With much speculation in the media and in the general public, following is an update on who should receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
- Pfizer is recommended for people aged 16 to 60
- AstraZeneca is recommended for people aged over 60
- Age ranges are based on relative risk between getting the AstraZeneca vaccine and developing blood clots known as thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS)
- Official expert medical advice does not stop someone under 60 from getting the AstraZeneca jab if they want it
- GPs can provide AstraZeneca to adults under 60 if Pfizer is not available, the benefits are likely to outweigh the risks for that person, and they make an informed choice
- Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who has had Pfizer, says no one under 60 should get AstraZeneca
- West Australian premier Mark McGowan says people under 40 should not get AstraZeneca
- NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian, who has had two doses of AstraZeneca, says people should decide based on advice from their GP
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison says people should follow their GP’s advice
- The Morrison Government has provided GPs with a no-fault indemnity scheme and offered people Medicare cover for vaccine consultations
- Thousands of people under 60 have followed the PM’s advice and booked in for AstraZeneca jabs with their GP
What is the risk for under 60s?
- For 18-29s, the risk of a TTS blood clot is 1.9 per 100,000 AstraZeneca jabs
- For 30-39s, it is 1.6/100,000
- For 40-49s, it is 5/100,000
- For 50-59s it is 2.7/100,000
What are the side-effects of covid-19 vaccination?
- Common side effects of vaccination include fatigue, headache, body aches and fever
- Severity of illness due to TTS (which has affected 64 Australians so far) ranges from mild blood clotting to fatal cases
- Half of TTS cases in Australia have been discharged from hospital
- One in four have been more serious and required treatment in intensive care, and two people have died
