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Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) have recommended Moderna COVID-19 vaccines be available for at-risk children from 6 months of age to under 5 years.

Children in that age bracket with severe immunocompromise, disability and complex health conditions will be able to be vaccinated with Moderna from September 5.

“Australia will be one of the first countries in the world to roll out a vaccination program for children under 5 years,” Butler said.

The Federal Government has secured 500,000 doses of the vaccine.

Butler said much of that supply will arrive in Australia tonight.

“We have secured that supply, 250,000 doses of pediatric Moderna vaccine are in the air right now, and are expected to land in Australia tonight.

“I also want to stress that the program won’t commence until the 5th of September.

“If the vaccines arrive tonight, they still need to be batch tested by the TGA and that will take some time.”

The vaccine program for at-risk children aged 6 months to 5 years will be rolled out at pediatric hospitals across the nation.