Ireland Health Authority, "AZ Vaccine Only for Those Aged 60 and Over"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Irish health authorities have announced that the AstraZeneca (AZ) COVID-19 vaccine is recommended only for those aged 60 and above. This decision is reportedly due to concerns over the previously reported association with rare blood clot occurrences.

According to foreign media including the UK’s BBC on the 12th (local time), the Irish National Immunization Advisory Committee (HSE) announced that "vaccination is not recommended for individuals under 60 years old" in relation to the AZ vaccine. This recommendation came five days after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) acknowledged on the 7th the possible link between the AZ vaccine and rare blood clot cases.

The HSE explained the age restriction by stating, "Although these rare blood clot cases are extremely uncommon, it must be considered that there is a very high risk of death or serious outcomes." However, they also emphasized that "the AZ vaccine is highly effective and significantly reduces the risk of severe COVID-19 across all age groups," indicating that vaccination will not be completely halted.

Previously, the EMA stated that the AZ vaccine might be associated with very rare cases of unusual blood clots accompanied by low platelet counts. Nonetheless, the EMA maintained its position that the benefits of the AZ vaccine still outweigh the risks of side effects and continued to recommend vaccination for all adults.

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