Citing real-world evidence from the UK recently, an advisory panel of experts from Canada on Tuesday updated its recommendation on the vaccine to now include people over 65.
The recommendation by the National Advisory Committee on Vaccination (NACI) can be used by Canadian district and district leaders to decide how best to use the vaccine. The country’s health regulator had approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for widespread use at the end of February, but so far the NACI has not recommended it for people 65 and older because it has cited enough evidence. for that age group.
The two-dose vaccine is authorized in Canada for patients over 18.
The World Health Organization said Wednesday that the benefits of AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and that vaccination should continue.
“Vaccination against COVID-19 does not reduce illness or death from other causes,” the WHO said. “Thromboembolic (clotting) events are known to occur frequently. Venous thromboembolism is the third most common cardiovascular disease worldwide.”
While Canadian public health officials say they are closely monitoring the situation in Europe and are awaiting more information from the regulators, they say there is no evidence that the the risk of taking the vaccine outweighs the benefits.
“Based on the information reviewed by Health Canada, the number of cases of severe thromboembolic events at this time is lower than would be expected in the population that received the AstraZeneca vaccine,” said Marc Berthiaume, director of Health Canada, at a preparatory meeting Tuesday in Ottawa.
“While all available vaccines in Canada are safe and effective, NACI continues to recommend that, in the context of limited vaccine supply, priority should be given to initial doses of mRNA vaccines for those at is the highest risk of serious illness and death and the highest risk of exposure to COVID- 19, “reads the statement released Tuesday.
Jamie Gumbrecht of CNN and Michelle Krupa contributed to this report.