The AstraZeneca vaccine should not be administered to people under the age of 60 in Ireland, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has said.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee has issued revised advice on the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Read the advice here: https://t.co/ZkTejKNwP4 #COVID19 #AstraZeneca pic.twitter.com/Ox5Bc3efyL
— Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (@RCPI_news) April 12, 2021
In a statement, NIAC said the AstraZeneca vaccine “is not recommended for those aged under 60 years including those with medical conditions with very high or high risk of severe COVID-19 disease”. It says a second dose of the should not be given to anyone who developed unusual blood clots with low platelets after the first dose.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) previously warned that rare blood clots have been associated with the vaccine.
NIAC said anyone under 60 who has had their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine with a “very high-risk or high-risk medical condition” should receive their second dose 12 weeks later as scheduled.
But anyone under 60 who is not considered to be high risk should have the second dose extended to 16 weeks “to allow for further assessment of the benefits and risks as more evidence becomes available”.
Anyone aged 60 and older should receive their second dose 12 weeks later as scheduled.
The HSE said it had written to hospital groups and community healthcare organisations on Monday evening to advise them that all AstraZeneca clinics planned for Tuesday “should be cancelled in light of updated guidance received from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and the Department of Health”.
“Anybody due to attend an AstraZeneca clinic is therefore advised not to do so,” the HSE said.