Greece’s National Vaccination Committee announced on Friday that the AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19 will not be administered to those over 65 years old. Vaccinations with AstraZeneca in the country are scheduled to begin on February 12, with the first age group to be vaccinated being those 60-64.
The administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine to citizens 18 to 64 years old was decided unanimously by the National Vaccination Committee.
The Committee reportedly recommends a period of 12 weeks between the first and the second dose.
these recommendations may be modified due to latest data.
The meeting was followed by statements by the President of the National Vaccination Committee Maria Theodoridou and the Secretary General of Primary Health Care Marios Themistokleous.
Both stressed that the reason for limiting the age group up to 64 is that there is not enough data on the age group 65+. these data are expected in the following days.
Themistokleous said that citizens aged 60-64 will be able to arrange an appointment only to vaccination centers with AstraZeneca vaccines.
Those over 80 – the group currently being inoculated – will be able to set appointment only in specific vaccination centers.
The platform for AstraZeneca vaccination and for 60-64 is expected to open in the following days. The specific dates will be announced on Monday, Feb 8, 2021, when the company will finalize the delivery schedule for the vaccines.
The vaccination program with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines continues as scheduled.
With the decision on Friday, Greece joined the other EU member states regarding the use of AstraZeneca.
When will the Government announce how foreign residents without an AMKA number will be able to arrange an appointment?
If you’re permanent resident why not get an AMKA number?!
It’s crazy that the Astrazeneca is not being administered to the over 65, the rumours about it started in Germany, then it was put out by the media so of course a lot of people think the media have printed it so it must be true. Astrazeneca have said it is safe so Germany then said that they hadn’t real proof that it wasn’t safe it was supposed to have been told by an informant, when asked they wouldn’t say who it was. It is just a scare tactic that it doesn’t work when in fact it does, I’m no scientist but I would sooner believe the scientist’s than a so called informant.
I understand that the Astrazeneca vaccine is a lot safer than the Pfizer vaccine for people such as myself who have severe food and drug allergies (I can’t even take aspirin). I will not be volunteering for the Pfizer vaccine as I am over 65 and would rather wait till I visit the UK and get it there. This move by the Greek government is shocking —
The dispute is not about safety with regard to the Oxford Astrazeneca Covid vaccine, it is about the number of trials conducted on the elderly during the development stage. Both the AZ and Pfizer vaccines are well tolerated in the UK and being rolled out at a good pace in the over 70, vulnerable, NHS staff and careworker population with tremendous uptake. The AZ vaccine is particularly useful where storage at -70° (as per the Pfizer vaccine) is not possible which will be crucial when rolling out to remote communities and third world countries.
Well, I imagine the British government and population will be well pleased that the EU is not using the Oxford/Astra-Zeneca for over 65s. That means less pressure on the supply to the EU and more for the
Brits. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!
Carol has it right: the basis for refusing it to over 65s is just smoke and mirrors by the EU and press.
An old friend of mine in Scotland is an eminent doctor of macro-biology (retired) and he is just shaking his head in disbelief at the stupidity of it all.
European socialized medicine cost reduction program
I had my first dose of the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine today. I chose my centre to get that specific one as I consider it the safest vaccine for over 65’s. So far no reactions other than a bit of a sore arm. It also seems likely that this vaccine is the only one which may not transmit the virus onwards. Big mistake by Greece on this one.