WHO experts approve AstraZeneca vaccine for people over 65

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the use of the vaccine AstraZeneca against the coronavirus for those over 65, despite previous doubts raised about its effectiveness.

“The vaccine can be given from the age of 18, with no maximum age limit, so it can also be given to people over 65,” said the Mexican. Alejandro Cravioto, chair of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), at a press conference organized by WHO.

The expert acknowledged that in clinical trials of this vaccine, developed by the Swedish-British pharmaceutical company in collaboration with the University of Oxford, there was a minority participation of people over 65, which could contribute to doubt its effectiveness in this area. age group., but SAGE analyzes conclude that “The results in these people are no different from those in the younger groups.”

The announcement came after several European countries decided not to apply the vaccine to people over 65 because of the lack of information on its efficiency and safety.

The vaccine, which the UK was the first to administer massively in December, has already been approved by other countries and the European Union.

But, due to the lack of data on its effectiveness in the elderly population, some governments have decided to recommend its use to people under the age of 65 or even 55, like Spain.

Spain has aligned itself with other countries such as Belgium and Italy, which have set the same limit for the application of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Application to people up to 55 years old was the criterion adopted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). However, countries like Germany or France have decided to vaccinate citizens up to 65 years old.

The first trials of AstraZeneca were conducted in people between the ages of 18 and 55, and a few months later, others between the ages of 56 and 69 were incorporated, so its effectiveness in the latter group has been considered by some agencies like not tested with the necessary robustness.

However, the scientific community insists that this does not mean that this vaccine is not safe, but that more trials are needed to show that it is effective in people over 55 years old.

Argentina is expected to receive 1.2 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine between February and March. Before the end of the month, 580,000 doses will arrive, while the rest will arrive in March.

This article is in addition to 22.4 million government-approved doses with AstraZeneca. It should be remembered that the country participates in the preparation of the vaccine. Here begins the production process, which ends in Mexico, where the vaccine is split and packaged.

LGP