Senin, 15 Maret 2021

Oxford says data show no problem with AstraZeneca vaccine - Financial Times

The head of the Oxford university group that developed the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has said there is “no signal of a problem” with its jab after a number of countries suspended its use because of safety concerns.

The Netherlands on Monday said it had become the latest country to halt use of the vaccine saying that 10 cases of noteworthy side-effects had been reported, including thrombosis. Indonesia also temporarily stopped its rollout.

Ireland, Denmark, Bulgaria, Norway, Iceland and Italy’s Piedmont region have also stayed their Oxford/AstraZeneca inoculation drives, although the picture was mixed as Germany said it would continue deploying it and Thailand resumed use.

Prof Andrew Pollard, Oxford vaccine group director, told the BBC there was “very reassuring evidence that there is no increase in a bloodclot phenomenon here in the UK, where most of the doses in Europe been given so far”.

“It’s absolutely critical that we don’t have a problem of not vaccinating people and have the balance of a huge risk, a known risk of Covid, against what appears so far from the data that we’ve got from the regulators — no signal of a problem,” he said.

Dr Phil Bryan, vaccines safety head at the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said people “should still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so”.

“We are 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,” he said.

The European countries have decided to halt Oxford/AstraZeneca inoculations even though the European Medicines Agency, the EU medical regulator, has recommended its continued use for now. The stoppage threatens to further delay the European bloc’s already stuttering immunisation drive.

Dutch authorities said that 10 cases of problems including possible thrombosis or embolisms had been reported by people who received the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab. That meant 43,000 vaccination appointments would be cancelled. Hugo de Jonge, health minister, characterised the pause as a precaution and said he hoped the situation would be resolved within two weeks.

Indonesia cited European doubts about the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in its own decision to stop its rollout temporarily, adding that it would await a World Health Organization review.

Last week, the WHO said that were was no sign the problems were caused by the jabs, while the EMA said there was no indication so far of a higher incidence of thrombosis and embolisms in vaccinated people.

It is the second time EU countries have departed from the EMA’s advice on the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. Several initially declined to give it to older people, although some are considering changing their stance and offering it to all adults.

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2021-03-15 12:50:35Z
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Sarah Everard: Woman arrested at vigil says she was 'terrified' as officer 'said he had a baton' - Sky News

A woman whose image went viral after being arrested at the Sarah Everard vigil on Saturday said she was "terrified" as a police officer leading her away warned he had a baton.

Patsy Stevenson was pictured being taken away from Clapham Common's bandstand in south London on Saturday night after a vigil for the murdered 33-year-old turned violent.

Ms Stevenson told Sky News she went to mourn Ms Everard, whose body was found in Kent woodland last week after going missing from near Clapham Common, and to be among other women who feel their safety needs to be talked about.

Live updates on Sarah Everard investigation and protests

Patsy Stevenson was arrested while attending a vigil for Sarah Everard
Image: Patsy Stevenson was arrested while attending a vigil for Sarah Everard
Police detain a woman as people gather at a memorial site in Clapham Common Bandstand, following the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard, in London, Britain March 13, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Image: Ms Stevenson says a police officer warned he had a baton

But she said it quickly turned nasty when lots of police officers came on to the bandstand, pushing women into the barriers and she was then arrested. She was among three women and a man to be arrested.

She told Sky News: "We were very scared about what was going to happen.

"I just stood there and a police officer was pulling my arm, trying to get my name and then I was tackled to the ground.

"As I was being taken away, behind me one of the officers that was holding on to me was saying 'I've got my hand on my baton, I've got my hand on my baton' to one of the other officers.

"I thought this was terrifying because we're about to walk into a crowd of people and I don't know whether that crowd are going to go against what's going on and me be arrested."

Ms Stevenson said she did not know what to do, having never been in that kind of a situation before, and another woman told her not to give police her name so she did not.

