GOV’T DENIES VACCINE-DEATH LINK

[Anchor Lead]

The results of an autopsy conducted on one of the persons who died after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine have revealed blood clots in the body of the deceased. But health authorities denied the death had been caused by the vaccine and continued with vaccinations as planned.

[Pkg]

The nation's health authorities said there was no reason to suspend COVID-19 vaccinations and that the AstraZeneca vaccine will be used as planned. The announcement was based on the WHO's opinion that AstraZeneca shots should not be suspended and that there had been no cases of vaccinations causing blood clots in Korea yet. Most experts believe the AstraZeneca vaccine should be administered as planned.

[Soundbite] Jung Jae-hun(Prof., Gachon Univ.) : "If vaccinations are suspended each time there are individual problems, we will eventually have to put the entire immunization program on hold."

One death caused by blood clots following vaccination has been reported here in the nation. Authorities concluded there is no correlation between the cause of death and vaccination, as there were other factors that might have caused the fatality. They stressed blood clots are common in elderly and debilitated people. KDCA chief Jung Eun-kyeong told the National Assembly there were no problems with the AstraZeneca vaccine so far and vowed to continue monitoring its safety.

[Soundbite] Jung Eun-kyeong(KDCA Director) : "There's no problem in getting the AstraZeneca vaccine. Everyone at our agency has received it. We will keep monitoring its safety."

The European Medicines Agency is to hold a meeting to determine causality between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots. Multiple countries in Europe have put on hold the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to prevent fatalities.