COVID-19 vaccine: AstraZeneca only for 60 and over, confirms Greg Hunt

Sarah IsonThe West Australian
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VideoAMA WA make Pfizer push for 50-59-year-olds

Health Minister Greg Hunt has confirmed the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will only be recommended for Australians aged 60 and over after advice from the Federal Government’s peak vaccine advisory body.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is linked to a rare blood clotting risk, which is higher in younger cohorts.

Up until today, health advice recommended AstraZeneca be offered to over 50s and Pfizer be given to under 50s.

However, following the death of a 52-year-old woman last week, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation on Thursday recommended the AstraZeneca vaccine only be given to those aged 60 and older.

Mr Hunt also confirmed Australia will move to open access to the Pfizer vaccine “immediately” for 40 to 59-year-olds

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The change will mean an extra 2.1 million will need a Pfizer jab.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said people in their 60s “should not hesitate” to get the AstraZeneca jab.

“For those who have had the AstraZeneca in the past month who are in that age group of 50 to 59, I can imagine that this news could cause concern,” he said.

“Remember this remains a very rare but sometimes serious event. We’re picking it up much more commonly than other countries because we’re looking more fully.”

Department of Health Secretary Dr Brendan Murphy conceded the development “could have an impact” on the level of vaccine hesitancy.

Camera IconDepartment of Health Secretary Dr Brendan Murphy conceded the new AstraZeneca advice “could have an impact” on the level of vaccine hesitancy. Credit: MICK TSIKAS/AAPIMAGE

“Of course there are impacts on hesitancy, this may have some impact but the publication by the TGA in a transparent way of the new data could have impact on hesitancy as well,” he said.

“We believe that the community is more likely to do as we recommended we are absolutely transparent and follow the medical advice at all times.”

Department of Defence COVID-19 Taskforce boss Lieutenant John Frewen said Australia has enough Pfizer vaccines on hand to cope with the extra 2.1 million people who would now need the jab.

“We have 2.3 million doses of Pfizer already at hand,” he said.

“By the end of July we will have an additional 3.4 million doses of Pfizer at hand. So from a logistics perspective, this is a relatively minor adjustment for us.”

Camera IconMinister for Health Greg Hunt uses Anti-Bacterial gel at Parliament House. Credit: Sam Mooy/Getty Images

“Of course there will be a couple of weeks of adjustment of just getting that cohort organised and perhaps switching over to Pfizer, but we can will accommodate this this adjustment.”

In a statement ATAGI said it had revised its recommendations due to “a higher risk and observed severity of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome”.

“For those aged 60 years and above, the individual benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine are greater than in younger people,” the statement said.

“The risks of severe outcomes with COVID-19 increase with age and are particularly high in older unvaccinated individuals. The benefit of vaccination in preventing COVID-19 with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca outweighs the risk of TTS in this age group and underpins its ongoing use in this age group.”

The statement urged those who had their first AstraZeneca jab without adverse affects to “receive a second dose of the same vaccine”.

Camera IconClinical staff draw up AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines at the Claremont Showgrounds clinic. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Mr Hunt said while he was “apologetic” about the “difficult circumstance”, the Government had no choice but to change the vaccine advice.

“Sometimes it is difficult and challenging, but think of the alternative of not accepting the medical advice,” he said.

“That's not an alternative on my watch.”

Mr Hunt asked for Australian in their 50s to continue “being patient”.

“Yes, it does mean that for those in the 50 to 59 group they must be patient, as they have been,” he said.

“Bur equally as has been raised many who had wanted access to Pfizer will now have access to Pfizer.”

Despite the upheaval Mr Hunt said he was confident the rollout would be completed in due course.

“We'll get this done, and we'll continue to keep Australians safe,” he said.

Shadow finance minister Katy Gallagher said the Government had placed too much “emphasis” on AstraZeneca, with more than 50 million doses being produced domestically in Melbourne.

“They didn't secure enough Pfizer they didn't secure Moderna deals,” she said on ABC.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said she couldn’t see how the news wouldn’t have an affect on public confidence.

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