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Quelling the confusion around COVID-19 vaccines

With all the recent changes and conflicting advice around COVID-19 vaccines, many people are understandably feeling anxious and confused. In this month’s blog, we outline the Australian Government’s current guidelines and advice, to help quell some of the confusion around COVID-19 vaccines.

Which vaccines are currently available in Australia?

At the moment, only two vaccines have been approved for use in Australia:

  1. Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine – the first vaccine approved for use in Australia for people 12 years of age and over. Two doses of this vaccine will be required, administered at least 21 days apart. Pfizer is currently only available for patients who are eligible in Phase 1a and 1b of the Australian Government’s vaccination rollout or those aged 40-59 years old.

     

  2. University of Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine – the second vaccine to be approved for use in Australia for people aged 18 and over. Two doses of this vaccine will be required, with the second dose administered between 4 to 12 weeks after the first. The current advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is that the AstraZeneca vaccine remains the preferred vaccine for those aged 60 and over.

Who can currently access these vaccines?

Source: Australian Government Department of Health (July 2021)

As per the Australian Government guidelines, the following people are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine:

  • All adults aged 40-49;
  • All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 to 49;
  • NDIS participants aged 16 years and over, and unpaid and informal carers of NDIS participants of any age;
  • Temporary visa holders aged under 50 years who are currently in Australia and have been approved for return travel to Australia through the travel exemption process;
  • Adults aged 18-59 can choose to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine:
    • Following an appropriate assessment of suitability by a qualified health professional; and
    • If you provide verbal or written consent.

This is in addition to the following people, who were already eligible for vaccination:

  • All adults aged 50 and over;
  • Quarantine and border workers;
  • Health care workers;
  • Aged care and disability care residents and staff;
  • People aged 16 and over with an underlying medical condition or significant disability;
  • Critical and high risk workers aged 16 and over including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing; and
  • Individuals with an Australian Border Force outwards travel exemption in an eligible category.
Source: Australian Government Department of Health (February 2021)

When will others be eligible to receive the vaccine?

Everyone in Australia will be offered a free, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.

As COVID-19 vaccines become approved and available, they will be rolled out in phases, with the aim of having as many people in Australia vaccinated as possible in 2021.

The national COVID-19 vaccine rollout strategy outlines the phases in which vaccines will be made available to different groups.

While waiting for your turn to be vaccinated, it’s important to continue the good COVIDSafe habits adopted over the past year, including:

  • checking in with the SafeWA app at all times;
  • practising god hygiene;
  • maintaining physical distance;
  • staying at home and getting tested for COVID-19 if you are sick; and
  • downloading the COVIDSafe app.

I’m under 60 years old. Can I get the AstraZeneca vaccine?

The AstraZeneca vaccine will be prioritised for people aged 60 years and over.

If you are under 60 years of age and have already had your first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and did not experience abnormal side effects, it is recommended that you still receive your second AstraZeneca to protect yourself against severe illness from COVID-19.

If you are aged 18-59 years of age, you can choose to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine:

  • following an appropriate assessment of suitability by a qualified health professional; and
  • if you provide verbal or written consent.

ATAGI’s advice on receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in the case of a COVID-19 outbreak has also changed. In this instance, and where the supply of Pfizer is constrained, ATAGI advises adults aged 60 and under to re-assess the benefits of vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine versus the rare risk of a serious side effect.

What are the risks associated with AstraZeneca?

The risk that most people appear concerned about with the AstraZeneca vaccine is blood clotting.

AstraZeneca appears to be associated with a rare side effect called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). TTS involves blood clots and low levels of blood platelets. The blood clots can occur in different parts of the body, such as the brain or in the abdomen.

In Australia, symptoms of TTS have occurred between 4 and 42 days post-vaccination and are more commonly associated with people under 60 years of age.

It’s important to note that the risk of developing TTS is extremely low. In fact, marathon running, drowning and car accidents all present greater risk to the general population than the AstraZeneca vaccine.

While AstraZeneca is preferred for those aged 60 years and over, it can be used in adults under 60 years of age where the benefits clearly outweigh the risk and the person has made an informed decision based on an understanding of the risks and benefits.

Why can’t I just get the vaccine that I want, when I want?

Access to any vaccine approved for use in Australia has been prioritised, ensuring those at greatest risk are vaccinated first.

Specific vaccines will be administered based on availability and clinical guidance on appropriate vaccines for people.

All General Practitioners and vaccine providers must comply with the advice and clinical guidance provided by the Commonwealth Government and ATAGI. For this reason, and your own safety, we are only able to give you the vaccine that you are eligible for, based on the latest health advice.

How can I get vaccinated?

The first thing to do is to check your eligibility and find out when you can receive a vaccine.

If you are eligible, you will be able to view vaccination locations and book an appointment. Bookings in Western Australia can be made via the Roll Up For WA website. Alternatively, you may be able to book in to have your vaccination with your local participating GP.

Vaccination remains the key to protecting our family, friends and community from COVID-19 and to getting back to a more normal way of life.

Having enough people in the community vaccinated against COVID-19 will help to slow down the spread of the disease and make outbreaks much less likely. It will also mean less need for preventative measures, such as border closures and travel restrictions, as well as improvements to the health, social and economic wellbeing of all Australians.

Can I get my COVID-19 vaccine at Illawarra Medical Centre?

Yes. Illawarra Medical Centre has been approved to provide COVID-19 vaccines, in adherence with the rollout of the Australian Government’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

We are currently running COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for eligible patients, while stocks last. Bookings can be made by phoning us on (08) 9208 6400.

For more information, visit our COVID-19 Vaccines page.

If you have any questions or concerns about COVID-19 vaccines or your current available vaccine options, please book a regular appointment with your GP to discuss prior to making your vaccination booking.

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