A senior European Medicines Agency (EMA) official said in an interview published Sunday that it would be best to stop administering the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to all age groups when alternatives become available.
Marco Cavaleri, who is in charge of vaccination strategy at the EMA, also told the Italian newspaper La Stampa that Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is preferred for people over 60.
Both viral vector vaccines have been approved by the European regulatory body for those over 18 years of age, but there have been rare reports of blood clots. The European Union has also approved two messenger RNA vaccines from Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna.
Italy on Saturday limited the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 60, citing an increased health risk for young people.
Asked if it would not be better to ban AstraZeneca even for those over 60, Cavaleri said: “Yes, and this is an option that many countries, such as France and Germany, are considering in light of the increased availability of messenger RNA vaccines. “.
However, the incidents were very rare and occurred after the first dose. Yes, there is less data on the second dose, but everything is going well in the UK. [o programa de vacinação]… Young people are less likely to get sick and may benefit from using predominantly RNA messenger vaccines, but the choice is up to each state. “he added.
Cavaleri also believes that Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine presents “fewer problems than AstraZeneca,” despite the fact that it has been used less.
A single dose is useful for some hard-to-reach categories, but it is best left for those over 60. “, said.
Messenger RNA technology involves injecting genetic instructions into cells so that they can make proteins or “antigens” specific to the new coronavirus. These proteins will be delivered to the immune system, which will then produce antibodies.
“Viral” vaccines, such as those from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, use a different virus as a carrier that has been modified to carry genetic information to fight covid-19. Both use a very common type of virus called adenovirus as a carrier.
