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08 March 2021 The Ministry of Health is free to use the AstraZeneca anti-Covid vaccine even in people over 65 years of age, but those who are "extremely vulnerable" to particular pathologies are excluded.

This is foreseen by the circular "Use of the COVID-19 VACCINE ASTRAZENECA vaccine in subjects over the age of 65" signed by the Director of Prevention of the Ministry of Health Gianni Rezza. 



"Further scientific evidence made available - it is explained in the circular of the Ministry of Health - not only confirms the favorable safety profile of the vaccine but indicates that, even in subjects over the age of 65, the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine is able to induce significant protection both from the development of pathology induced by SARS-CoV-2, and from severe or even fatal forms of COVID-19 ".   



On the basis of these considerations, it is emphasized, "also in a public health perspective characterized by limited availability of vaccine doses and in the light of the need to provide protection to groups of subjects most exposed to the risk of developing serious pathology or even fatal forms of COVID -19, the working group on SARS-CoV-2 of the Superior Health Council has expressed a favorable opinion that the AstraZeneca vaccine can also be administered to subjects over the age of 65 ".   



This indication, the ministry specifies, "is not to be understood as applicable to subjects identified as extremely vulnerable due to immunodeficiency conditions, primary or secondary to pharmacological treatments or for concomitant pathology that considerably increases the risk of developing fatal forms of COVID-19" .

In these subjects, the indication for a preferential use of messenger RNA vaccines is therefore confirmed.