Australia to give AstraZeneca vaccine only to people over 60

Australia will recommend that only people over the age of 60 be vaccinated with AstraZeneca, Health Minister Greg Hunt said today after a series of blood clots in people who had been vaccinated with the drug.

Australia has administered 3.3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and this has been linked to 60 cases of thrombosis, the government has announced.

Two deaths have been reported so far, which, according to Hunt, has led to a change of policy.

“The government puts security above all else,” the minister told reporters in Canberra.

“This updated recommendation we received today is based on new data showing a higher risk of developing a very rare condition (thrombocytopenia syndrome) in the 50-59 age group.”

In April, Australia restricted the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people over the age of 50.