The AstraZeneca vaccine has come under heavy criticism for supposed side effects. — AFP pic

BERLIN, March 30 — Berlin’s state hospital groups Charite and Vivantes have stopped giving women under the age of 55 shots of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, German daily Tagesspiegel reported on its website, citing a spokeswoman for the hospitals.

Some 19,000 people work at the Charite hospitals and 17,000 at Vivantes, which operates clinics as well as care homes. Tagesspiegel said that around two thirds of staff at Charite have been vaccinated so far, and 70 per cent of those workers have received one shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Neither Charite nor Vivantes were immediately available for comment. — Reuters