Washington. The U.S. health regulator has decided to immediately stop vaccinating against the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson. U.S. officials say the vaccine, which is given in a single dose, can cause blood clots in infected people.

As soon as US officials made the statement public, Johnson said the vaccine, which was being prepared for distribution in European countries, had been suspended. About 7 million people in the United States have received the vaccine. Of them, six women in the age group of 18 to 48 had blood clots in their brains, officials said.

Johnson & Johnson has said it will suspend vaccination campaigns in Europe and investigate further. U.S. officials have urged people who have been vaccinated over the past three weeks to consult with their doctors about any health problems.

The White House said Johnson & Johnson would not be affected by the US vaccination campaign. About half of the adults here have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

In Germany, meanwhile, people under the age of 60 are being vaccinated with the first dose of AstraZeneca, but a second dose is being prepared. Germany has already announced that it will not give two doses of the vaccine to people under the age of 60, citing the risk of blood clots. AFP