Chile suspends vaccination with AstraZeneca in those under 45 years of age

Chilean health authorities made the decision to suspend the application of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 in patients under 45 years of age.

This decision was made after a 31-year-old patient showed possible adverse effects due to the inoculation.

This suspension will be maintained for the duration of the investigation that seeks to further investigate the situation that occurred in the Puente Alto commune, belonging to the Metropolitan Region.

“We are waiting for the result of an investigation, where the Institute of Public Health (ISP) will give the result, whether there were adverse effects in a 31-year-old patient and that is why as a precaution, we managed to reach this resolution, to postpone the second dose. and administer it to people over 45 years of age, as has been done in other parts of the world,” said Enrique Paris, Minister of Health.

The fact was reported on Wednesday by the Municipality of Puente Alto, which made the decision to postpone the vaccination process in its territory.

The first shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines arrived in Chile in mid-April, weeks after the ISP recommended that it be applied to women over 55 years of age and men over 18 years of age, after the cases linked to thrombosis registered in Europe and in other parts of the world.

Chile's highest health authority recalled that the AstraZeneca vaccine has been administered in more than 135 countries, where adverse effects have also been recorded.

“The effect is studied for some time and then restarted if there is no direct relationship or the age of vaccination is changed,” added Paris.