Astrazeneca Stock – Quebecers 55 and up will soon be able to get the AstraZeneca vaccine

MONTREAL —
People aged 55 and up will be able to get vaccinated in Quebec as of Thursday if they opt for the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Public Health Minister Christian Dubé made the announcement on Tuesday while unveiling new restrictions across Quebec.

The province has promised to adjust its booking website so that people can pick AstraZeneca or avoid it if they want.

The other available vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna will become available for those 60 and up in more regions of Quebec as of Friday.

Right now, most of the province is capped at the minimum age of 65 for all vaccines. However, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Cote-Nord, Laval, Monteregie, Outaouais and Montreal are all accepting appointments for those 60 and up.

READ MORE: Quebec may vaccinate essential workers alongside next priority group, starting imminently

It remains unclear if the AstraZeneca vaccine will be available to anyone younger than 55 for the time being.

In March, the province paused the use of the vaccine for those under that age “as a precautionary measure,” while Canadian researchers investigate a possible link between the vaccine and various blood clotting issues for that age group.

On Tuesday, a senior official at Europe’s medicines regulator said there is a clear “association” between AstraZeneca‘s COVID-19 vaccine and very rare blood clots in the brain, though the direct cause of the clots is still unknown.

The European Medical Agency (EMA) said in a statement after the comments by Marco Cavaleri, chair of its vaccine evaluation team, that it was still conducting a review of the vaccine and expected to announce its findings on Wednesday or Thursday.

“In my opinion, we can now say it, it is clear that there is an association (of the brain blood clots) with the vaccine. However, we still do not know what causes this reaction,” Cavaleri said, without giving evidence to support his comments.

Still, the EMA has said the benefits of the AstraZeneca shot outweigh any risks, and the World Health Organization has backed the vaccine. AstraZeneca has said previously that its studies have found no higher risk of clots because of its vaccine.

— With files from Reuters