British regulator recommends limiting AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 40

UK medicines regulator MHRA announced at a press conference that it had registered 242 cases of rare blood clots – including 49 deaths – in people who received the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, out of more than 28 million doses administered.

However, according to its director, June Raine, the benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh the risks of disease for “the vast majority” of the population, especially the elderly, who are more likely to develop severe forms of Covid-19.

Due to these unusual thrombi, several European countries have stopped the use before a certain age of the vaccine developed by the Anglo-Swedish laboratory AstraZeneca and scientists in Oxford.

London, which has always defended a vaccine presented by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as “a success of British science”, spoke again Friday in its favor.

“The Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, effective and has already saved thousands of lives in the UK and around the world.” said a government spokesperson.

“As the MHRA – the UK’s independent regulatory body – and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization have said, the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks for the vast majority of adults.” , he added.

British health authorities will apply the advice of the scientific committee “as a precaution” and administer “an alternative vaccine” when possible to “people under the age of 40 without underlying health problems,” he said.

This should not, however, he stressed, delay the pace of vaccination, the goal of which is to have offered a first dose to all adults in the country by the end of July.

In addition, all people who have already received a first dose of AstraZeneca / Oxford should receive a second dose of the same vaccine, regardless of their age, except those who have had thrombi.

In April, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said blood clots should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while considering the benefit / risk balance to remain “positive”.

In addition to AstraZeneca, the Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are currently licensed in the UK, which has one of the most advanced vaccination campaigns in the world.

Almost 35 million people, out of a total population of 66.5 million, have received a first dose, and more than 16 million the two doses needed in the country most affected by Covid-19 in Europe, with more than 127,000 death.