Under-40s to be offered alternative to AstraZeneca jab
People under 40 will be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine following concerns over rare blood clots.
The joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI) has recommended that they instead be offered a Pfizer of Moderna jab out of "an abundance of caution".
It follows a decision by the committee in April to steer adults aged 18 to 29 away from the Oxford-designed AstraZeneca jab because the risk of severe harm from Covid does not outweigh the small risk of dangerous blood clotting linked to the vaccine.
Since then the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reported an increase in incidents, with 242 cases of clotting identified, including 49 deaths.
So far, more than 51 million vaccines have been administered in Britain including AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna.
JCVI members had previously said that if infection rates were high they would recommend that 30-somethings take the AstraZeneca vaccine.
However, the committee this week drafted a statement recommending alternatives, with a plan to announce the decision on Friday. An alternative to the AstraZeneca will only be offered to under-40s where supply permits, The Telegraph understands.
A government source told The Independent that the decision has been allowed due to the flexibility of the vaccines rollout.
"Because prevalence of Covid is low and given the strength of the programme, that means we're in a position to act with an abundance of caution and offer a different vaccine to the younger groups,” the source said.
The Vaccines Taskforce placed an original order for 40 million Pfizer doses, with a further order for another 60 million announced last week. Meanwhile, 17 million doses of the Moderna vaccine have been ordered.
The MHRA insists that the benefits of the AstraZeneca jab hugely outweigh the risks for most people.
The case incidence of the rare brain clots combined with low platelet counts is roughly 9 per million dose.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said the position of the MHRA and JCVI "continues to be that the benefits of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the risks for the vast majority of adults".
