Irish people under 30 should not be given AstraZeneca vaccine, epidemiologist says

When the incidence of Covid-19 is low, the potential harms to 20-29 year olds from the vaccine outweighed the benefits of preventing ICU admissions through vaccination, the MHRA found

Two new reports last week that highlighted the causal link between AstraZeneca and blood clotting disorders. Picture: Getty

Irish people under the age of 30 should no longer be offered the AstraZeneca vaccine, an epidemiologist has said.

Dr Gabriel Scally, a professor of public health at the University of Bristol, said Ireland should follow the UK’s lead after British regulators decided to limit the use of the firm’s Covid-19 vaccine to people aged 30 and above.

“In Ireland, people under 30 should be offered a different vaccine,” Scally said. “It's very difficult to ...