Young people should be free to choose any vaccine available, says Ireland South MEP

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee is expected to recommend using the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine for the over-50s. Picture: AP

People under the age of 50 should be free to choose any vaccine available, Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher has said.

His call comes as the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) is expected to recommend using the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine for the over-50s. Niac is also expected to recommend expanding the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine from over-60s to over-50s.

The Fianna Fáil MEP said: “Citizens in the younger age cohorts should be allowed to voluntarily decide to take the AstraZeneca or J&J vaccines. The risk of not being vaccinated is many, many multiples of the risk of serious side-effects from either vaccine.” 

In a message posted on his social media account on Tuesday, Mr Kelleher was critical of the Irish approach when compared with some EU countries.

Citizens in the younger age cohorts should be allowed to voluntarily decide to take the AstraZeneca or J&J vaccines.

The risk of not being vaccinated is many, many multiples of the risk of serious side effects from either vaccine. #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/hsuTS96e5q

— Billy Kelleher MEP (@BillyKelleherEU) April 27, 2021

He said: “I have to say that I sometimes feel the Irish abundance of caution seems to be significantly greater than that of fellow EU member states. Ultimately, that will cause delays in vaccinations.” 

Health warnings

The European Medicines Agency has approved both vaccines for use in all ages. They did, however, ask for health warnings related to extremely rare cases of unusual blood clotting and low platelets. Symptoms of these conditions – cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and splanchnic vein thrombosis – are now explained to people getting the vaccine doses.

In Belgium and Italy the AstraZeneca vaccine is reserved for older people. But in the UK and Greece anyone over-30 can receive it.

In the US, where they have given more than 8m doses of the J &J vaccine, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) resumed use without age restrictions.

Vaccination teams in Ireland have made a great start in targeting the over-60s with the AstraZeneca vaccine, Mr Kelleher said.

He added: “However, a pinch point will soon arrive where those left to be vaccinated, the under 60s, will have to wait for additional Pfizer supplies to arrive while we have AstraZeneca and possibly J&J vaccines building up in the fridges.” 

The MEP called on “decision makers” to allow the younger people volunteer for these vaccines if they choose to do so.

Waiver system

“If there is a concern about liability, a waiver system should be put in place,” he said.

Noting that some EU countries have not placed age restrictions on the vaccines, he said “that has to count for something”. 

Ireland will receive about 605,000 doses of the J&J vaccine by the end of June. It is believed that Niac will recommend on Tuesday that this be used for over-50s with some exceptions for people in vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups.

About 813,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are expected. This is currently only being used for those aged 60 to 69 as a roll-out for people over-70 had already started using other vaccines.