Covid-19: Janssen vaccine extended to all men aged 18 and over

The General Directorate of Health have announced that the age restriction associated with the use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Covid vaccine on males has been removed.

Janssen’s Covid-19 vaccine will now be given to all males aged 18 and over. The General Directorate of Health (DGS) updated the standard yesterday and removed the age restriction associated with males.

“In Portugal, it is recommended, until new data is known, that COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen be used in males aged 18 years or over “, reads the standard .

Until now, Jassen’s vaccine was only given to people over 50 years of age. It could be given to younger age groups as long as people expressed consent, according to DGS guidelines.

According to the now updated standard, nothing changes when inoculating females: all women aged 50 years and over can receive the Janssen vaccine. In other words, the age restriction remains.

The possible expansion for males had already been mentioned to the task-force coordinator for the vaccination plan at the beginning of the month. Vice-Admiral Gouveia e Melo had warned that, due to age limitations, Portugal could render about 2.7 million vaccines of this brand useless.

Portugal will follow the advice of the European Medicines Agency. According to the EMA, this vaccine “is approved to prevent covid-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in people aged 18 years and over.”

In this case, women under the age of 50 “who so wish, if properly informed, on an individualised basis of weighing the benefits and risks, may be vaccinated with the Janssen Covid vaccine, provided they give informed consent”.

Original article available in Portuguese at http://postal.pt/