The federal government has cut the recommended interval between the second and booster doses of a coronavirus vaccine | cassieemorgan
The federal government has cut the recommended interval between the second and booster doses of a coronavirus vaccine.Health Minister Greg Hunt.The change follows advice from the expert vaccination group, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, and is in response to the recent spread of the Omicron variant.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said cutting the interval from five months to four would mean that about 7.5 million people would be eligible to receive a booster shot by early January.When the interval is again reduced to three months at the end of January, about 16 million Australians would be eligible to receive their booster dose, he said.
“In relation to [protection from] severe disease from the first two doses of the vaccine, it wanes over time, hence the time-based change in the boosters,” Professor Kelly said.“We know that unfortunately, two doses does not change that ability to become infected,” he said. He said the decision to stagger the interval changes was based on medical advice, as well as the need to prioritise the most at-risk Australians.It was also down to logistics because with the exhaustion of the health workforce it was “just not feasible to suddenly give those large numbers” of booster doses.
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