Australian PM says people under 40 years can get AstraZeneca jabs, medical body refuses

Even though Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison recommended the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine to all under 40 year-olds, the country’s top health body is still holding in the declaration.  Earlier, Morrison revealed the massive change of Australia’s coronavirus vaccination programme and said that anyone under the age of 40 can now request the AstraZeneca jab. However, as per The Guardian report, the president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Omar Khorshid has said that he does not endorse the Australian PM’s announcement while also adding that the premier’s announcement took him by surprise. 

The official advice from the independent Australian technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has said that Pfizer is the preferred vaccine for people below the age of 60 citing an escalated risk of rare clotting cases linked to AstraZeneca jabs. Despite the advisory, Morrison on Monday encouraged all under-60s to “go and have that discussion with your GP” if they wish to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. Following the announcement on June 28, Korshid told the media publication that “it took us by surprise.”

“It took us by surprise, and it’s hard to know how to take that announcement because I think it’s going to be a limited number of people to take it up, given that they would be going against the expert Atagi recommendation,” Khorshid told the outlet on Tuesday.

“Our recommendation is still really for patients to follow the Atagi advice. Be patient and have the Atagi-recommended vaccine when it’s available. I am certainly still backing the expert advice at this stage,” he added.

Atagi also advices against AstraZeneca jabs

The separate advice of Atagi, that comprises of independent infectious diseases physicians, microbiologists, epidemiologists, public health nurses, GPs and consumer representatives, says that there is a “higher risk and observed severity of thrombosis [clotting] and thrombocytopenia [low platelet count] syndrome related to the use of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine observed in Australia in the 50-59-year-old age group than reported internationally and initially estimated in Australia.” Meanwhile, Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell posted a video on Twitter receiving the second shot of AstraZeneca on Tuesday. 

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