UK health regulator may restrict AstraZeneca shot for younger people

LONDON: Britain's health regulator is considering a proposal to restrict the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in younger people over concerns about very rare blood clots, Channel 4 News reported on Monday.

"Two senior sources have told this programme that while the data is still unclear, there are growing arguments to justify offering younger people - below the age of 30 at the very least - a different vaccine," the broadcaster reported.

The UK's regulator, the MHRA, said later on Monday that no decision had been taken.

It previously said the benefits of the vaccine in the prevention of COVID-19 far outweighed any possible risk of blood clots and that people should continue to get their vaccine when invited to do so.

"Our thorough and detailed review is ongoing into reports of very rare and specific types of blood clots with low platelets following the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca," Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Chief Executive June Raine said. "No decision has yet been made on any regulatory action."

Britain has managed one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world, with 36 million people receiving a first or second shot. It started providing vaccines to its oldest citizens first, along with healthcare workers and the clinically vulnerable.