ASTRAZENECA has closed its Covid vaccine and will no longer manufacture or distribute it because the pandemic is over.
The company said demand is low because there are many other jabs available.
It is yet another sign that the outbreak has been consigned to history after the World Health Organization declared the end of the global emergency last year.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was the second to be publicly launched, after the UK was the first to start using Pfizer’s vaccine in December 2020.
The NHS stopped using the vaccine mainly after it was considered risky for young people and Pfizer was better suited as a booster for the elderly.
Professor Adam Finn, of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, said: “We are in a very different situation, with almost the entire population immune to coronavirus, so the need for this vaccine is evaporating.”
The vaccine was linked to a rare but deadly form of blood clotting that led some families to sue the company for the deaths and injuries of loved ones.
At least 81 people in the UK have been confirmed to have died from the disease, according to reports.
Vaccine-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) has only been seen shortly after vaccines, so people who received them years ago are safe now.
The latest vaccines are more targeted at current Covid variants.
A doctor’s opinion on the AstraZeneca withdrawal
Oxfordshire GP Rachel Ward said: “The AstraZeneca vaccine is not dangerous.
“It actually saved a lot of lives during Covid.
“Like all vaccines and medicines, it had some rare side effects that we understand well, as it has been administered to so many people around the world, allowing us to gather a lot of information quickly.
“You don’t need to do anything if you have had an AstraZeneca Covid vaccine.
“If you need more vaccines from now on, you will get another brand – but it doesn’t matter if you had AstraZeneca previously.
“This change is a positive development with Covid protection as we now have newer vaccines to replace it.”
An AstraZeneca spokesperson said: “We are extremely proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic.
“According to independent estimates, more than 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone and more than three billion doses were supplied globally.
“Our efforts have been recognized by governments around the world and are widely considered to be a critical component in ending the global pandemic.
“As multiple Covid-19 variant vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of updated vaccines available.
“This has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer manufactured or supplied.
“AstraZeneca has therefore taken the decision to initiate the withdrawal of marketing authorizations for Vaxzevria in Europe.
“We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path to complete this chapter and contribute meaningfully to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The NHS continues to roll out seasonal Covid boosters for the elderly and people with weak immune systems, using Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
SCIENTISTS MAKING PANDEMIC-PROOF JAB
BRITISH scientists think they can make a vaccine for coronavirus we don’t even know about yet.
Experts at the University of Cambridge are developing a pandemic-proof vaccine that triggers immunity to the building blocks common to several coronaviruses.
It could work against different viruses and variants, targeting shared parts that don’t change when they mutate.
Typical vaccines target superspecific parts of viruses and become less effective as viruses evolve.
Laboratory tests on mice suggest that a single vaccine using the new technology can already defend against Sars, Covid and a number of high-risk coronaviruses known to spread between bats.
Researcher Rory Hills said: “Our focus is on creating a vaccine that protects us against the next coronavirus pandemic and getting it ready before the pandemic even starts.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