Sarah Everard
Image: Sarah Everard's body was found in Kent woodland last week. A serving Met Police officer has been charged with her murder
Mandatory Credit: Photo by James Veysey/Shutterstock (11798757t)
A woman is arrested at a vigil in memory of murdered Sarah Everard. Patsy Stevenson
Sarah Everard vigil, Clapham, London, UK - 13 Mar 2021
Image: Ms Stevenson said she just wanted to pay her respects. Pic: James Veysey/Shutterstock

She said she shouted out to the crowd, "he's got his hand on his baton, be careful" as she was worried for the safety of others.

"Then they said 'she's antagonising the crowd please move her back'," Ms Stevenson added.

"I wasn't trying to antagonise anyone, I was just trying to make sure everyone was safe.

"I was terrified but then I looked up at the press and I had a small thought that if this gets out I might be interviewed and in that moment the fear didn't matter to me."

She added that the vigil "turned out the opposite to what we wanted".

Campaign group Reclaim These Streets had tried to work with the police to organise an official vigil with stewards and officers on Clapham Common but it was cancelled as police said it was a coronavirus risk.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by James Veysey/Shutterstock (11798757t)
A woman is arrested at a vigil in memory of murdered Sarah Everard. Patsy Stevenson
Sarah Everard vigil, Clapham, London, UK - 13 Mar 2021
Image: Ms Stevenson was taken away from the bandstand by police. Pic: James Veysey/Shutterstock
Mandatory Credit: Photo by James Veysey/Shutterstock (11798757w)
A woman is arrested at a vigil in memory of murdered Sarah Everard. Patsy Stevenson
Sarah Everard vigil, Clapham, London, UK - 13 Mar 2021
Image: Ms Stevenson said she went to the vigil to pay her respects and stand up for women. Pic: James Veysey/Shutterstock

Ms Stevenson said she went to the vigil anyway as she wanted to be there in solidarity with Ms Everard and women who have to deal with feeling unsafe on the street.

"No one intended this, it was meant to be a vigil, all we wanted to do was pay our respects", she added.

"I accidentally went viral, I didn't want this to happen, this happened like a whirlwind.

"I've been thrown into the public eye and the only way I can make this not in vain is to not make it political, not against the police, it's just about the safety of women and we need to talk about it."

Police on Clapham Common on Saturday evening
Image: Police on Clapham Common on Saturday evening

An investigation into the way police dealt with the vigil has started as Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick backed her officers and said they needed to make a very difficult judgment during the pandemic, where gatherings are unlawful.

There have been calls for Dame Cressida to resign over the police's handling of the vigil but Anna Birley from Reclaim These Streets said that would do nothing to advance female equality.

Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Priti Patel and policing minister Kit Malthouse have also refused to heed calls for her to step down.

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2021-03-15 11:20:47Z
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Sarah Everard: Police search Sandwich town centre - BBC News

Sarah Everard

Officers investigating the murder of Sarah Everard have cordoned off an area in the town of Sandwich in Kent.

The 33-year-old marketing executive disappeared as she walked home in Clapham on 3 March. Her body was found one week later in Kent woodland.

Serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with her murder.

Police cordoned off a section of The Rope Walk, near the centre of Sandwich, on Sunday evening.

Scotland Yard said police had routinely been searching areas of London and Kent as part of the investigation.

On Sunday, Sandwich Town Council said it was in contact with Kent Police on behalf of Scotland Yard as part of the investigation.

The cordoned-off area contains a secluded path near a stream and homes.

Residents in Sandwich have been asked not to gather at the scene.

Metropolitan Police officers continue their search at Fellowship Walk in Sandwich, Kent,
PA Media

Ms Everard was reported missing by her boyfriend on 4 March.

She had visited a friend in the Clapham Junction area on 3 March and left at around 21:00 to make what was roughly a 2.5 mile (4 km) journey home.

She called her boyfriend for around 14 minutes and was seen alone on CCTV at 21:15 GMT and again on a camera at 21:28.

