On the occasion of the public debate on the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine, especially for people aged 55 and over, following the decision of some EU Member States to impose an age restriction, the Ministry of Health clarifies the following:
1. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), as the substantive Competent Authority of the European Union for the authorization of medicinal products, which are examined and approved by representatives of all 27 EU Member States on the basis of purely scientific criteria and data, approved on 29 January the release of the AstraZeneca vaccine. In its opinion, Coreper did not set restrictions or contraindications for the vaccine to be given to specific age groups.
2. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Coronavirus, on 5 February, having before it the opinion of Coreper and evaluating the conditions for licensing the vaccine as well as the available publications with scientific data, suggested to the Ministry of Health the adoption of the Coreper decision as it is. with the primary goal of preventing, through vaccination coverage, people who have an increased risk of serious illness and, consequently, hospitalization and / or death, which, in addition to the elderly, also concerns groups of patients. In this context, in the coming weeks, along with the vaccination of the population based on age, and the vaccination of specific groups of patients, such as dialysis patients, transplant recipients and thalassaemics.
In addition, since the AstraZeneca vaccine has been included in the National Vaccination Plan for COVID-19, and if this vaccine is of different technology from the other two vaccines that are already administered, the Ministry of Health agrees with the reasonable request of the Federation of Patients' Associations of Cyprus (OSAK) to inform the citizen in advance about the vaccine that will be granted. To this end, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation, is working out ways so that through the Vaccination Portal, the citizen knows which vaccine will be given to him, when arranging his appointment. More details will be announced when the process is finalized.
The Ministry of Health and the TEU are closely monitoring any developments that may occur at European and international level in order to assess any data that may arise.