Elderly in Poland won’t be given AstraZeneca shot, says minister

Elderly people in Poland will not be given the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the minister in charge of the programme said on Monday, but he added that a final decision would be made after recommendations from medical experts.

Europe’s medicines regulator on Friday approved AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s COVID-19 shot for people over 18, but said there were not yet enough results for people over 55 to determine how well the vaccine will work.

“If we are talking about the decision of the medical council, we expect it in the coming days or possibly hours, but it is clear that elderly people will not be vaccinated with this shot,” Michal Dworczyk, the prime minister’s top aide, who has been put in charge of vaccinations, told a news conference.

“We are waiting for a clear recommendation from the medical council and then… we will take a decision,” he added.

Dworczyk said that teachers might be the first to be vaccinated.

On Thursday, Germany’s vaccine committee recommended AstraZeneca’s vaccine should only be given to people aged between 18 and 64, with medical experts in Austria making the same recommendation on Sunday.