CNCAV: Immunization with AstraZeneca vaccine - recommended for 18 to 55 age group

Immunization against COVID-19 with AstraZeneca vaccine is recommended for the 18 to 55 age group, with the possibility of increasing this range as new scientific data emerge, and the recommended time interval between the two doses is 8 weeks, the National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV) specified on Thursday. The cited source mentions that, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, the AstraZeneca vaccine can be given to adults over the age of 18. The vaccine causes the body's immune system to produce specialized antibodies and white blood cells that act against the virus, thus providing protection against COVID-19. For immunization, two doses of vaccine are given after 4 to 12 weeks after the first shot. "Following the recommendations sent by the Ministry of Health, the National Authority for Medicines and Medical Devices (ANMDMR), as well as by the Scientific Group within the CNCAV, taking into account the specifications of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) and the studies available up to the time of the conditional marketing authorization in Romania, vaccination against COVID-19 with the AstraZeneca vaccine is recommended for the 18 to 55 age group, with the possibility of increasing this interval depending on the emergence of new scientific data. Also, the time interval between the two dose recommended is 8 weeks," CNCAV points out. For the efficient management of the vaccination process at national level, the CNCAV has developed and submitted to the specialized staff the 'AstraZeneca Vaccination Procedure', a document setting out the storage transport and distribution conditions and mode, in compliance with the cold chain, monitoring of reactions, as well as stock and loss management.AGERPRES(RO - author: Andreea Rotaru, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Simona Iacob, editor: Maria Voican)