Covid-19: NI to keep using AstraZeneca jab after Irish suspension

Health officials in Northern Ireland will continue to use the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after its suspension in the Republic of Ireland.

The country's National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended the move after reports of serious blood clotting events in adults in Norway.

Ireland's Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said it was "precautionary".

AstraZeneca said there is no evidence of a link between the vaccine and increased risk of clotting.

On Sunday, the Netherlands became the latest country to suspend use of the vaccine. The Dutch government said the move, which will last until at least 29 March, was a precaution based on reports from Denmark and Norway of possible serious side effects.

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it was aware of the suspension in Ireland and was "closely reviewing reports".

"But given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause," a spokesperson said.