UK Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine trial in children paused

Oxford University says there were ‘no safety concerns’ in the trial but will await additional data before restarting.

The University of Oxford said on Tuesday it had paused a small UK trial testing the COVID-19 vaccine it developed with AstraZeneca in children and teenagers, as it waits for more data on rare blood clotting issues in adults who received the shot. The university, which helped develop the embattled vaccine, said in a statement that there were “no safety concerns” in the trial, but acknowledged fears over a potential link to clots by saying that it was awaiting additional data from Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before restarting the study. “Parents and children should continue to attend all scheduled visits and can contact the trial sites if they have any questions,” it added.