Luxembourg's Ministry of Health has announced its decision to extend the interval between doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from four to ten weeks.
The decision comes in light of the latest recommendations from Luxembourg's Superior Council of Infectious Diseases (Conseil supérieur des maladies infectieuses - CSMI).
As of Tuesday 16 February 2021, the CSMI recommends the administration of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine between the eighth and twelfth week after the first dose. This recommendation is based on the latest vaccine efficacy data available, according to which the extension of the interval between the two doses of this particular vaccine appears to have a favourable impact on the vaccine's efficacy against symptomatic forms of the disease. The CSMI advised against administering the second dose beyond the twelfth week.
The recommendation also takes into account the opinion of the High Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de santé - HAS) of 2 February 2021 which recommends an interval of nine to twelve weeks between the two doses "taking into account the efficacy and immunogenicity data available showing the positive impact of the lengthening of the duration between doses and the persistence up to twelve weeks of the protection conferred by the first dose".
