Canada Suspends AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 Vaccine for People Under 55

Canada Suspends AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 Vaccine for People Under 55.

On Monday, Canada set age limitations on the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.

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Under guidance by their National Advisory Committee on Immunization, administration of the vaccine has been suspended to those under age 55.

The decision is due to growing concern regarding the vaccine’s association with blood clots.

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The condition is known as Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia.

Although no cases have been reported in Canada, there have been several reported cases of blood clots in Europe.

Those cases were primarily in women below age 55.

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There is substantial uncertainty about the benefit of providing AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to adults under 55 years of age given that the potential risks associated with VIPIT, particularly at lower estimated rates, Dr. Shelley Deeks, NACI Vice Chair, via UPI.

AstraZeneca’s two-shot regimen will continue to be administered to those over age 55.

According to Dr. Deeks, the high risk of developing COVID-19 in that demographic outweighs the low risk of developing blood clots