Announcing a number of new changes to Australia’s COVID-19 response, Butler said that ATAGI has recommended a next-generation vaccine from Pfizer, targeting the Omicron subvariant, be added to the booster doses available.
He said the paediatric vaccine from Pfizer, which is for very young children aged six months to five years of age, also be used alongside the existing Moderna paediatric vaccine.
The updated advice was made based on “considered international evidence as well as the local data around”, Butler said.
“At this point in time, (ATAGI) have said they anticipate new booster recommendations being made in early 2023 in preparation for the southern hemisphere winter,” he said.
“In making that recommendation, ATAGI, first of all, reiterated that they are continuing to actively review the role of booster doses.”
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Paul Kelly said Australians should brace for higher rates of transmissions in the coming weeks, and those yet to receive any dose of a booster should consider it now.
“As I put in my CMO statement on November 7, we are in a wave and this wave will probably continue for some weeks and we will probably get higher case numbers,” Kelly said.
“Everything I said in that statement has proven to be correct over the last week.
“(We’ve seen a) 47 per cent increase in the number of cases.”
Despite the increase in cases, there are still some five-and-a-half million Australians who have yet to receive a booster shot, Butler said.
“ATAGI strongly reiterated the importance of being up-to-date with current vaccines,” Butler said.
“They made the point that there are 5.5 million Australians still eligible for a third dose who have not yet had it.
“And, in many instances, many months overdue for their third dose.
“ATAGI reiterated the importance, particularly as case numbers start to build again.
“They also made the point that there are 3.2 million Australians aged over 50 for whom a fourth dose has been recommended for some time now who have still not had their dose.”
Kelly said he believes the country is about halfway through the current, fourth wave.
“I fully expect that we are nearing the middle of this wave,” he said.
“All the indicators we have suggest that, whether that be ambulance callouts, wastewater testing, aged care staff positivity rates … and all the other measures, including the antiviral prescribing.
“If it ends up being similar to Singapore and I believe it will, then it should peak soon and drop quickly.”
The subvariants and mutations of COVID-19
Kelly said Australians should “go and get whatever vaccine they’re eligible for now”.
“I can absolutely ensure everyone that we do have plenty of supply,” he said.
“As the minister mentioned, they are extremely effective.
“For those that are eligible for those treatments … it’s incredibly important to get those treatments as quick as possible.”
