ATAGI recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in all young adolescents in Australia
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has released recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in all young adolescents in Australia.
The advice recommends children aged 12-15 be vaccinated against COVID-19 using Comirnaty (Pfizer).
A summary of ATAGI recommendations includes:
- Vaccination against COVID-19 is recommended for all individuals from 12 years of age, extending the current recommendation for those aged 16 years and older.
- A two-dose schedule using Comirnaty (Pfizer), the only vaccine currently registered for use in Australia in this age group, is recommended.
- Recommendations on the use of Spikevax (Moderna) for adolescents will be finalised following the decision on provisional registration of Spikevax (Moderna) in this age group.
To read the statement in full, please click the link below:
ATAGI recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in all young adolescents in Australia
MCRI's Professor Fiona Russell joins ABC Q+A host, Virgina Trioli tonight at 8:30pm AEST
MCRI's Professor Fiona Russell joins ABC Q+A host, Virginia Trioli, tonight at 8:30pm AEST for an important discussion around the COVID-19 Delta variant, lockdowns and their impact on children, teens and young people.
For more details, please click on the link below:
ABC Q+A
CVU mini event 30th August 2021 - Reminder to register
A reminder to register for our next Clinical Vaccinology Update (CVU) mini event: Matters of the heart: Myocarditis and pericarditis associated with COVID-19 mRNA vaccination on Monday 30th August 2021, at 7pm AEST.
To view the full program and to register for this event, please visit our Events page.
A recording of Matters of the heart: Myocarditis and pericarditis associated with COVID-19 mRNA vaccination will be available on our Education Portal following the event.
Independent: 'A potential first step forward’: Moderna to launch human trials for new HIV vaccines
A positive development in the immunisation space as American biotech company, Moderna is prepared to commence human trials for their new HIV vaccines.
The company will apply the same mRNA technology they successfully used against the COVID-19 virus, hoping to break new grounds fighting another deadly disease. This turning point has been described as a “potential first step forward” in protecting people from becoming infected with HIV. However, due to the elevated complexity of the HIV virus, scientists warn there is still a long way to go before mRNA technology can be used to provide long-lasting protection.
The aim of the Moderna mRNA vaccines is to prompt an immune response by introducing broadly neutralising antibodies. It is believed that multiple vaccines will be required to overcome key challenges and generate a sufficient response. Moderna is set to recruit 56 healthy people between the ages of 18 to 50 years of age to participate in their phase 1 trial which is anticipated to run until May 2023.
To read the article in full, please click on the link below:
Independent: 'A potential first step forward’: Moderna to launch human trials for new HIV vaccines
People aged 16 - 39 in a priority group now eligible for the Pfizer vaccine
The Australian Government has expanded the vaccine eligibility criteria to allow people aged 16-39 in a priority group to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
To learn more about eligibility for 16 to 39 year-olds in the COVID-19 vaccination program, please click on the link below.
The Australian Government COVID-19 vaccination program for 16 to 39 year olds.
Healthed lecture series featuring Associate Professor Nigel Crawford
MVEC’s Associate Professor Nigel Crawford delivered the COVID-19 Update as part of the recent Healthed Australia online lecture series.
In this lecture, A/Prof Nigel Crawford discussed the following:
- The role of ATAGI and its relevance to the current pandemic
- Overview of the newly available Moderna vaccination
- Rationale and evidence behind the upcoming push for vaccinating children 12 yrs of age and older
- Update on the clinical features and management pathways for Pfizer-related myocarditis, pericarditis
- AZ-related clots
- Lessons learnt from other countries dealing with the Delta pandemic
To listen to the lecture in full, click on the link below:
Healthed lecture series 18th August: COVID Update
The Medical Journal of Australia podcast: COVID-19 in children
MVEC's Associate Professor Nigel Crawford and Dr Laila Ibrahim, paediatrician and researcher at the Royal Children's Hospital feature on the latest edition of the Medical Journal of Australia podcast.
In this podcast, Nigel and Laila discuss COVID-19 in children, to accompany their co-authored research focused on examining the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive children in Australia during 2020.
You can listen to the podcast here:
MJA Podcast: Episode 33: COVID-19 in children, with Dr Laila Ibrahim and Dr Nigel Crawford
Registrations now open for the August CVU mini event
The next Clinical Vaccinology Update (CVU) miniseries event, Matters of the heart: Myocarditis and pericarditis associated with COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, will be held virtually on Monday 30th August 2021.
We are excited to welcome our panel who will take an in-depth look at an important vaccine safety signal associated with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), myocarditis and pericarditis. The session will also include a live Q&A panel with experts from the medical, consumer (Heart Foundation) and vaccine safety domains.
Further details can be found via our Events page and the link below:
ABC News: Why Delta COVID-19 variant could put younger people at risk of deadly cardiac complications
The COVID-19 Delta variant which is now subject of the current outbreaks in NSW, QLD and Victoria, has been linked to an increase in cases of cardiac complications in younger people. Though data is still emerging on how common the cardiac side effects are with the Delta variant, myocarditis has also been reported as a very rare side effect of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (including Pfizer and Moderna) by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) .
According to a US study, while vaccine associated myocarditis and an associated condition, pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart), could be serious, the likelihood of this occurring is low and most cases are reported to resolve quickly. Further to this, the study found that young people were around six times more likely to develop myocarditis from COVID than Pfizer, reiterating that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risk of adverse effects from COVID-19, including for myocarditis.
To read the article in full please click on the link below:
ABC: Why Delta COVID-19 variant could put younger people at risk of deadly cardiac complications
TGA grants provisional approval for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) Elasomeran
We have updated our Moderna COVID-19 vaccination page to reflect the announcement by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) regarding the use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
On August 9 2021, The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) granted provisional approval to Moderna Australia Pty Ltd for its COVID-19 vaccine—Spikevax (elasomeran).
To find out more information, please refer to our dedicated MVEC Moderna COVID-19 vaccination page in the link below.
MVEC Moderna COVID-19 vaccination page