The European Medicines Agency says the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective, after reports of blood clots led several countries in Europe to halt distribution. | Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images

Several European countries halted the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine due to fears of blood clots. The EU’s top health regulator just ruled the vaccine “safe and effective.”

After more than a dozen European countries stopped distribution of the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns about blood clots, the European Union’s top pharmaceutical regulator on Thursday concluded the vaccine was safe.

“The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: This is a safe and effective vaccine. Its benefits in protecting people from Covid-19 with the associated risks of deaths and hospitalizations outweigh the possible risks,” said Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), during a press conference. “The