THOUSANDS of Gannawarra residents are now be eligible to receive a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose after it was approved by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler last week told media that this would help provide additional protection from severe disease against the emerging surge of Omicron subvariant infections and reduce the burden on Australian hospitals and the health care system in coming months.
The Federal Government accepted the recommendations of the ATAGI vaccine experts and will open the fourth dose to those newly eligible from yesterday.
ATAGI specifically recommended that people aged 50 to 64 years should have their fourth dose, while people aged 30 to 49 years may choose to have a fourth shot.
ATAGI reiterated that people who had already been eligible for the fourth dose, including those aged 65 years and over, remain at higher risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19.
As of Friday, 60 per cent of people aged 65 years and over have had their fourth dose. People who haven’t already received it are strongly encouraged to have it as soon as possible.
Mr Butler said ATAGI also recommended the interval between vaccine doses, or prior infection (whichever comes later), be reduced from four months to three months to provide earlier additional protection.
“ATAGI did not support making the fourth dose available to healthy adults under the age of 30 years as it was not clear whether the benefits outweighed the risks in this population group,” he said.
Almost 14 million people in Australia aged 16 and over have received three or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
“We are in the early stages of a third Omicron wave and our government is absolutely committed to making sure as many people as possible are protected with the vaccine,” Mr Butler said.
“My message to everyone living in Australia aged 50 and over is to make sure you have the greatest protection against COVID-19 by having a fourth dose as soon as possible. If you are aged 30 to 49 and you want that extra protection, you can choose to get a fourth dose.”
It comes as new positive COVID cases remained stubborn in the Gannawarra local government area since the start of the month, with 83 active cases and now close to 2100 cases since the start of the pandemic – close to the equivalent of Cohuna’s population.
As of yesterday, 75.7 per cent of the population has had their third dose, well above the statewide rate of 68.4 per cent.
