AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot shouldn't be given to people over 65, Germany's vaccine committee reportedly says

A nurse administers a Covid-19 vaccine to an elderly, as Jordan starts the national vaccination campaign at a special vaccination clinic on January 13, 2021 in Amman, Jordan.

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• The COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford should not be used in anyone over 65-years-old, Germany's main public health agency reportedly said on Thursday.
• "There are currently insufficient data available to assess the vaccine efficacy from 65 years of age," said the Vaccine Commission at the Robert Koch Institute, Reuters reported.
• The EMA is expected to make a decision on whether to approve AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine Friday.
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The COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford shouldn't be given to people over age 65, Germany's main public health agency said Thursday, multiple media outlets reported.

"There are currently insufficient data available to assess the vaccine efficacy from 65 years of age," said the Vaccine Commission at the Robert Koch Institute, Reuters reported. For that reason, the health body recommended that the vaccine only be given to people ages 18 to 64, according to Reuters and the Financial Times.

COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer have already already been approved by the the EU regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and can be given to older adults.

AstraZeneca's vaccine isn't yet authorized for use in Germany or other EU countries. The EMA is expected to make a decision on whether to approve the vaccine on Friday.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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