The HSE confirmed today that its advice is that people over 70 should get the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines, rather than the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The first of the 400,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine due in a few weeks were expected to be used by GPs to begin vaccinating older people in mid-February, starting with those aged over 85. It’s rollout is simpler as it does not need to be stored in very cold conditions.
The AstraZeneca vaccine will now be reserved for younger people.
The HSE is acting on advice from the European Medicines Agency, via the National Immunisation Advisory Committee.
Recently, German health authorities decided not to use the AstraZeneca vaccine in those over 65 due to concerns about efficacy
