On Wednesday, Denmark announced that it would halt usage of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine due to its possible link to a rare form of blood clots, becoming the first country to do so.

The move will push back the country’s vaccine schedule from July 25 to early August, reported Reuters.

That timeline may also be in doubt as it was crafted with the assumption that Denmark will throw into the mix the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which has been hit with similar concerns of blood clots occurring.

The Danish Health Agency, in a press conference, said that an investigation into the AstraZeneca vaccine found that blood clots posed “real and serious side effects.”

“We have therefore chosen to continue the vaccination program for all target groups without this vaccine,” the agency stated.

Last week, the EU drug watchdog agency found that there may be a link between the vaccine and a rare brain blood clot disorder known as CVST.

Most EU countries have since started using the AstraZeneca vaccine again. But they are restricting it to those over the age of 50.

Denmark was first to suspend the use of the vaccine in March when the safety issues arose.

Almost one million of the country’s 5.8 million have been vaccinated, according to Reuters.

Denmark’s infection rate is going down and the country is easing some restrictions.

Source: Arutz Sheva