IT’S NOT A SHOT IN THE DARK

ALL medications carry risks, but usually the benefits outweigh them. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been associated with a rare blood clotting disorder called Thrombosis, with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome affecting up to three in every 100,000. That’s why the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommended Pfizer as the preferred vaccine for under 60s, writes Jane Hansen.

MODERNA

THE Australian government has secured 25 million doses of the Moderna vaccine. The first 10 million doses were expected to arrive in the latter part of the year but projections look to fall short of that.

Government projections estimate between 87,000 and 125,000 doses of Moderna will be available in September and 430,000 to 615,000 available in October to December.

Like Pfizer, Moderna is a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine for Covid. Once the mRNA enters the body’s cells, the cells use the recipe to make the spike protein from the coronavirus, which allows the immune cells to start making antibodies against it. It does not and cannot alter DNA.

Moderna also has a variantspecific version to address longerterm immunity for emerging strains such as Delta. The government has ordered 15 million doses of this version, as part of its overall purchase, with delivery expected in the first half of 2022.

Moderna said studies using blood samples from vaccinated people showed its current jab was still highly effective against the Delta variant. It requires two shots, 28 days apart.