WIMMERA residents who have received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine are being urged to complete their vaccine program after a revision to safety guidelines from the government's vaccine advisory body.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Thursday, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommended the AstraZeneca jab only be given to people aged 60-plus, despite a hold on initial Pfizer jab bookings in Victoria while there is a vaccine shortage.
The recommendation was revised due to a higher risk of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome related to the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine observed in Australia.
Under the new recommendations, Wimmera Health Care Group will now offer the Pfizer vaccine to anyone aged between 50-59 years with an appointment for their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with rebookings necessary.
Anyone aged between 50-59 without a first dose appointment will have to wait several weeks until new first dose appointments are reopened.
READ MORE:
People over the age of 60 will still be able to get the AstraZeneca vaccine as per normal.
Grampians Sub Hub COVID-19 vaccine rollout coordinator Genevieve Lilley said it was safe to have a second dose of AstraZeneca regardless of your age, if you already had a first round.
"If you are booked for dose one of AstraZeneca you can go ahead with the booking," she said.
"There have been no changes to this advice, regardless of age - dose two is the same as dose one.
"If you have a booking for a first dose of vaccine and you are under 60, you can rebook into the Pfizer clinic - but only if you made the appointment last week."
State-wide changes to vaccine availability have come into effect due to the high demand for COVID-19 vaccines in past weeks.
The change in advice will put further pressure on Australia's supply of Pfizer vaccines, the only other vaccine against COVID-19 currently approved and available in Australia.
Pfizer must be imported from overseas, and while supply is expected to increase starting next month, large amounts of the vaccine are not expected until at least September.
Horsham's Lister House Clinic, which is a Commonwealth vaccine centre, only offers the AstraZeneca vaccine, but expects to receive doses of Pfizer in coming months.
OTHER NEWS:
Lister House chief executive Amanda Wilson said the clinic was looking to mid-July to start receiving shipments.
"They will be providing us with the Pfizer vaccine in the next few weeks. It will be in July they are suggesting at this point, but it depends on their stocks," she said.
Ms Wilson said the clinic was busy administering second vaccine doses, and encouraged at-risk people to get vaccinated.
"It is still important for people to weigh up their risks of a vaccine as opposed to the risk of getting COVID. Again, there is no reason why people can't get AstraZeneca, they just need to understand the risks.
"The new advice does not say you can't get AstraZeneca, it is just recommended. So the word is really important to understand, it is recommended. Everyone needs to weigh up their own individual risks - the risks of COVID as opposed to a very small clot effect in a vaccine that is readily available.
She said AstraZeneca was still a highly effective vaccine, and any side-effects were readily treatable.
"Really, the question you need to ask yourself - how will go if I get COVID, how ill I go if I get a vaccine?," she said.
"If you feel that the risk of getting COVID is worse for you than getting the vaccine, then the decision is pretty easy for you to get vaccinated with what is on offer. AstraZeneca is a very safe vaccine made in Melbourne."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.mailtimes.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/Wim_Mail_Times
- Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/wimmeramailtimes/