The Philippines will resume the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines for people under the age of 60 following recent reports of rare cases of blood clots with low platelets detected in some individuals inoculated with the vaccine

On Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) said it has approved the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration to lift the suspension order, noting that the department will also issue updated guidelines on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccines.

“Maglalabas ng isang guideline para sa paggamit ng AstraZeneca to include these different precautions na binigay ng Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosaro Vergeire said in an online press briefing.

Last week, FDA Director-General Eric Domingo disclosed that he sent the recommendation letter to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III suggesting that the government push through with the vaccine’s use as it “benefits outweigh the risks.”

On April 8, the country temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccines for individuals aged below 60 years old.

READ: PH suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine for those below 60 years old

The cases of blood clots as side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine are “very rare” and the country has not recorded such incidents so far, according to the FDA.

So far, the country has already used up almost all of the 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca that arrived in the country in March.

The Philippines is expecting to receive more doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX facility by May or early June.