Sweden To Replace 2nd Shot Of AstraZeneca With MRNA Vaccine For Those Under 65 - UrduPoint

Due to Sweden's under-65 age limit for the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, members of this age group who have already received one dose will have their second shot replaced with an alternative mRNA vaccine, the Swedish Public Health Agency said on Tuesday.

Sweden suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in March following reports of blood-clotting side effects. The chimpanzee adenoviral vector vaccine was later reinstated for Swedes aged 65 and older.

"In the Public Health Agency's judgement, the vaccine cannot be generally recommended for people under the age of 65. Just under 180 000 people under the age of 65 have received a dose of Vaxzevria, most of them healthcare professionals.

They will receive a second dose of mRNA vaccine 12-15 weeks after the first," the statement read.

Sweden thus joins such EU countries as France and Germany in offering people under 65 to follow up an AstraZeneca shot with an mRNA vaccine.

Blood-clotting side effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine, including fatal cases, have prompted most of EU countries to suspend its use in March. The European Medicines Agency, which authorized the vaccine for member states on January 29, admitted the dangerous side effect but still recommended to continue using the vaccine, saying its benefits outweigh the risks.