PM ‘strongly supports’ booster shot move: ‘We are ready to go’

Scott Morrison says the government will “strongly support” any possibility of bringing Covid-19 booster shots forward from their current six-month limit.

The Prime Minister said any potential change to interval times between Australians second dose and the booster would be under “close watch” by the health minister, the Chief Medical Officer, and himself.

However, the final decision will ultimately be left up to the nation’s health authority on immunisations ATAGI.

“We have already talked to ATAGI about what the period should be between the interval between a second dose and a booster shot,” Mr Morrison said.

“They are the right people to be a rising on these things.”

Mr Morrison said the government would be “ready to go” if ATAGI gave the green flag to move the booster shots forward.

“(If) they can be brought forward with new information we would strongly support that and we are ready to go if that is what they would like to do,” he said.

Australia is one of the first countries in the world to introduce a whole of population booster program.

Pfizer is currently the only vaccine brand available as the booster shot. It must be administered at least six months after a person’s has received their second dose.

On Wednesday, the Therapeutic Goods Administration announced the Moderna vaccine had been provisionally approved to join Pfizer as an available booster shot.

In a statement, the TGA said it had approved the second mRNA shot for use as booster following “careful evaluation”.

Mr Morrison welcomed the move, highlighting the importance of boosters to protecting Australians against the new Omicron variant.

“Well over 600,000 Australians have already had their boosters. And we want to keep encouraging people to go and get it,” he said.

“It’s very important now that people continue to go and get their boosters.”