Canadian panel recommends AstraZeneca vaccination pause for under 55

Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization is recommending a pause on AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccinations for people under 55 for safety reasons, a person familiar with the matter tells The Associated Press.

The person confirms the recommendation on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak publicly before the announcement. It remains a recommendation and it is up to each of Canada’s provinces to decide to follow it or not.

It is not immediately clear why that is being recommended, but several European countries that have suspended using the vaccine over concerns it could cause blood clots have resumed administering it after the EU’s drug regulator said the vaccine was safe.

Canada is expected to receive 1.5 million does of AstraZeneca from the US this week.

The vaccine is used widely in Britain, across the European continent and in other countries, but its rollout was troubled by inconsistent study reports about its effectiveness, and then more recently a scare about clots that had some countries temporarily pausing inoculations.