ATHENS – Fear over blood clots and fatalities linked to the AstraZeneca  (AZ) COVID-19 vaccine has driven Greece’s National Vaccine Committee to recommend it not be used for anyone under the age of 60.

Kathimerini said that came from Takis Panagiotopoulos, a member of the government's advisory panel of doctors and scientists who said the government should also let people pick which vaccine they want, as many had already shunned AZ.

Those who already had their first shot of AZ and have an appointment for a second won't have to change if they don't want to, however, the report said although many are frightened of the UK version.

A 44-year-old woman who suffered a blood clot after being inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine died May 31 in the Intensive Care Unit of the  University Hospital of Iraklio on the island of Crete, the latest victim.

She had gotten the first of two required shots earlier in May and within a few days she became ill and a week later developed symptoms of thrombosis that led to her hospitalization, reports that the development from the vaccine doesn't always respond properly to usual blood thinning treatments.

The death came less than a week after a 63-year-old Greek woman also died from the same type of reaction to the vaccine after the European Medicines Agency and Greece' vaccination committee said it was safe to use at that time.