Australia: Fourth Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine for Thirty-Year-Olds

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends a return to mask wearing and social distancing in public places due to the increasing number of infections from Omikron BA.4 and BA.5 mutations. At the same time, the government is urging the millions of Australians who have not yet vaccinated against COVID-19 at all not to delay this decision any longer.

"We are in the early stages of the third coronavirus wave and our government is committed to providing as many people as possible with vaccine protection," said Health Minister Mark Butler. He added that two doses of the vaccine are not enough.

Soon more and more Australians will qualify for the fourth dose of the vaccine. Previously, it was only available to those over 65, Aboriginal and Torres Island residents over 50, or people with severe immune system diseases.

From July 11, these rules will be changed. ATAGI experts specifically recommend a fourth dose to people over the age of 50 and extend the eligibility to thirty-year-olds, although the benefits in this age group are less certain.

"The recommended interval between the last Sars-CoV-2 infection or the first booster dose and the winter booster dose is three months," reported ATAGI. What are vaccination estimates in Australia? Minister Butler said 5 million eligible Australians have yet to receive a third dose, while 40 percent of those over the age of 65 have not received the fourth dose to which they are entitled.

Hospital admissions for COVID-19 are now at their highest levels since February, with Australia having more than 39,000 infections and 59 deaths in the last 24 hours. The data show that the number of hospitalizations increased by several hundred in just two weeks. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners vice president Dr. Bruce Willett says doctors are already struggling and called on the government to provide more assistance to the sector.

Source: The Guardian