WHO Panel Recommends AstraZeneca Vaccine for Adults 65 and Older

ABC News reports that the World Health Organization's (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) recommended the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for adults 65 years old and older. Large clinical trials did not include enough people in this age group to reach statistically meaningful conclusions, but SAGE researchers are "very confident" the vaccine will work in this demographic, according to their review of a more limited dataset in conjunction with data from all age groups. SAGE determined that vaccine may effectively prevent severe disease from COVID-19, as well as hospitalizations and death. The panel also supports Britain's policy of administering doses eight to 12 weeks apart, saying the vaccine works better when there is a longer interval between shots. A major issue about AstraZeneca's vaccine is whether it works against virus variants, after data from a small preliminary trial suggested it might offer only minimal protection against mild-moderate infections from a mutation circulating in South Africa. Yet SAGE said any protection against the variant "is better than none." Kate O'Brien, director of the WHO's immunization, vaccines, and biologicals department, argued that "it's still the right thing to do to immunize older adults with a low-efficacy vaccine, because of the high risk of severe disease and mortality in that age group."