Under 40s to be offered alternative to AstraZeneca vaccine

Y O

4 years ago

All under-40s are to be offered an alternative to the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine as a precaution.

The advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation marks an extension to existing guidance where those aged under 30 were given a choice of COVID-19 jab over blood clotting concerns.

The change comes despite the JCVI and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) saying there are no fresh safety concerns.

Previously, the MHRA had said the balance of risk for the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID is very favourable for older people but “more finely balanced” for younger groups, who do not tend to suffer serious coronavirus illness.

It updates the UK guidance issued on 7 April that recommended people aged 18 to 29 should be offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines after data showed the AstraZeneca jab was linked to very rare blood clots.

Up to 28 April, the MHRA had received 242 reports of blood clots accompanied by low blood platelet count in the UK, all in people who had AstraZeneca, out of around 28.5 million doses given.

Of these cases there had been 49 deaths.

Regulators have said the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine continue to “outweigh the risks for the vast majority of adults”.