Sandwich, Kent
PA Media

Her body was found on Wednesday inside a builder's bag and later identified through the use of dental records.

A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has been released.

Metropolitan police cordon at The Rope Walk in Sandwich, Kent, after a body found hidden in woodland
PA Media

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2021-03-15 09:51:02Z
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Covid-19: Evidence does not suggest AstraZeneca jab linked to clots, MHRA says - BBC News

A Nurse administers a coronavirus vaccine to a patient
PA Media

People should still get their Covid vaccine despite several EU countries pausing use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab amid concern about blood clots, the UK medicines regulator has said.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said evidence "does not suggest" the jab causes clots.

But the World Health Organization says there is no reason to stop using it.

Dutch officials said the move was precautionary following reports from Denmark and Norway about side effects including blood clots.

Manufacturer AstraZeneca has said there is no evidence of a link between the two.

Dr Phil Bryan, vaccines safety lead at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said people "should still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so."

"We are 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."

Prof Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford vaccine group, said there were "huge risks" from Covid and vaccination saved lives.

"It's absolutely critical that we don't have a problem of not vaccinating people and have the balance of a huge risk - a known risk of Covid - against what appears so far from the data that we've got from the regulators - no signal of a problem."

He added there was "very reassuring evidence that there is no increase in a blood clot phenomenon here in the UK, where most of the doses in Europe been given so far"

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which is carrying out a review into incidents of blood clots, said the vaccine's benefits continue to outweigh its risks.

The EMA said that, as of 10 March, there were just 30 reports of clots among almost five million people given the vaccine across Europe.

The Republic of Ireland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have paused its use, as has Thailand.

Italy and Austria have stopped using certain batches of the drug as a precautionary measure.

Health officials in Northern Ireland have said they will continue to use the vaccine.

AstraZeneca's chief medical officer Ann Taylor said the number of cases of blood clots reported is lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population.

About 17 million people in the EU and the UK have received a dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, manufacturers said.

AstraZeneca said its review had found no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country.

Dr Taylor said: "The nature of the pandemic has led to increased attention in individual cases and we are going beyond the standard practices for safety monitoring of licensed medicines in reporting vaccine events, to ensure public safety."

More than 24 million people in the UK have received the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to government figures.

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2021-03-15 08:14:34Z
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Sarah Everard: Clashes at Clapham Common vigil 'distressing' and 'alarming', says policing minister - Sky News

Clashes between police and attendees of a vigil for Sarah Everard were "distressing" and "alarming", the policing minister has told Sky News.

Kit Malthouse said that officers were "happy" to be held "accountable" by an independent investigation into Saturday night's chaos.

But he insisted the under-pressure Metropolitan Police commissioner, Cressida Dick, should not resign over the force's handling of events.

Live updates on Sarah Everard investigation and protests

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'Deeply disturbing' arrests at vigil

Her officers have been heavily criticised after the ugly scenes on Clapham Common in south London on Saturday, during which police were seen grabbing several women and leading them away in handcuffs.

Asked about those scenes, Mr Malthouse said: "Along with everyone else, I found it very distressing and the pictures were obviously alarming, which is why the home secretary has asked for this independent investigation into what actually happened.

"So that we can hold the police accountable, which I know they're happy to be so, to make sure everything was done in accordance with the rules.

"I think we have to reflect on the fact that Saturday obviously saw unleashing a huge amount of emotion and anger.

"Not just about the appalling crime that occurred, but about a repressed sense of women's safety - and that that was in jeopardy and under threat."

Mr Malthouse said ministers would use a meeting of the government's crime and justice taskforce on Monday to look at what further action can be taken to protect women and girls and make sure streets are safe.

The meeting is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, Dame Cressida and Max Hill, the director of public prosecutions.

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'I am not considering my position' - Met Police chief

Ms Patel has ordered a "lessons learned" review into the policing of Saturday night's vigil by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, an independent watchdog.

