Head of vaccine strategy at the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Marco Cavaleri estimated in the Italian newspaper "La Stampa" that it would be better to stop the AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid when alternatives are possible. According to him, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be used preferably for those over 60 years old.

A senior official from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) estimated in an interview published on Sunday that it would be better to stop AstraZeneca's vaccine against Covid-19 for all age groups when alternatives are available. Marco Cavaleri, head of vaccine strategy at EMA, also told Italian newspaper

La Stampa

that Johnson & Johnson's vaccine should preferably be used for those over 60. Both of these viral vector vaccines have been approved by the European regulator for those over 18, but have been reported to have rare blood clots. The EU has also authorized two messenger RNA vaccines, those from Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna.

>> LIVE - Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Sunday, June 13

The ban of AstraZeneca would be considered by France

Italy on Saturday restricted the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged 60 and over, due to increased health risks for younger people. Asked if it would not be better to ban AstraZeneca, including for those over 60, Marco Cavaleri replied: "Yes, and it is an option that many countries, like France and Germany , consider in light of the increased availability of messenger RNA vaccines ". "However, incidents were very rare and happened after the first dose. It is true that there is less data on the second dose, but in the UK it (the vaccination program) is going well. "

"In young people, the risk of being ill decreases, and the message to them could be to use preferably messenger RNA vaccines, but the choice is left to each state," he added.

He said Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine presented "fewer problems than AstraZeneca," but said it had been used less widely.

"With just one dose, it's useful for some hard-to-reach categories, but there's an adenovirus (vaccine) left, and it's best to keep it for those over 60," he said.

CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS

> Reopening of terraces: what risk of Covid contamination outdoors?

> "I'm afraid ...": the cabin syndrome, or the fear of resuming a normal life

> Covid: the countries which have done the opposite of us "have been better on all fronts"

> Coronavirus: why can a PCR test be positive one month after infection?

> Reopening of the terraces: how to indulge yourself while eating a balanced diet

Vaccines of two different types

Messenger RNA technology involves injecting our cells with strands of genetic instructions to make them make proteins or "antigens" specific to the coronavirus. These proteins will be delivered to the immune system, which will then produce antibodies. Viral vector vaccines, such as those from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, use another virus as a carrier, which is modified so that it carries genetic information in the body to fight Covid. Both use a very common type of virus called adenovirus as a carrier.