Irelands vaccine taskforce has recommended that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine use be restricted to people aged above 60, after European reviews of evidence linking the jab to rare blood clots.

The decision comes after several other European nations paused the use of the shot among younger individuals following the European regulators ruling that the vaccine could be linked to rare blood clotting events. The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) stated that the AstraZeneca vaccine was not recommended for people below 60 years of age after the European Medicines Agency noted unusual clotting events as rare side effects. NIAC Chair Karina Butler stated that the vaccine was highly effective and considerably decreases the risk of severe COVID-19 disease across all age groups, but the committee opted to change its advice considering the reviews… (NDTV - Agence France-Presse, April 13, 2021)