Gov't decides not to administer AZ vaccines to people under 50

This file photo taken on March 11 shows vials of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Paris. AFP-Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

The government raised the minimum age of eligibility for receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from 30 to 50, Thursday, due to concerns over possible blood clots.

Those who are under the age of 50 and have already received their first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine will receive the Pfizer vaccine as their second shot.

“We have compared the risk of getting thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) with the advantages (of the AstraZeneca vaccine) and made this decision to ensure people's safety,” Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong said during a media briefing.

The decision came after a man in his 30s died here on June 16 after suffering from TTS, following his inoculation with the AstraZeneca vaccine on May 27. Health authorities have acknowledged the causal relationship between his death and the vaccine.

The man in this 30s was the country's second case of blood clotting following an AstraZeneca vaccine injection. The first patient, who was also in his 30s, was confirmed to have blood clot symptoms on May 31 after receiving the same vaccine at the end of April. This patient was discharged from the hospital after recovering.

In explaining the reason for still allowing older people to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, the KDCA said that its latest analysis showed that the advantages outweigh the risks of side effects when the AstraZeneca vaccine is administered to people older than 50.