France lifts restrictions on AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s

2 March 2021, 00:00

France will allow over-65s to have the AstraZeneca vaccine
France will allow over-65s to have the AstraZeneca vaccine. Picture: PA

By Maddie Goodfellow

France will start allowing some people over 65 to receive the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, after initially restricting its use to younger populations because of limited data on the drug's effectiveness.

While France first authorised the vaccine only for medical professionals under 65, Health Minister Olivier Veran said that it will soon be available to people over age 50 with health problems that make them vulnerable to Covid-19.

Mr Veran also said that people who have had the virus in recent months will only need one injection of the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

France's High Authority for Health has argued that recent infection acts as partial protection against the virus, so a second dose is not essential.

France has used less than a quarter of the 1.1 million AstraZeneca vaccines it received as of Friday, according to government data.

However, its vaccine campaign is expected to pick up in the coming days as more doses are delivered to family doctors and pharmacies.

Read more: Health Secretary Matt Hancock urges unidentified Brazil Covid case to come forward

Read more: Covid is 'greatest difficulty' faced by Government in past 50 years, says David Cameron

Matt Hancock 'absolutely delighted' at 20 million people vaccinated

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that PHE data shows receiving a single shot of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine reduces the chance of needing hospital treatment by "more than 80 per cent."

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, the Health Secretary hailed the "extremely good news", while urging people to continue to stick to the rules and "not to blow it now".

Mr Hancock said: "In terms of real world data, the number of new cases is falling, but the rate of decline has slowed. This shows how we all need to keep sticking to the rules. Let's not blow it now."

However, the number of hospitalisations is falling faster. And even better, among the age groups who were vaccinated first, so the older age groups, the fall in hospitalisations is faster than in the younger age groups who are yet to get a jab.

"This is a sign that the vaccine is working."

The data, from Public Health England, is based on the number of people over 80 testing positive for Covid and ending up in hospital as a result.

Vaccines Minister explains details behind the new Covid strain

England's deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam also welcomed the new data on vaccines.

He said data on individuals aged 70 and over shows that for both Pfizer and the Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs there is vaccine effectiveness against illness of approximately 60% after one dose.

Prof Van-Tam said the data shows the vaccines are reducing the likelihood of hospital admission by 80% after one dose.Data for the Pfizer vaccine shows the likelihood of mortality is reduced by 85% in over-70s, he added.

He told the Downing Street briefing that the data "gives us those first glimpses of how, if we are patient, and we give this vaccine programme time to have its full effect, it is going to hopefully take us into a very different world in the next few months".

Encouraging people to continue to come forward for their first and second doses, he added: "We have to be patient. We have to push on with the vaccine programme."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Israel has launched the largest strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, killing and injuring dozens while promising 'increasing military force'.

Israel launches 'extensive' deadly strikes on Gaza, which Hamas says indicate 'unilateral end to ceasefire'

Badenoch is expected to drop the party’s commitment to net zero, which the UK is legally required to reach by 2050, in a speech on Tuesday.

UK net zero target by 2050 is ‘impossible’ without bankrupting Britain, says Kemi Badenoch

John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway, the last surviving pilot that served in the Battle of Britain, has passed away at the age of 105.

Last surviving Battle of Britain pilot John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway dies aged 105

A selection of credit cards in a fan.

Almost 20,000 Civil Service credit cards to be frozen in government plans to halve number of cards and cut spending

MPs have been urged to support moves to ban smacking and other forms of physical punishment against children in England.

Ministers urged to back law change which will see smacking children to punish them banned

Polling station at Deptford Park School.

Russian networks tried to disrupt UK election but did not cause ‘notable’ impact, security minister says

IKEA store in Vilnius, Lithuania

Russian spies accused of firebombing Ikea store ‘because colours are the same as the Ukraine flag’

Facial recognition will be used to help passengers skip passport queues at ports.

British travellers arriving back in UK could 'avoid passport queues' with new facial recognition technology

The White House said Trump is ‘determined’ to get a peace deal in Ukraine over the line, as the US president gears up for talks for Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

‘We’ve never been closer to a peace deal’ in Ukraine, says White House ahead of Trump-Putin talks

A prison officer walks down the C wing at Wandsworth prison.

Number of prisoners reaches six-month high, despite thousands being released early to ease overcrowding

Richard Burrows, 80, was found guilty of 54 offences at Chester Crown Court on Monday, including indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child.

Paedophile scout leader who spent 27 years on the run found guilty of dozens child sex abuse crimes

‘Iran will suffer the consequences’ - Trump raises prospect of war with Iran as Us attacks on Houthis continue

‘Iran will suffer the consequences’ - Trump raises prospect of war with Iran as US attacks on Houthis continue

Owen Cooper (l) and Stephen Graham (r) star in Adolescence

Revealed: Secret behind incredible camera shot in Netflix's new 'masterpiece' Adolescence

Drag star The Vivienne died after taking ketamine, their family said today

Drag star The Vivienne died from cardiac arrest caused by taking ketamine, family say

Irish professional mixed martial artist and businessman Conor McGregor visited the White House on Monday.

‘He doesn’t reflect the spirit of St Patrick’s Day’: Row erupts after Conor McGregor appears in The White House

`

Man who shouted 'Die, die, die' while stabbing man in quiet street in broad daylight sentenced to life