Nigeria, March 11 -- Nigeria's health authorities Thursday evening through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) moved quickly to douse growing anxiety around the suspension of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, produced in partnership with Oxford.

Early Thursday, four European countries citing blood clotting difficulties and a suspected death arising from the usage of the vaccine, suspended its use.

In a statement signed by Mohammed Ohitoto, the head of its public relations unit, the NPHCDA said "while we await the outcome of the investigations, it is important to clearly state that Nigeria did not receive any doses from the batch of vaccines which is at issue," implying that the vaccines are in batches.

While th...