- The Prime Minister has announced all Australians aged under 60 now have the option of accessing the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
- Previously, the jab has only been recommended for those aged over 60, after it was linked to extremely rare blood clotting events
- But in a bid to speed up Australia’s slow vaccination rollout, Scott Morrison says all Australians can now request the vaccine
- Mr Morrison also confirmed aged-care workers will be legally required to get vaccinated before being able to resume work
- Additionally, people in hotel quarantine will be required to submit for a COVID-19 test 2-3 days after finishing their quarantine stint
The Prime Minister has announced Australians of all ages now have the option of accessing the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Scott Morrison announced the news on Monday night following a meeting of State and Territory Leaders discussing the Delta variant outbreaks.
Previously, the AstraZeneca jab had only been recommended for those aged over 60, after it was linked to extremely rare blood clotting events
But in a bid to speed up Australia’s slow vaccination rollout, Mr Morrison said the government would implement a no-fault indemnity scheme for GPs.
The scheme would allow doctors to administer AstraZeneca for those under 60, following a consultation.
“The [drug watchdog] advice talks about a preference for AstraZeneca to be available and made available to those as preferred for those over 60,” Mr Morrison said.
“But the advice does not preclude persons under 60 from getting the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“And so if you wish to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, then we would encourage you to go and have that discussion with your GP.”
Australia currently has a surplus of AstraZeneca jabs, while the bulk of the Pfizer vaccine were due to arrive in the fourth quarter.
The health advice previously released by the government advises those aged under 50 in Australia to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
As a result, younger Australians who wish to receive the AstraZeneca jab were advised to speak to their GP first about which vaccine was best for them.
Meanwhile, alongside the AstraZeneca announcement, Mr Morrison confirmed last night that aged-care workers would now be legally required to get vaccinated.
Specifically, the workers will be required to show proof of at least one vaccination before they’re able to resume work.
Additionally, the Prime Minister announced people in hotel quarantine would now be asked to submit for a COVID-19 test 2-3 days after finishing their quarantine stint.
The update comes as number of people in Australia have tested positive two to three weeks after being exposed to COVID-19.