LONDON • The European Union faced another setback in its coronavirus vaccination programme after AstraZeneca announced a shortfall, as countries across the world tried to step up their own Covid-19 immunisation drives.

The pharmaceutical firm's image had already taken a hit, with some countries suspending the roll-out of its vaccine over blood clot fears.

But the World Health Organisation (WHO) said there was no reason to stop using the vaccine.

Mass vaccinations are considered critical to ending the pandemic, which has claimed more than 2.6 million lives globally, and the AstraZeneca announcement was another blow for EU leaders, who have already faced criticism for the stumbling start to the inoculation drive on the hard-hit continent.

"AstraZeneca is disappointed to announce a shortfall in planned Covid-19 vaccine shipments to the European Union... despite working tirelessly to accelerate supply," the company said on Saturday.

It had previously warned of shortfalls from its European supply chain due to lower-than-expected production output, and was hoping to compensate by sourcing shots from its global network.

"Unfortunately, export restrictions will reduce deliveries in the first quarter, and are likely to affect deliveries in the second quarter," the company said.

AstraZeneca said it will supply less than half the planned number of Covid-19 vaccines to the EU in the second quarter, after the firm's efforts to remedy a slew of problems ran into further trouble.

The British-Swedish drugmaker will deliver about 76 million out of a planned 180 million doses, according to data based on delivery projections for one member state seen by Bloomberg.

The national figures were extrapolated to the EU level based on the European Commission's methodology for distributing supplies.

AstraZeneca had said it was looking to make up the loss by shipping some doses from elsewhere, including production sites in the United States. But those efforts have not panned out as countries around the world have grown increasingly protectionist, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

AstraZeneca's shot is among the cheapest available and forms a bulk of deliveries to poorer nations under the Covax initiative, led by the Gavi vaccine alliance and WHO, to ensure the equitable global distribution of vaccines.

The supply issues added to the firm's troubles, with some countries, including Denmark, Iceland, Ireland and Norway, suspending use of its shot over concerns about side effects such as blood clots.

WHO, which said its vaccine advisory committee is studying the data, stressed that no causal link has been established between the clots and the jab. AstraZeneca has also said that the vaccine is safe.

Global coronavirus infections are approaching 120 million and, even as nations around the world ramp up vaccinations, social distancing and movement restrictions are being used at varying levels to counter the spread of Covid-19.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex did not rule out a new lockdown in the region that is home to the capital Paris, describing the situation as "on a razor's edge", while the head of Germany's disease control agency warned that "the third wave has already started" there.

Italy had already announced new curbs last Friday, with schools, eateries, shops and museums ordered to close across most regions.

Last month, Ghana and Ivory Coast became the first countries to receive Covid-19 shots under the Covax programme.

Ethiopia gave out its first coronavirus vaccine doses on Saturday, as the Health Ministry warned of an alarming rise in cases. Africa's second-most populous country last week received 2.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab and is targeting health workers during the first phase of its vaccine drive.

Honduras received its first 48,000 doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine on Saturday under the Covax scheme. It was the initial shipment of an expected 139,200 doses of vaccines from AstraZeneca.

Jordan on Saturday also said it has received 144,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from Covax, with the second shipment expected to arrive next month.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BLOOMBERG, REUTERS, XINHUA