Jab rethink confusion

THERE is no ban on Australians under 50 getting AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine and they can still have it after discussing risks with their GP.

And Australians aged over 50 would be putting themselves at risk if they don’t get the jab, Scott Morrison said as he tried to rebuild confidence in the immunisation roll out.

“I want my mum to get it,” the Prime Minister said.

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout had to be recalibrated after an expert government panel ruled on Thursday the Pfizer vaccine should be the preferred option for those under 50 because of the very rare risk the AstraZeneca vaccine might cause blood clots.

Australia is now unlikely to meet the target of giving all people a single vaccine shot by October.

Currently, the Pfizer supplies are arriving at the rate of 130,000 doses a week and are not due to substantially increase until July, when they will more than double.

The 20 million extra doses purchased on Friday will not arrive until October.

Australians under 50 who don’t want to wait for a Pfizer shot can ask for the AstraZeneca vaccine if they discuss the risk with their doctor, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said.

“The AstraZeneca vaccine can be used in those under 50 where the benefits clearly outweigh the risk for that individual and the person has made an informed decision,” college president Karen Price said.

Those over 50 will be given the AstraZeneca vaccine because their risk from COVID is far greater than the risk from the vaccine.

One upside of placing greater reliance on the Pfizer shot is it could speed up the date at which everyone receives two doses. There is only a three-week wait between Pfizer doses compared with a three-month gap between AstraZeneca shots.

The Pfizer vaccine is being distributed through hospitals because it has to be kept at super-cold temperatures and this could hamper the rollout, which is using GPs and pharmacists. But new rules say it can be stored for a short time at ordinary refrigeration temperatures, meaning GPs could be able to deliver the shot.

The troubled vaccine program already way behind schedule dissolved into confusion on Friday as state governments stopped providing the AstraZeneca jab to nurses and other medicos. They later said it was a temporary halt while they updated consent forms to include advice about the risk of blood clots.

Queensland University of Technology’s Ross Gordon said risk had put “a major dent in the vaccination strategy”.

“People appreciate timely, clear, transparent, easily understood and honest information on which to base their health decisions. Unfortunately, this has been lacking so far in the Australian vaccination strategy,” Professor Gordon said.

Australia’s vaccine rollout is way behind target; it ranks 50th globally in terms of the number of doses delivered.

Nepal, the Dominican Republic and Colombia have delivered more doses.