ATAGI no longer recommends AstraZeneca vaccine for 50–59s

The Australian Government yesterday received updated advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) about the COVID-19 vaccination program, indicating that the Pfizer vaccine — rather than AstraZeneca — is now preferred for all adults aged 59 and under. The government has accepted this and will move to ensure Australia’s vaccination program is adjusted accordingly.

Up until now, ATAGI’s advice had been the Pfizer vaccine be preferred for adults aged 49 and under based on evidence related to the incidence of the very rare blood-clotting thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) in this age cohort. The updated advice is based on new evidence demonstrating a higher risk for TTS in 50- to 59-year-olds than reported internationally and initially estimated in Australia.

The ATAGI advice remains clear that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in preventing severe disease caused by COVID-19. AstraZeneca remains recommended for those aged 60 and over based on the much higher risk of illness and death from COVID-19 in this age group, and the lower risk of this condition. ATAGI also strongly recommends people of all ages who have had the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine without serious adverse effects have their second dose of AstraZeneca, as supported by data indicating a substantially lower rate of TTS following a second AstraZeneca dose in the UK.

The Australian Government also plans to expand the number of access points for the Pfizer vaccine. The 21 Commonwealth Vaccination Clinics already administering the Pfizer vaccine will be able to start accepting people aged 40 to 59 in the near future, which will be increased to 70 clinics by 5 July and all 136 Commonwealth Vaccination Clinics by the end of July.

The government will also rapidly expand access to Pfizer across Australia through general practice. From 5 July it will begin the progressive onboarding of up to an initial 500 general practices to provide the Pfizer vaccine, including for people aged 40 to 59. This will expand up to a further 500 in the week commencing 12 July, and then up to a further 300 in the week commencing 19 July. This will coincide with the receipt of 2.8 million Pfizer doses during July — the highest arrival of Pfizer doses so far.

The Department of Health is providing updated advice to general practitioners, pharmacists and other health professionals administering vaccines.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/ThamKC

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