Thread by @kakape

“@WHO is aware that some countries have suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccines, based on reports of blood clots in some people who received doses of the vaccine from two batches”, says @DrTedros at #covid19 presser. "This measure was taken as a precaution” while investigating.

@WHO @DrTedros "It's important to note that the EMA has said there is no indication of a link between the vaccine and blood clots and that it can continue to be used while its investigation is ongoing”, says @drtedros. WHO’s Global Advisory Committee "is carefully assessing the current reports"

@WHO @DrTedros "More than 335 million doses of #covid19 vaccines have been administered globally so far, and no deaths have been found to have been caused by #covid19 vaccines”, says @drtedros. "But at least 2.6 million people have been killed by the #covid19 virus."

@WHO @DrTedros ACT accelerator needs $22.1 billion more, says @drtedros. "The longer this gap goes unmet, the harder it is to understand why, given it is a tiny fraction of the more than 13 trillion dollars the IMF estimates that high-income countries have spent on fiscal stimulus to date."

@WHO @DrTedros WHO also gave emergency use listing today to J&J’s #covid19 vaccine, says @drtedros. “The J&J vaccine is the first to be listed as a single-dose regimen” and SAGE will meet next week to formulate recommendations on its use.

@WHO @DrTedros Q about J&J vaccine supply.
COVAX has an agreement for 500 million doses of the vaccine, says Bruce Aylward. "What we're trying to do is work with the company to bring that forward as early as possible. And we're hoping by at least July that we have access to doses…"

@WHO @DrTedros Q about AZ vaccine
“WHO is very much aligned with the position that we should continue immunisation until we have clarified the causal relationship”, says @mariangelasimao. Preliminary data does not suggest a causal relationship between blood clots and vaccine, she says.

Q about J&J vaccine supply.
COVAX has an agreement for 500 million doses of the vaccine, says Bruce Aylward. "What we're trying to do is work with the company to bring that forward as early as possible. And we're hoping by at least July that we have access to doses…"

Q about AZ vaccine
“WHO is very much aligned with the position that we should continue immunisation until we have clarified the causal relationship”, says @mariangelasimao. Preliminary data does not suggest a causal relationship between blood clots and vaccine, she says.

@WHO @DrTedros @mariangelasimao Q about Brazil:
“The situation in Brazil has worsened”, says @DrMikeRyan. “Very high incidence of cases and increasing deaths across the country, certainly a very very rapid increase in ICU bed occupancy with many areas around the country running out of ICU beds."

@WHO @DrTedros @mariangelasimao @DrMikeRyan “There is very little resilience and capacity left in the system”, says @DrMikeRyan. % of respiratory patients testing positive for #covid19 is going up. Case fatality rate also rising reflecting “the pressure on the system and the lack of time that healthcare professionals have"

@WHO @DrTedros @mariangelasimao @DrMikeRyan “We certainly would like to see Brazil going in a different direction”, says @DrMikeRyan. "But it's going to take a huge effort for that to happen."