EU-UK, AstraZeneca 'Elderly Effect' Debate Intensifies

Germany excludes vaccination for those over 65
UK "Effective across all age groups"
EMA also considers excluding elderly

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Germany has decided to exclude the elderly aged 65 and over from the target group for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. The UK has directly refuted Europe's claim of 'ineffectiveness in the elderly,' stating that the vaccine is effective across all age groups.

According to major foreign media such as CNN on the 28th (local time), the Robert Koch Institute in Germany, which corresponds to Korea's Disease Control and Prevention Agency, stated in a press release that "there is insufficient clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca vaccine in those aged 65 and over, so the preventive effect and safety for the elderly cannot be confirmed," limiting the recommended vaccination target to those aged 18 to 64.

In Europe, claims that the AstraZeneca vaccine is less effective in the elderly have been continuously raised, centered on Germany. On the 25th, German daily Handelsblatt and Bild reported, citing an anonymous government official, that the preventive effect of AstraZeneca for those aged 65 and over is only 8%.

On the 29th, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which will decide on the conditional marketing authorization of the AstraZeneca vaccine, is also likely to exclude the elderly from the vaccination target. EMA Chief Executive Emer Cook stated, "A conclusion may be reached to approve use focusing on specific age groups."

The UK, which was the first in the world to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine, refuted these claims by stating that the vaccine is effective across all age groups. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on the day, "I do not agree with Germany's claims," adding, "The AstraZeneca vaccine has shown excellent preventive effects in all age groups."

AstraZeneca also rebutted, saying, "According to data published in the medical journal The Lancet last November, the elderly showed a strong immune response to the vaccine," and "After the second dose, antibody production in the elderly reached 100%."

This is not the first time Europe and the UK have clashed over the AstraZeneca vaccine. Previously, AstraZeneca stated that it would only deliver 31 million doses out of the 80 million doses scheduled for supply to the European Union (EU) in the first quarter of this year, while assuring that it would supply 2 million doses to the UK within a week without delay.

The EU raised suspicions that AstraZeneca was delaying supply to prioritize the UK. It also demanded that some of the doses produced in the UK be supplied to Europe. Prime Minister Boris Johnson deepened the conflict between the UK and the EU by saying, "If the UK had remained in the EU, the situation would have been even more regrettable."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.