Some of the European countries that have restricted vaccination of the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine to the elderly are changing their stance toward allowing the vaccination again. In Korea, there are voices saying that vaccinations for the elderly should be reviewed.
According to foreign media such as the British BBC on the 2nd, the French government expanded the recommended age for vaccination of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the 1st (local time) from under 65 to 74. French Health Minister Olivier Beran said, “Everyone over 50 years of age with an underlying disease can get the AstraZeneca vaccine. This includes people between the ages of 65 and 74,” the BBC said. However, the elderly over the age of 75 said they would still get the Pfizer Modena vaccine.
AstraZeneca vaccine. Reuters = Yonhap News
Earlier, the French authorities changed their position last month, limiting the age of AstraZeneca vaccination to under 65 years old due to insufficient clinical data on the elderly. Foreign media reported that the German health authorities will also reconsider the policy so that they can be vaccinated by the age of 65 or older. Thomas Mertens, chairman of the German Immunization Committee, said in a recent interview that “we will release new recommendations soon” regarding the possibility of expanding AstraZeneca vaccinations. The AFP news agency reported that “the French and German authorities are trying to convince more people that AstraZeneca is just as effective as other vaccines.” According to the British Guardian, the Belgian government is also considering rethinking its existing policy that the AstraZeneca vaccine should be administered only to people under the age of 55.
This move is not irrelevant to the fact that there are actual examples that can alleviate concerns regarding the controversy over the effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the elderly.
On the 2nd, at the Sejong City Public Health Center, medical staff are taking them out of the refrigerator to inoculate AstraZeneca vaccine to workers in nursing hospitals. Reporter Kim Seong-tae
In a study conducted last month in Scotland, UK, a single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalization by 94%. Elderly people over the age of 80 have also reduced this risk by 81%. It is said that this effect was maintained even after 42 days after the single vaccination. For the elderly, the results of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are combined, but experts say that considering the high AstraZeneca vaccination rate in the elderly, it is in fact safe to see the AstraZeneca effect. The UK’s England Public Health Agency (PHE) also released a study on the 1st that will support the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine for the elderly. British Health Minister Man Hancock said, “It could be the basis for explaining why the number of hospitalizations in the intensive care unit of people aged 80 and over in the last two weeks in the UK has dropped to a single digit.”
On the 2nd, at the Sejong City Health Center, medical staff are vaccinating AstraZeneca vaccine to workers in nursing hospitals. Reporter Kim Seong-tae
“In order to achieve the vaccination goal, people need to be vaccinated with this vaccine (AstraZeneca),” said Karsten Vazl, secretary-general of the German Immunology Society, in an interview with the BBC. It clearly shows that you are protected.”
Domestic experts also argue that the grounds for vaccination to the elderly are well established. Jae-hoon Jeong, a professor of preventive medicine at Gachon University, said, “The clinical trials are targeting 20,000 to 30,000 people, but the data came from millions of people in the real world,” he said. “I don’t think we need any more evidence.”
Authorities “I am not waiting for specific results. Judgment at any time”
The authorities also said that they could decide on vaccination for the elderly at any time if evidence was established. In a briefing on the 2nd, the head of the vaccination management team, Kyung-sil Chung, said, “We are continuing to collect the relevant evidence,” and “We are not waiting for the results of clinical trials in a specific country, but we are going to make decisions based on the results of each country’s vaccination.” said. “If enough data is accumulated, we can judge at any time. We are currently collecting data,” he added. AstraZeneca is supposed to submit the results of phase 3 clinical trials in the United States to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety by the end of April.
Earlier last month, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for all adult age groups under the condition that clinical results should be submitted in the future. However, the precautions indicated that vaccination for the elderly should be decided carefully. An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said, “Since there is no age limit at the time of permission, if the vaccination committee changes the vaccination policy based on overseas vaccination data, there is no need to change the permission details separately.” However, he said, “When reviewing based on US clinical data, some of the phrases such as’make careful decisions’ may be adjusted.”
AstraZeneca headquarters in London, UK. AP=Yonhap News
Even if the conclusion is directed toward vaccination for the elderly earlier than expected, there may be a shortage of vaccines to be used right away. According to the government plan, about 780,000 people of AstraZeneca, which were supplied first, include 289,000 people, including those under the age of 65 in nursing homes and nursing facilities, including 289,000 doctors (354,000 people) at university hospitals, coronavirus. It will be administered to the first responders (78,000 people). It is said that it is difficult to use this amount for 500,000 elderly people aged 65 or older who are excluded from vaccination at nursing homes and hospitals, even if they get AstraZeneca. It is expected to receive 190,000 people by the end of this month from’Covax Facility’, an international vaccine supply organization, but it has not been confirmed yet, and the remaining quantities will be imported from the second quarter, excluding the first supply of 780,000 people out of the 10 million contracted directly. However, the specific timing has not been determined. Yang Dong-gyo, head of the Resource Management Division of the Corona 19 Vaccination and Response Promotion Team, said, “It is not specific that the elderly in nursing homes will be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.” said.
Reporter Hwang Soo-yeon [email protected]
