Germany has introduced restrictions on the AstraZeneca vaccine: it will only be given to people over the age of 60. Younger people will also have the opportunity to be vaccinated with Vaxzevria, the new brand name for the AstraZeneca product, but the dose-setter will need to be informed in detail about the possible side effects. Vaccination will be permissible only after an assessment of individual risks, it is written Deutsche says.
What happens to those who have already received the first dose?
For those who have already received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine, the Robert Koch Institute’s Standing Vaccination Commission currently recommends a second dose of one of the mRNA vaccines 12 weeks after the first injection.
Experts point out that this is a temporary guide until additional information is gathered.
How effective is the AstraZeneca vaccine after the first dose?
Numerous studies have shown that the Vaxzevria vaccine is very effective even after the first dose. According to a Scottish study involving 1.14 million immunized people, the risk of severe Kovid-19 and the need for hospital care four weeks after the first dose of the drug is reduced by 94 percent. This means that the level of protection is even higher than that of BioNTech / Pfizer. However, the effect after the second dose cannot be studied yet.
What and how many side effects have occurred?
According to the Paul Ehrlich Institute, as of March 29, 31 cases of rare cerebral venous sinus thrombosis had been reported in Germany following vaccination with Vaxzevria. Nineteen of those affected reported platelet deficiency and nine died. 29 of those affected are women between the ages of 20 and 63. The men were 36 and 57 years old.
Meanwhile, 2.7 million people in Germany have received the AstraZeneca vaccine. So this is a case of about 87,000 vaccinated. The complication is very rare, but mainly affects those who are not at increased risk of serious disease with Kovid-19 – younger.
The vaccine was first recommended only for young people, now only for adults. Why?
The decisions have their scientific justification. More than 20,000 people took part in the initial vaccine tests, but too few were adults. That’s why the health authorities in Germany initially recommended it only for people under 65 years of age. In the meantime, sufficient data have been collected to prove that the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective in others. No cases of thrombosis have been reported in the older age group, so Vaxzevria vaccination will continue.
Which countries have changed the vaccine guidelines?
Vaxzevria will also be given to people over 55 in France and Canada, over 65 in Sweden and Finland, and over 70 in Iceland. Norway and Denmark have completely stopped using the drug.
The European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization continue to recommend that the vaccine be given to all adults. At the moment, they see no reason to change their assessment. Kate O’Brien, director of the WHO’s immunization department, said: “We are very aware of our assessment of the benefits and risks: this is a safe vaccine.” The possible link between the vaccine and thrombosis has continued to be investigated.
Are there similar cases with other vaccines?
According to the latest report by the Paul Ehrlich Institute, there have been reports of two cases of venous sinus thrombosis following vaccination with BioNTech / Pfizer in two women, aged 47 and 86, respectively. Neither case resulted in death. However, the Paul Ehrlich Institute concluded that BioNTech / Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were more likely to cause severe side effects than AstraZeneca.
Does AstraZeneca vaccination continue in the UK?
In the UK, 30 million people received their first vaccine, but it is not known how many of them were immunized with AstraZeneca and how old they were. So far, according to official data, 30 cases of venous sinus thrombosis have been registered in the country, and seven people have died. The British Medicines Agency came out on this occasion with the following position: “The risk of getting this special type of thrombosis is very small.”
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