The recommendations of the World Health Organization for the use of Oxford / AstraZeneca
Covid-19 vaccine, AZD1222, includes all persons aged 18 years and older, including older adults.
In an information session on Wednesday, dr. Joachim Hombach, executive secretary of the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group for Experts (SAGE) on immunization, said:
The immune response in people over 65 is almost the same as in younger people, and it makes us very confident. ‘
The new recommendations were published on Wednesday, pointing out that there are a number of populations for which data are limited or non-existent – including children, pregnant women, lactating women and other groups. “Until such data are available, vaccination of individuals under 18 years of age is not recommended,” the guidance said.
“The available data on AZD1222 vaccination of pregnant women are insufficient to determine the vaccine efficacy or the vaccine-related risks during pregnancy. However, it should be noted that AZD1222 is a non-recurrent vaccine,” it says. It added that the “WHO does not recommend pregnancy tests before vaccination. WHO does not recommend delaying pregnancy due to vaccination.”
For women who are breastfeeding, the guidance states that a lactating woman who is part of a group recommended for vaccination, e.g. Health workers, should be vaccinated on an equal basis. ‘It is also said that it is not recommended that breastfeeding be stopped after vaccination
At the same information session, the WHO also recommended the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine in countries where coronavirus variants are in circulation.
The group of expert advisers looked at two aspects of the distribution of the variants related to the AstraZeneca vaccine, Dr. Alejandro Cravioto, chair of the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on immunization, explained Cravioto.
In the UK, Cravioto said preliminary analyzes show a slightly reduced efficiency compared to the variant first spotted there. The analysis also showed a limited reduction in titers of neutralization, which means that the vaccine still has a good effect on the protection of people infected with the variant.
In South Africa, According to Cravioto, the preliminary analysis showed a clear decrease in the vaccine effectiveness against mild or moderate diseases in a variant that was first seen there. The analysis also showed a decrease in the neutralizing antibody. However, he said that the study was small and that it was not possible to test the vaccine against serious infection. He noted that there is indirect evidence that there is still protection against serious diseases.
Taking into account all these factors, we have made the recommendation that even though there is a reduction in the possibility that this vaccine has a full impact on its protective capacity, especially against serious diseases, there is no reason not to use it. to command, not even in countries. which has the distribution of the variant, ”Cravioto said.