European Medicines Agency approves AstraZeneca vaccine for all people over 18

AMSTERDAM - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Friday recommended the authorization of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for all people over the age of 18, saying it believed the jab was also suitable for older people.

"EMA has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorization for Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 in people from 18 years of age," the Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency said in a statement.

The EU so far has approved two Covid-19 vaccines - Pfizer/BioNTech by US and German companies and Moderna by US company.

AstraZeneca vaccine developed by Oxford University is cheaper in production and easier to store and transport.

AstraZeneca has warned that deliveries of the vaccine to the EU might be delayed because its production has shrunk.