After Canada, Germany Halts AstraZeneca Jabs For Under-60s Over Clot Risk

Under-60s can still decide to take the vaccine but only following "consultation with the doctor carrying out the vaccination ... and with an individual risk analysis," said ministers of Germany's 16 states as well as the federal health minister in a policy statement.

Germany will deploy AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine for general use only for over-60 year olds, the government said Tuesday, imposing restrictions for younger people taking the jab after several severe clotting cases. Under-60s can still decide to take the vaccine but only following "consultation with the doctor carrying out the vaccination ... and with an individual risk analysis," said ministers of Germany's 16 states as well as the federal health minister in a policy statement. The World Health Organization and the EU's health watchdog have both deemed the AstraZeneca vaccine safe, but several countries have restricted its use over clotting fears. Chancellor Angela Merkel noted that experts have recorded in recent weeks "very rare but very serious cases of thrombosis" in people vaccinated with AstraZeneca.