Covid: Decision over second AstraZeneca shot, Spain decides policy for under 60’s vaccination

SPAIN’S public health chiefs will decide today the way forward with the controversial Oxford-AstraZeneca for people aged under 60 who were given a first dose.

The European Medicines Agency allows individual countries in the European Union to make their own decisions about the jab after a possible link of “very rare” cases of blood clots to the vaccine – but ruling benefits of the shot outweighed any danger of a thrombosis.

Spain initially ruled AstraZeneca should be given to people under 60 but further squeezed the age range to over 55 – using the shot on for essential workers.

However, after the health scare, the jab was selected as a suitable for people aged 60 to 69.

The health authorities must now decide whether to give a second dose of the vaccine to those under 60 who have had a first dose, or to administer another jab.

Health minister Carolina Darias said some countries like France and Germany were administering a different vaccine, while Ireland was extending the gap between shots from 12 to 16 weeks to allow time for further evidence to be gathered.

She said: “The European Medicines Agency has allowed each country to make its own decision. In our case, we will make the decision on Friday.”