Germany says AstraZeneca vaccine shouldn't be given to over-65s

PanARMENIAN.Net - Germany's vaccine commission said the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine should not be given to people older than 65 years, amid a bitter dispute between the European Union and the drugmaker over delayed supplies, CNN reports.

The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) at Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the country's main public health authority, found there is insufficient data on the effectiveness of the vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, for this age group, according to a statement from the interior ministry on Thursday, January 28.

"Due to the small number of study participants in the age group ≥65 years, no conclusion can be made regarding efficacy and safety in the elderly. This vaccine is therefore currently recommended by STIKO only for persons aged 18-64 years," the panel said in its recommendation.

Responding to the announcement, an AstraZeneca spokesperson said "latest analyses of clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine support efficacy in the over 65 years age group." The drugmaker is awaiting a regulatory decision by the European Union medicines regulator, the spokesperson added.

Armenia, meanwhile, has decided to purchase the AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus for 3% of the population, the Health Ministry reported earlier. In the first stage of vaccination, priority will be given to people aged over 65, those who have underlying health conditions and medical workers. In the second stage, teachers, educators, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, military personnel, employees of the justice sector and public transport, as well as civil servants will get Covid-19 shots.