Isle of Man under-40s offered alternative to Oxford-AstraZeneca jab

The island's vaccination programme will focus on delivering second doses from this week

People under the age of 40 on the Isle of Man will be offered an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.

It follows advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Previously only under-30s were offered a different vaccine due to a link with rare blood clots.

Those who have had a first dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca jab will still be offered a second.

'Extremely rare'

Anyone under-40 with underlying health conditions will still be offered the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The move brings the island in line with the UK.

Health Minister David Ashford said serious side effects were "extremely rare".

He said the benefits of receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab "continue to outweigh the risks...for the vast majority of people".

Supplies of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab would not be available for first doses until late July, he added.

More than 60,000 people on the island have now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, which is 81% of the adult population.

About 42% of the 10,822 people in the 30 to 39 age group who have had a vaccine have been given a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab.

Mr Ashford said: "I must emphasise that anyone who has received their first vaccine dose must have a second dose to be fully protected from Covid-19.

"If you have had a first dose of AstraZeneca then your second dose must be AstraZeneca."