[국제]Germany to be approved soon for AZ vaccine over 65 years old

[앵커]

Corona vaccination began in Korea two days ago.

The first vaccine is AstraZeneca, but like many countries, elderly people over 65 years of age were not eligible for vaccination.

However, Canada recently approved the vaccine for adults 18 years of age and older, and Germany is expected to allow AstraZeneca vaccine to be given to adults over the age of 65 sooner or later.

Connect with the International Department. Reporter Kim Tae-hyun!

It looks like Germany is about to change its vaccination guidelines?

[기자]

In Germany, there are some observations that sooner or later, AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine will be approved for seniors aged 65 and over.

Mertens vaccination committee chairman of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on the 26th, “There is a possibility that older people can get the vaccine, and new recommendations will be made soon.”

At the end of last month, the German Immunization Commission recommended that the AstraZeneca vaccine be given only to those aged 18 to 64 years old.

Those over the age of 65 were excluded due to lack of clinical trial data

For the same reason, France, Austria, Sweden, Ireland, Norway and the Netherlands limit AstraZeneca vaccinations to those under the age of 65.

The same is true of Korea.

However, Canada approved the vaccine on the 26th and put no restrictions on the elderly.

[앵커]

The government has no choice but to consider the safety of the people. What is the reason Germany is trying to change its policy?

[기자]

It appears to be due to the findings of a research team at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

On the 22nd, the researchers published a paper on the pre-published thesis website run by the medical journal’Lancet’, which contained the effects of both vaccines.

Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines showed 85% and 94% prevention of hospitalization 4 weeks after the first vaccination.

However, it was mentioned here that the AstraZeneca vaccine is also highly effective for the elderly.

Of the 1.14 million people surveyed, 210,000 were 80 and older, who had a higher AstraZeneca vaccine.

80% of the effects were maintained after the first vaccination for those over 80 years of age, and 79% of those aged 65 to 79 were effective.

‘Hospitalization prevention effect’ is an important indicator of corona vaccine because it means that it prevents more than moderate infection and can also lower mortality.

Many pointed out that the AstraZeneca vaccine was low in reliability due to the small number of elderly participants at the time of clinical trials, but this result seems to have secured the basis for a substantial change.

Until now, YTN Kim Tae-Hyun at the International Department [[email protected]]is.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]