme and it’s great to see it being rolled out at such speed across the UK.”
It came after the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency also said there was no link between the jab and blood clots.
Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford vaccine group, said “safety is clearly absolutely paramount” – but said it was “important to understand that a lot of stuff happens to people all the time in normal times”.
He told BBC Radio 4: “In the case of blood clots here in the UK, we see about 3,000 cases of blood clots happening every month.
“So, when you then put a vaccination campaign on top of that, clearly those blood clots still happen and you’ve got to then try and separate out whether, when they occur, they are at all related to the vaccine or not.”
In the UK around 11 million people are thought to have had a dose of the AstraZeneca jab.
Following the reports of blood clots AztraZenca said it tested 17 million doses of the jab.
The decision could prove costly for European nations currently struggling with a third wave of infections.
Around two thirds of Italy was plunged back into lockdown yesterday amid a surge in cases – while hospitalisations in France have also seen a sharp increase.
It also comes after EU leaders repeatedly made baseless allegations about the jab’s efficacy in over-65s – despite a raft of studies showing that it prevented serious illness.
Emmanuel Macron’s claim that the jab was “quasi-ineffective” among the age group sparked a wave of anti-vax sentiment across France.
And in Germany, health authorities have begged older members of the population to get the Astrazeneca jab – despite previous skepticism about its effectiveness.