People had gathered informally for Saturday's vigil after an event organised by Reclaim These Streets was cancelled following talks with the Metropolitan Police, which said it would be in breach of coronavirus rules.

Four people were arrested for public order and coronavirus regulation breaches.

On Sunday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Metropolitan Police's headquarters at New Scotland Yard and chanted "shame on you".

But, despite widespread condemnation of how officers handled events over the weekend, Mr Malthouse declined to add his voice to those calling for Dame Cressida to quit as the head of the capital's police force.

"I recognise the police are in an incredible difficult position," he said.

"Throughout this pandemic we've asked them to do a job that they've never done before.

"To stand between the public, if you like, and this terrible virus in a way that none of us are used to and, certainly, they aren't as well.

"So that very, very difficult position they're in needs to be reflected in our contemplation of this.

"In the vast majority of cases the police and the public have managed this situation extremely well between them."

Anna Birley, from Reclaim These Streets, also said she did not want Dame Cressida to resign, but asked for the Met chief to meet with the group.

"We are a movement of women seeking to support and empower other women, and as one of the most senior women in British policing history, we do not want to add to the pile-on," she told ITV's Good Morning Britain.

"We do want her to meet with us.

"We were hugely disappointed that she put out a statement yesterday without talking to any of the people who were organising the vigil and had such a difficult experience with the Metropolitan Police force."

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2021-03-15 08:23:50Z
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Sarah Everard: Police search Sandwich town centre - BBC News

Sarah Everard

Officers investigating the murder of Sarah Everard have cordoned off an area in the town of Sandwich in Kent.

The 33-year-old marketing executive disappeared as she walked home in Clapham on 3 March. Her body was found one week later in Kent woodland.

Serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with her murder.

Police cordoned off a section of The Rope Walk, near the centre of Sandwich, on Sunday evening.

Scotland Yard said police had routinely been searching areas of London and Kent as part of the investigation.

On Sunday, Sandwich Town Council said it was in contact with Kent Police on behalf of Scotland Yard as part of the investigation.

The cordoned-off area contains a secluded path near a stream and homes.

Residents in Sandwich have been asked not to gather at the scene.

Metropolitan police cordon at The Rope Walk in Sandwich, Kent, after a body found hidden in woodland in Ashford
PA Media

Ms Everard was reported missing by her boyfriend on 4 March.

She had visited a friend in the Clapham Junction area on 3 March and left at around 21:00 to make what was roughly a 2.5 mile (4 km) journey home.

She called her boyfriend for around 14 minutes and was seen alone on CCTV at 21:15 GMT and again on a camera at 21:28.

Her body was found on Wednesday inside a builder's bag and later identified through the use of dental records.

A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has been released.

Metropolitan police cordon at The Rope Walk in Sandwich, Kent, after a body found hidden in woodland
PA Media

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2021-03-15 08:14:04Z
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Sarah Everard vigil: Boris Johnson 'deeply concerned' by footage - BBC News

Boris Johnson has said he is "deeply concerned" by footage showing police officers detaining women at Saturday's vigil to remember Sarah Everard.

The prime minister will chair a meeting of the crime and justice taskforce later to discuss ways to protect women.

Officers handcuffed women and removed them from the gathering on Clapham Common in London on Saturday.

Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has dismissed calls to resign and defended the force's actions.

She said she was "more determined" to lead the Met, and hit out at "armchair" critics.

Dame Cressida will join Mr Johnson at the taskforce meeting, which will discuss what further action is needed to make streets safer for women.

Government sources said both Home Secretary Priti Patel and the prime minister had confidence in Dame Cressida.

Ms Patel has instructed the police watchdog, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), to "conduct a lessons learned review in to the policing of the event", the prime minister has said.

Mr Johnson said he was "deeply concerned" by the scenes on Clapham Common on Saturday night and that Dame Cressida had "committed to reviewing how this was handled".

