AstraZeneca, Cts to regions: “Respect age groups in the Open Day”

After the indication on the AstraZeneca anti-covid vaccine, to be administered only to over 60s, “the Technical Scientific Committee recommends that the Regions whenever they promote Open Day events that raise awareness of anti-Sars-CoV-2 vaccination, respect the indications for age groups. age, making the approach to vaccination as homogeneous as possible throughout the national territory “. This is what is stated in the report n. 27 of the Cts, yesterday, in which the opinion was provided on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the age of 60 and on the possibility, for those who have already taken the first dose, to complete the cycle with an mRna vaccine. The CTS clarified that “the risk / benefit ratio connected to the use of the Vaxzevria vaccine is influenced, in a certain way, by the epidemiological scenario in place”. And “the epidemiological scenario of the country has, fortunately, evolved in a positive sense, from an intermediate to low incidence level, to an even greater extent than that foreseen a few weeks ago”. “The change in the epidemiological scenario – reads the report – in consideration of the low level of viral circulation and the prevalent availability of mRna vaccines, taking into account the principle of maximum caution and the principle of fairness that requires to ensure that all subjects are equal conditions in the balance of benefits / risks, allows the current indications to be updated “. And therefore it allows “to strengthen the recommendation for the use of the first dose of the Vaxzevria vaccine in subjects over sixty years of age, in which the benefit deriving from vaccination outweighs the potential risks associated with the development of thrombotic phenomena”. As for the second dose, for those who have already taken AstraZeneca, “it is recommended to continue the administration with the Vaxzevria vaccine for subjects over the age of sixty. Under sixty years of age, although, as mentioned above, the thrombotic phenomena much less frequently associated with the administration of the second dose, in compliance with a principle of maximum caution inspired to prevent the onset of Vitt phenomena (vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia), in subjects at extremely low risk of developing Covid-19 disease serious, as well as in compliance with the principle of fair treatment referred to above, it is considered advisable to use an mRna vaccine in subjects under the age of 60. The administration of the second mRna dose should take place – on the basis of available studies – at between 8 and 12 weeks after administration of the first dose of Vaxzevria “.