Germany has resumed its use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as part of its national inoculation drive.

The move comes after the European Medicines Agency cleared the Anglo-Swedish drug maker's jab for use again after safety concerns were raised about a possible link to blood clots.

"The vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of blood clots (thromboembolic events) in those who receive it," the Amsterdam-based EMA said in a statement.

Following the decision, Germany's Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters in Berlin that vaccination centers had been instructed to start readministering the jab.

"The EMA decision confirms the safety and efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine. This is good news," he said.

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"Our goal, and this is the joint goal of the federal government and all 16 German states, is that vaccinations with AstraZeneca should begin again from Friday."

Germany still has a long way to go in its vaccine push. Just over 7 million first doses have been administered since December, with those aged over 80 and health care workers the top priority. Germany's population is 83 million.

But there is growing pressure to pick up the pace of the inoculation drive as COVID-19 cases spike. Data show new infections climbed 36 percent on Friday compared with the same day the week prior.

Health experts say the increase confirms Germany is now facing a third wave of the pandemic, as calls grow to increase lockdown measures.

The Social Democrats' health spokesman and epidemiologist, Karl Lauterbach, told reporters a return to lockdown was unavoidable.

"Either we do it early to try to get this under control with a quick and severe lockdown or we wait and then we must also go into lockdown. The same lockdown will then come later and last significantly longer," Lauterbach predicted.

Hamburg will return to a hard lockdown on Saturday as cases continue rise significantly in Germany's second-largest city.

"I fear that the situation will continue to deteriorate," said Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher.

In a sign Germany is exploring all options to help turn the tide of the disease, Health Minister Spahn said he was open to the idea of ordering the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine.

"We are in close contact, up to a possible memorandum of understanding with the Russian side, and I can also well imagine that we conclude contracts and conclude them quickly," he said.

"A prerequisite, however, is that there is more detail on how many doses could be delivered and when. It makes most sense that once the vaccine has been approved, that it is available in large quantities."