"The death of Sarah Everard must unite us in determination to drive out violence against women and girls and make every part of the criminal justice system work to protect and defend them," he added.

Sarah Everard

Dame Cressida said she agreed on the need for a "sober review" and defended how officers responded to the "really big crowd".

"They have to make these really difficult calls and I don't think anybody should be sitting back in an armchair and saying 'well that was done badly' or 'I would have done it differently' without actually understanding what was going through their minds," she said.

She added that what happened to Ms Everard made her "more determined" to lead the organisation.

Four people were arrested for public order and coronavirus regulation breaches, the Met said.

A woman at the gathering in Clapham Common hold a sign that reads: "Killed by the system we're told protects"
Reuters

Hundreds gathered at the bandstand in Clapham Common, south London, on Saturday evening for a vigil for Ms Everard, who went missing while walking home from a friend's house on 3 March.

Her remains were later found in woodland in Kent and Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with the 33-year-old's kidnap and murder.

2px presentational grey line
Analysis box by Dominic Casciani, home and legal correspondent

Maintaining public order at protests is one of the hardest jobs in modern policing. If everything goes well, the public won't notice how commanders and demo organisers have worked out how to make an event safe.

But when it goes wrong, then the inevitable accusations of failure come piling in.

Sunday dawned badly for the Metropolitan Police's commissioner, Dame Cressida Dick. Her officers were accused of oppressing women and politicians waded in calling for her head.

But the seeds for Saturday's PR disaster for the force were sown in the legal dispute over whether a vigil could take place at all - and how events then seemed to run out of control.

The question is whether the police should have foreseen that happening. That, time and again, is the great challenge of public order policing.

2px presentational grey line

The force's action at the vigil have drawn widespread criticism, with images and footage showing officers forcibly detaining women.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan described the police's actions as "unacceptable", adding he was "not satisfied" with the explanation provided by Dame Cressida and the deputy commissioner when he spoke to them.

He said he wanted HMIC to investigate the events and for the Independent Office for Police Conduct to investigate the actions of police officers.

A woman holds up a placard as people gather in Clapham Common
PA Media

Ahead of the event, organisers Reclaim These Streets had called off the vigil, saying the police had failed to "constructively engage" on how it could be held in a Covid-secure way.

Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, tweeted that he would "bring all police chiefs together" on Monday to discuss "what more we can do to better protect women".

In a letter to Dame Cressida, posted on Twitter on Sunday, Reclaim These Streets accused the Met chief of putting those who attended "at a serious health risk through a lack of Covid-safe marshalling" and "at risk of being manhandled, fined and arrested" by officers.

The group said it believed the Met had misrepresented a High Court ruling on Friday, when a judge refused to say the event would be permitted under coronavirus regulations.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the scenes were "deeply disturbing", while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has called for Dame Cressida to resign.

Protest at Parliament Square
Reuters

Thousands congregated in central London on Sunday to protest about violence against women.

Sisters Uncut held an event outside the Metropolitan Police's headquarters at New Scotland Yard, which it said was to remember Ms Everard and demonstrate against broader "police brutality".

Demonstrators chanted "shame on you" at police and officers erected barriers around the building near the Houses of Parliament in central London.

In Parliament on Monday, MPs will discuss the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which critics say could lead to further crackdowns on people's right to protest.

People attend a protest at Parliament Square, central London
Reuters
Protesters face police officers who stand in front of the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square
Reuters
line

What are the rules on gatherings in England?

  • Under the current lockdown rules two people can meet for recreation outside, which can include "coffee on a bench"
  • From 29 March people will be allowed to meet outdoors, either with one other household or within the "rule of six"
  • Police can break up illegal gatherings and issue fines of £10,000 to someone holding a gathering of more than 30 people
  • During last year's restrictions, when Black Lives Matter and anti-lockdown demonstrations took place, police took a hands-off approach to protests
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2021-03-15 07:04:48Z
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