Vaccination with AstraZeneca for several European countries has begun. Among these, in addition to Italy, also France, Germany, Bulgaria and Slovenia. The decision comes following the favorable opinion of the European Medicines Agency (Ema). The focus inevitably falls on France, after the decision to lock down over 20 million people (including the city of Paris). And it is from France that the news arrives that the High Authority for Health (HAS) has given its ok to the immediate resumption of vaccination with AstraZeneca, however, recommending it to people over 55 years old. The French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, 55, received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine today in front of the cameras in the Begin hospital in Saint-Mandé (Paris), after the 3-day suspension recommended by the EMA. “I haven’t heard anything, even though I’m rather delicate,” was his comment.
The opinion of the Italian Cts
As for the French decision to vaccinate only those over 55 with AstraZeneca, the president of the CTS Franco Locatelli underlined: «The national regulatory authorities have their own degree of autonomy to decide on restrictions on use. We have evaluated and do not believe that there are reasons to restrict the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine under the age of 55 as decided in France ”.
Vaccination with AstraZeneca will also resume next week in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.
In Italy, suspended lots are excluded
Vaccinations with the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine “can be resumed with the exclusion of batches currently under seizure, for which the decisions of the Judicial Authority are awaited”. This is foreseen by the circular of the Ministry of Health, signed by the Director General of Prevention Gianni Rezza, relating to the transmission of the AIFA note on the opinion of suspension and revocation of the ban on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.