France is to expand its use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to include people aged over 65 after additional clinical data proved its efficacy in that age group, reversing the position Paris took a month ago.
Health minister Olivier Veran announced the change in an interview with France Télévisions on Monday night, pointing to advice from a panel of experts advising the French government.
“The Haute Autorité de Santé now considers as of today that all three vaccines that we have in France have a remarkable efficacy to protect people against the risk of severe forms of Covid-19,” said the minister.
“As a result, I can announce that from now on everyone aged 50 and above who have comorbidities such as diabetes, high blood pressure or a history of cancer can be vaccinated with AstraZeneca without any age limits.”
The previous advice had been for the UK-Swedish company’s vaccine to be given only to people aged 50 to 64 with comorbidities or to…