WRAPUP 2-AstraZeneca's new trial data gives COVID-19 vaccine a boost in U.S.

(Recasts with trial data, adds comments from South Korea's
president, updates India)
By Ludwig Burger and Ben Blanchard
FRANKFURT/TAIPEI, March 22 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN)'s
coronavirus vaccine received a major boost on Monday after data
from a large trial showed it was safe and effective, potentially
paving the way for its emergency authorisation in the United
States as countries in Asia accelerated its rollout.
The trials in the United States, Chile and Peru showed the
vaccine was 79% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and
could bolster confidence in the product after confusion over
its efficacy data, dosing regimen and possible side-effects.
Many European countries halted the use of the AstraZeneca
shot earlier this month after some reports that it was linked to
blood clots, but have since resumed inoculation after a regional
regulator said it was safe. A survey on Monday showed Europeans
remained sceptical over its safety.
Leaders in Asia have sought to boost public confidence by
taking the AstraZeneca shot themselves amid concerns a slowdown
in the global vaccination rollout could hurt the fight against
COVID-19, which has killed over 2.8 million people worldwide.
The AstraZeneca AZN.L shot was among the first and
cheapest of the COVID-19 vaccines to be developed and launched
at volume and is set to be the mainstay of vaccination
programmes in much of the developing world.
"I have just finished getting the (AstraZeneca) injection,
there is no pain at the injection site, and there is no soreness
of the body," Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters as
the island launched its inoculation campaign on Monday.
Thailand's prime minister also became the first person in
the country to be inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine after
its rollout was temporarily put on hold over safety concerns,
while Indonesia began using it on Monday after suspending it
last week. But Indonesia's Food and Drug agency has warned
against its use on people with blood clotting disorders.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, 68, plans to get the
shot on Tuesday after the government said it could be used on
older people.
Moon sought to reassure the public on Monday that the
AstraZeneca shot is safe and encouraged people to take it.
"Vaccination is to protect not just yourself but also our
society as a whole by creating herd immunity," he said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson received his first dose
of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, saying he "did
not feel a thing." The European Medicines Agency regulator said on Thursday the
vaccine is effective and not linked with a rise in the overall
risk of blood clots. Yet a survey released on Monday showed that people in seven
European countries were more likely to see the vaccine as unsafe
than as safe. Many Asian countries heavily rely on the AstraZeneca vaccine
to end the pandemic, as the shot is being used in inoculation
programmes in Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam,
Thailand, and India.
Some states in India, which has the highest coronavirus
caseload after the United States and Brazil, are seeking to
accelerate the vaccination drive, as the country reported its
most COVID-19 cases and deaths in months on Monday. As vaccine demand rises at home, top producer the Serum
Institute of India has delayed further shipments of the
AstraZeneca shot to the United Kingdom, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and
Morocco.
Australia, which has inoculated just 1% of its population so
far, is also accelerating vaccination after the country's
pharmaceutical regulator approved on Sunday the local
manufacturing of the AstraZeneca vaccine by CSL CSL.AX .
Within 12 weeks, CSL is expected to produce 1 million doses
of the vaccine each week.