AstraZeneca vaccine can now be requested by <60s

In a late-night press conference following yesterday’s National Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised that any Australian under 60 years of age who would like to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is welcome to consult their GP.

The Prime Minister said around 221,000 second doses of AstraZeneca were administered last week — the week after the latest Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice appeared to limit the vaccine to older Australians due to very rare cases of blood-clotting thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) in vaccinated adults under 60. But in something of a backflip, the Commonwealth has now announced that it will establish a no-fault indemnity scheme for healthcare practitioners who are providing advice to people in relation to COVID-19 vaccination. This means GPs can have the confidence to administer AstraZeneca to Australians under 60 years of age with informed consent.

“The ATAGI advice talks about a preference for AstraZeneca to be available and made available to those as preferred for those over 60, but the advice does not preclude persons under 60 from getting the AstraZeneca vaccine,” the Prime Minister said. “And so if you wish to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, then we would encourage you to go and have that discussion with your GP.

“We are also providing the indemnity scheme for those general practitioners so they can actively engage with you and you can make the best decision for your health.”

It should be mentioned that this is in line with the government’s initial advice about the AstraZeneca blood clot risk back in April, in which it was noted that younger members of the Phase 1b vaccine cohort should still have the opportunity to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine if they consent to understanding the risks — particularly if their doctor deems it appropriate. But since then there has been some reluctance by GPs to administer the vaccine to younger people, which the new indemnity scheme should go some way to addressing. There is, however, still some confusion as to whether the vaccine will be made available immediately to all Australian adults, regardless of their age or level of vulnerability, so people are advised to make an appointment with their GP to discuss what it means for them.

The National Cabinet also agreed to mandate that at least the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine be administered by mid-September 2021 for all members of the residential aged-care workforce. Residential aged-care workers will be supported to be vaccinated through an $11 million program to enable them to attend off-site vaccination centres and GPs, including paid leave for casual staff who become unwell after vaccination.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Pixel-Shot

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