The UK’s vaccine advisory body has said that the Covid-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca PLC should preferably not be given to people under 30, as in very rare cases it could cause fatal blood clots.
The decision on Wednesday to restrict the vaccine to younger people is a setback for the British flagship vaccination, leaving the country increasingly dependent on Covid-19 shots being developed and manufactured in other countries.
It also allows the vaccine to be developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, which raises questions about its efficacy and potential side effects, even though tens of millions of doses have been administered according to safety guidelines in more than 70 countries worldwide.
The vaccine, which unlike others does not need to be stored at super-cold temperatures, is considered critical for the roll-out of vaccines in poorer countries, many with relatively young populations.
British officials have said the UK’s rapid vaccination program will not be quickly affected by the decision. “This is a course correction for the UK program,” said British Deputy Chief of Staff Jonathan Van-Tam.