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The UK has abruptly changed its guidance over the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, saying that people aged 18-29 should be offered alternative jabs, in a move that could complicate Britain’s vaccination programme.
The new guidance from the body that advises the UK government on vaccinations came as the European Medicines Agency said there was a link between rare blood clots in the brain and the AstraZeneca jab.
The EMA did not change its guidance for who should take the jab, saying the benefits still outweighed the risks. But the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said people under the age of 30 should be offered either the BioNTech/Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine. It has not advised against use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for any other age groups.
“It’s a course correction to the UK [vaccination] programme, there’s no question about that. But in medicine that’s normal,” said Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer.
Boris Johnson, UK prime minister, said on Twitter: “We will follow today’s updated advice, which should allow people of all ages to continue to have full confidence in vaccines, helping us save lives and cautiously return towards normality.”
Authorities have for several weeks been investigating links between the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has already been given to millions of people across Europe, and cases involving rare but serious blood clots in the brain.
The EMA said at least 62 cases had been established among people who had taken the jab.
At least 16 European countries halted or limited use of the AstraZeneca vaccine last month, with most resuming its use after the EMA said the benefits outweighed risks. A number of European nations continue to have age restrictions in place for the jab.
In the UK, 79 cases of the rare blood clots have been identified among people who had the AstraZeneca vaccine, and at least 19 deaths. Three of the deaths were among people under 30; of the total, 51 were women and 28 were men.
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said pregnant women and those with a history of blood disorders should discuss their options with a doctor. Those under 30 who have already received the first shot of the vaccine should come forward for a second dose, officials said.
Addressing concerns that women are more likely to be affected by the blood clots, Sir Munir Pirmohamed, chair of the UK’s Committee of Human Medicines, said “the incidence rate shows there is no difference between men and women”.
He added: “At the moment we do not have any evidence to say either men or women are more likely to get this.” They also found no evidence that taking the contraceptive pill caused higher risk of blood clots among those who have taken the vaccine.
The slightly higher rate among women could be because of more young female healthcare professionals having been vaccinated, he suggested.
Emer Cooke, head of the EMA, said unusual blood clottings “should be listed as possible side effects of the [AstraZeneca] vaccine”. But the EU regulator also said it had not found evidence that women were more likely to be affected.
Van-Tam insisted the changes announced on Wednesday would not change the timeline for the UK’s vaccine rollout. “The effect on the timing of our programme should be zero or negligible,” he said. Nadhim Zahawi, UK vaccine minister, also said the government was “confident” in meeting its targets.
The UK’s current vaccine plan indicates that adults aged 18- 30 are due to receive their first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine between June and July.
The UK has ordered 17m doses of the Moderna vaccine, which was first administered in Wales on Tuesday. Its introduction will ease pressure on the supply of vaccines for the under-50s, whose inoculations have been delayed.
Zahawi said on Tuesday that the Moderna jab should be deployed throughout the country from the third week of April with “more volume” expected in May.
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