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VACCINATED: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson receives AstraZeneca vaccine while still on hiatus in Norway and Denmark. Photo: Frank Augstein / PA Wire
Younger, older, all or none: Recommendations on who should get the AstraZeneca vaccine are widespread in Europe.
In mid-March, many European countries discontinued use of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports of severe blood clots.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has registered 62 cases of rare and serious blood clots in the brain. 44 of them are in the EU and EEA.
However, the EMA still recommends the use of the vaccine in people over 18 years of age.
Recommendations differ
Most countries recommend the vaccine for anyone over 18 years of age, but in Norway and Denmark no one is yet vaccinated with AstraZeneca.
Some countries have recommended the use of the vaccine to the greater part of the population, but also here the age groups vary:
While French people over 55 can receive the AstraZeneca cap, they must be over 70 to receive the vaccine in Iceland.
See what recommendations apply where:
This week several cases of severe blood clots have reappeared. The German Paul Ehrlich Institute, responsible for the vaccination program in Germany, reported a total of 31 cases of blood clots among vaccinated people on Tuesday.
On Thursday, British authorities said a total of 30 cases of rare blood clots were found after using the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Several countries are now reconsidering the use of the vaccine, before the European Medicines Agency (EMA) next week presents new advice for the vaccine, again.
Norway and Denmark will present new assessments in mid-April.
Is it difficult to keep up? See the AstraZeneca vaccine timeline here:
Different valuations in the Nordic region
Both Sweden and Finland discontinued the AstraZeneca vaccine for a period after reports of serious blood clots.
While Norway and Denmark have extended the AstraZeneca hiatus pending further investigation, Sweden and Finland decided last week to continue vaccination. But now only people over 65 get the vaccine.
– The reason is that we have not seen the rare conditions of blood clots in this age group. In addition, we have a demanding epidemiological situation with an increasing trend of infection, chief physician Hanna M. Nohynek of the Finnish Institute of Public Health THL told VG on Monday, March 29.
Without a rest
The head of the vaccine program in Poland, Michal Dworczyk, claimed on March 15 that the countries that stopped vaccination with AstraZeneca had panicked at media coverage of the possible connection between the vaccine and cases of blood clots.
Poland, along with Belgium, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, were among the countries that did not stop vaccination in mid-March.
The UK, which has vaccinated the majority of people with the AstraZeneca vaccine, also continued vaccination.
– I am aware of the situation, we have carried out all the necessary investigations in the United Kingdom and we are very sure that it is safe to take the vaccine, but we know that we must follow the processes of each country in terms of safety. and we have such clear respect for the Norwegian approach, Foreign Minister Dominic Raab told NTB.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson received the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 19.
Various recommendations
Germany resumed vaccination with AstraZeneca following the EMA recommendation on March 18.
On Tuesday, the German Vaccine Commission (STIKO) changed the recommendation for the use of AstraZeneca. The vaccine is now only offered to people over the age of 60.
Spain also used the vaccine again on March 24 at the recommendation of the EMA, after they put the vaccination on hold on March 15.
In Spain, the age limit is the opposite of several other European countries, here they raised it others the age limit of 55 to 65 years when they resumed vaccination.
This week, however, Spain paved the way for people in socially critical professions, such as teachers, police and health workers over 65, to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Correction: An earlier version of this case stated that the AstraZeneca vaccine is approved for anyone over 18 years of age in Switzerland. However, the Swiss Medicines Agency Swissmedic has not yet approved the use of the vaccine. The bug was corrected on Friday, April 2 at 09.11.
