AstraZeneca shots halted in parts of Germany for under-60s

BERLIN (AP) – Authorities in Berlin, Munich and the state of Brandenburg are again suspending the use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for people under age 60 due to new reports of unusual blood clots in people who recently received the shots.

Berlin’s top health official says the action was taken as a precaution ahead of a meeting of Germany’s 16 states on the issue Tuesday.

The country’s medical regulator earlier announced it has now received 31 cases of rare blood clots in recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine. It says all but two of the cases involved women ages 20 to 63, and nine of the people died.