(Adds El Pais, details)
MADRID, March 22 (Reuters) - Spain is preparing to extend
the age range for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to
18-65 year olds from a previous range of 18-55 years, La
Vanguardia and El Pais newspapers said on Monday, citing unnamed
sources briefed on a proposal by a health ministry committee.
Spain would use the vaccines made by Pfizer and
Moderna in priority on people older than 65 or with
health risks, while the AstraZeneca would be used mainly on
younger people, La Vanguardia said.
Spain said last week it would resume the use of that vaccine
on Wednesday after suspending it, alongside several other
European countries, on concerns related to blood-clot cases.
A health ministry spokeswoman declined to confirm the
newspaper reports, pointing to a news conference Health Minister
Carolina Darias will hold later in the day following a meeting
with regional health chiefs to decide on the steps ahead for the
vaccination.
(Reporting by Nathan Allen and Inti Landauro
Editing by Ingrid Melander)