AstraZeneca vaccine only recommended for people under 65, German health officials say
Germany’s vaccine commission has recommended that the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford should not be given to people older than 65 years, the German Interior Ministry said Thursday.
The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) at Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the country’s main public health authority, has found there is insufficient data on the effectiveness of the vaccine for this age group, according to a statement from the ministry.
“Due to the small number of study participants in the age group ≥65 years, no conclusion can be made regarding efficacy and safety in the elderly. This vaccine is therefore currently recommended by STIKO only for persons aged 18-64 years,” the panel said in its recommendation.