Iraq's Kurdistan region sticks with AstraZeneca vaccine, reports no issues

Kurdish authorities say they will continue administering the vaccine following the European Union's conclusion that blood clots should be listed among "rare side effects" of the British-Swedish vaccine.
Medical staff handle an empty vial of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 at a vaccination center at the Messe trade fair grounds during the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic on April 8, 2021 in Erfurt, Germany.
Medical staff handle an empty vial of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 at a vaccination center during the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic on April 8, 2021, in Erfurt, Germany. - Jens Schlueter/Getty Images
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Adam Lucente
@Adam_Lucente

The Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq will continue using the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 after the European Union concluded there is a small chance it could cause blood clots. The British-Swedish vaccine is being deployed in several Middle Eastern countries while some European and African states are restricting its use. 

A KRG Health Ministry spokesperson said that there have been no major issues with the AstraZeneca vaccine in the semiautonomous Kurdistan Region and that its administration will continue. 

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