Agencies
Even as South Africa halted the use of AstraZenaca-Oxford vaccine for not being affective against Covid-19 mild and moderate cases, a World Health Organisation panel has recommended it’s use.
AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective and should be deployed widely, including in countries where the South African variant of the coronavirus may reduce its efficacy, a World Health Organization panel said on Wednesday.
The benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University outweigh any risks and the shot should recommended for use, including in people aged 65 and older, the WHO pandel said.
South Africa this week had paused part of its rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine after data from a small trial showed it did not protect against mild to moderate illness from the 501Y.V2 variant of the coronavirus now dominant in the country.
The WHO said it expected by mid-February to finalise its review of the shot for emergency use approval under COVAX agreement
The WHO said those preliminary findings “highlight the urgent need for a coordinated approach for surveillance and evaluation of variants” and their impact on vaccine efficacy.
WHO’s immunisation expert Kate O’Brien said the agency was talking with experts and ministry officials in South Africa and providing advice.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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