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France, Germany advise against Moderna Covid vaccine for under 30s

Gavi to wind down Covax vaccine-sharing scheme after 2023
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Health authorities of both Germany and France advises people under the age of 30 to not get vaccinated with Moderna COVID vaccine.

After studies revealed that the latter carried comparatively higher risks of heart-related problems, France’s public health authority has recommended that people under the age of 30 be given Pfizer‘s Comirnaty Covid-19 vaccine instead of Moderna Inc’s Spikevax jab when available.

Under 30 in France not recommended to take Moderna vaccine

The Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), which advises the French health sector, cited “very rare” risks that the Moderna vaccine was linked to myocarditis, a heart disease that was discovered in a French study published on Monday.

“Within the population aged under 30, this risk appears to be around five times lower with Pfizer’s Comirnaty jab compared to Moderna‘s Spikevax jab,” HAS said in its opinion published the same day.

HAS does not have the legal authority to ban or licence drugs, but it stated that its recommendation would apply regardless of whether the vaccine was used as a first, second, or third “booster” dose, and would be valid until more scientific findings on the subject were available.

However, for people over the age of 30, the authority explicitly recommended the Moderna vaccine, claiming that it was slightly more effective.

The European Union’s drug regulator approved Moderna’s booster vaccine last month, saying in its review that the vaccine can be given to people aged 18 and up at least six months after the second dose.

On Monday, government figures revealed that the number of daily infections in France had increased by 23.4 percent in the previous week, sparking speculation about mandating a third vaccine dose.

President Emmanuel Macron is expected to focus heavily on the health crisis during his televised address to the nation on Tuesday evening.

Germany has same advise as France for Moderna vaccine

Due to evidence of a minor risk of cardiac inflammation, German health authorities advised against using the Moderna coronavirus vaccine for people under the age of 30 on Wednesday.

According to the Stiko vaccine commission, mRNA jabs caused myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart) in rare cases in younger patients, with a slightly higher prevalence in those who received Moderna.

About the author

Brendan Taylor

Brendan Taylor was a TV news producer for 5 and a half years. He is an experienced writer. Brendan covers Breaking News at Insider Paper.







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