Covid-19: Germany will reserve the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for over 60s
In Germany, those under 60 who want to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca will first have to take an exam.
REUTERS - HANNIBAL HANSCHKE
Text by: RFI Follow
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German health authorities announced Tuesday, March 30, that the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be restricted to people over the age of 60.
A decision taken when several cases of blood clots were noted.
Those under the age of 60 who wish to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca will first need to take an exam.
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The AstraZeneca vaccine - which changed its name on Tuesday, March 30 and is now called Vaxzevria, according to the European Medicines Agency - is still talking about it in Germany.
At the end of the day, the regional and federal ministries of health communicated on the use of the formula of the Swedish-British pharmaceutical group.
Following a recommendation issued a little earlier by the German Vaccination Commission (STIKO), the health authorities will reserve the use of the
AstraZeneca vaccine
for people over the age of 60.
According to the
Der Spiegel
media outlet
, the Paul Ehrlich Medical Institute is examining 31 reports of blood clots in people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Almost all of these cases involve young or middle-aged women.
Always questions and precautions around the AstraZeneca
The regional and federal ministries of health indicate that people under the age of 60 who wish to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine will be able to do so, but only after "
consultation with a doctor practicing vaccination (...) and a personalized analysis of the risks
" .
As for people under the age of 60 who have already received a first dose, they can either receive the second dose or wait for the STIKO recommendation, scheduled for the end of April.
The same STIKO pleads for a vaccination with AstraZeneca reserved for over 60 years based on data showing "
the rare but very serious appearance of
thrombosis as a side effect
".
A phenomenon that affects "
mainly people under the age of 60, between four and sixteen days after vaccination
".
This same suspicion of thrombosis as a side effect prompted several countries to temporarily discontinue vaccination with AstraZeneca during the month of March.
On Monday, March 29, Canada announced that this vaccine would be reserved for people over 55, pending further analyzes.
Jens Spahn, the German Minister of Health, told a press conference that this restriction on the AstraZeneca vaccine would not undermine the country's goal of offering vaccination to all of its population. adult "
by the end of summer
".
Nach Beratung mit Expert: innen und auf Basis der verbesserten Datenlage hat die STIKO empfohlen, die Impfung mit AstraZeneca für Personen über 60 Jahren zu verwenden: https://t.co/3kIAok2Mq2 pic.twitter.com/n7Hxg3ZEXw
- BMG (@BMG_Bund) March 30, 2021
(With AFP)
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