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 Italian newspaper La Stampa earlier quoted European Medicines Agency
(EMA) task force chief Marco Cavaleri as saying countries should
avoid giving the vaccine to people aged over 60 in addition to
younger age groups, amid fears over very rare blood clotting and as
alternative vaccines become available.
"Unfortunately my words have not been interpreted correctly in a
recent interview with La Stampa," Cavaleri said in a statement to
Reuters. The AstraZeneca shot "maintains a favourable benefit risk
profile in all ages but particularly in the elderly above 60," he
said.
The EMA's position is that the AstraZeneca shot is safe and can be
used for all age groups over 18. However several European Union
member states have stopped administering it to people below a
certain age, usually ranging from 50 to 65, restricting its use to
older people, due to very rare cases of blood clotting, mainly among
young people.
On Sunday evening, La Stampa changed the headline on its article
online and added a clarification with Cavaleri's later comments to
its article. La Stampa editor Massimo Giannini said he had no
further comment.
[to top of second column] |
 Earlier this week the Italian
government said it would restrict the use of the
AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged over 60,
after a teenager who had received the shot died
from a rare form of blood clotting.
Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza told reporters on Sunday
that Italy will continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine on the over
60s, including those who have not received a first shot.
Like many European countries, Italy briefly halted AstraZeneca
inoculations in March over concerns about the very rare blood
clotting problems. It resumed them the following month with the
recommendation that the product be "preferably" used for people over
the age of 60, after the EMA said its benefits outweighed any risks.
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina and Emilio ParodiEditing by Gareth
Jones, Elaine Hardcastle and Frances Kerry)
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