The French government has revised a previous policy, now stating that older people with pre-existing conditions will be eligible for receiving the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Last month, France approved the use and distribution of the vaccine for those under 65, claiming that there was a lack of data for its effectiveness on older people. However, since this decision, studies have proven that the dose is highly effective among senior populations.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is being used widely across the UK, however, several EU countries made similar choices to France in limiting distribution to the elderly, including Germany. The EU drugs regulator has approved it for all adults, however, each member country may create its own distribution policy and dictate who may receive the vaccine first. Canada’s immunization commission stated that the AstraZeneca vaccine should not be distributed to the elderly, claiming that clinical trial data for the age group was too limited.
