The Conversation: Should I get my second AstraZeneca dose? Yes, it almost doubles your protection against Delta
With the most recent COVID-19 outbreaks and lockdowns currently going on across the country, there is pressure to speed up Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out.
It is reported that over six million Australians (30% of those eligible) have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 3.8 million of those receiving their first dose as AstraZeneca. While the benefits of vaccination are well known, there are reports of people cancelling their appointments for dose 2 due to concerns about thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).
Current UK data suggests that the risk of developing TTS is far lower following dose 2 AstraZeneca, with a rate of approximately 1 in 1.5 million doses.
Completing a 2 dose course of COVID-19 vaccines is important in order to reach optimal levels of protection. One dose of COVID-19 AstraZeneca offers 33% protection against the Delta strain of the virus currently circulating Sydney. This protection almost doubles to 60% once the second dose has been completed.
To read more, follow the link below:
The Conversation: Should I get my second AstraZeneca dose? Yes, it almost doubles your protection against Delta
TGA grants provisional determination for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Elasomeran
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has granted provisional determination to Moderna Australia Pty Ltd for their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Elasomeran. It is being considered for use in those aged 12 years or older for active immunisation to prevent COVID-19 disease. It is an mRNA vaccine requiring two doses, given 28 days apart.
Granting provisional determination means that Moderna Australia Pty Ltd is now eligible to apply for provisional registration. Following the provisional pathway provides a formal and transparent mechanism for speeding up the registration of promising new medicines with preliminary clinical data.
Provisional determination is only granted once the TGA has considered all eligibility criteria, including evidence of a plan to submit comprehensive clinical data.
You can read the press release from the TGA below:
TGA grants provisional determination for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Elasomeran
For more information on the process of COVID-19 vaccine provisional approval please refer to our reference page:
MVEC: Provisional registration of COVID-19 vaccine(s) in Australia
The Conversation: What’s Australia’s first local Pfizer-style COVID vaccine? And when might it be in our arms? An mRNA expert explains
A research team at Monash University are working on developing Australia’s first mRNA vaccine candidate, with phase 1 trials set to begin in October or November this year.
Although the vaccine under development works by the same principles as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by using a genetic code called RNA to spark the production of the coronavirus’s specific spike protein, there are key notable differences.
Firstly, the Monash mRNA vaccine directs cells to make a small part of the spike protein, the receptor binding domain. The receptor binding domain is the tip of the spike protein which is the part that is mutating to form new variants of COVID disease. Targeting this part of the spike protein allows variant-specific responses, for which there is a strong clinical need.
Secondly, existing vaccines are modelled on the original strain of the virus first detected in Wuhan, however, the Monash mRNA vaccine has since been changed to sequence the Beta strain – a strain which was first detected in South Africa for which vaccines created from the original variant are less effective.
This highlights the flexibility of mRNA vaccines with sequences being able to be changed and adapted to new variants that have emerged and that may emerge in the future.
Plans are underway for the vaccine to be developed locally, an important step in developing Australia’s capacity for mRNA vaccine production and the newly developing Australian RNA biotechnology sector overall.
To read more, follow the link below:
The Conversation: What’s Australia’s first local Pfizer-style COVID vaccine? And when might it be in our arms? An mRNA expert explains
PHN Webinar: Primary care identification and management of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS)
The PHN will be hosting a webinar for GPs on Wednesday 30 June featuring a panel of expert speakers including MVEC’s A/Prof Nigel Crawford. The topic for the webinar is Primary care identification and management of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) and will cover:
- pathogenesis
- latest incidence rates in age groups
- incidence of different TTS clinical types
- presentation and identification
- GP management guidelines.
Further information and details on registration can be found via the link below:
RACGP: Government announces new vaccine counselling MBS item number
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has announced the introduction of a newly-created MBS item in response to rising vaccine hesitancy related to widespread reporting the rare condition, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, following receipt of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine. The new Medicare item, known as the Level B equivalent, will provide patients over 50 with a $38.75 rebate when receiving COVID vaccine counselling from their GP.
The introduction of this scheme will allow more time for GPs to address patient concerns and provide support in making informed decisions seen as crucial to boosting vaccination rates.
To read more, follow the link below:
RACGP: Government announces new vaccine counselling MBS item number
ATAGI statement on revised recommendations on the use of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, 17 June 2021
ATAGI has revised the recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination within Australia.
Due to a higher risk and severity of thrombosis with thrombycytopenia syndrome (TTS) related to the use of COVID-19 AstraZeneca, Comirnaty™ is now the preferred COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 16-59 years. Due to the risk of severe outcomes related to COVID-19 disease for individuals aged 60 years and over, the benefits of vaccination in preventing disease outweighs the risk of developing TTS.
Individuals aged less than 60 years who have received their first dose of COVID-19 AstraZeneca without any serious adverse events (eg. anaphylaxis or TTS) should continue to receive their second dose.
For more information please refer to the link below:
ATAGI statement on revised recommendations on the use of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, 17 June 2021
The New York Times: A Multibillion-Dollar Plan to End Polio, and Soon
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has announced a $5.1 billion plan to eradicate polio globally by 2026. In August 2021, African countries were declared free of wild polio, leaving Afghanistan and Pakistan as the only remaining countries with endemic disease. Due to inadequate funding and a lack of political commitment, there has previously been limited success in trying to achieve a polio-free world. The coronavirus pandemic has added further challenges, bringing some polio vaccination programs to a halt.
The new initiative is set to focus on two key goals: integrating polio vaccination programs with other health care initiatives and focusing on areas with chronically low immunisation rates. The plan also ensures vaccine supply and outlines a communication strategy to increase vaccine acceptance. In addition to this, a new oral vaccine has been introduced and is thought to minimise the risk of vaccine-induced polio.
A key focus of the polio eradication program will be on immunising hard-to-reach communities, and training older female health workers, who are more successful in persuading caregivers to vaccinate their children. In order to reinstate polio eradication as a priority, even with competing health challenges in these cash poor countries, experts believe that programs designed to crush polio can also be used to help manage COVID-19 and other diseases.
To read more, follow the link below:
The New York Times: A Multibillion-Dollar Plan to End Polio, and Soon
ABC: With their AstraZeneca supplies nearing expiration, PNG comes up with creative ways to vaccinate people
There has been a slow uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in Papua New Guinea (PNG), thought to be due to the impact of misinformation. With stocks of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines nearing their expiry date, creative initiatives have been undertaken in an effort to boost uptake.
Among these initiatives is the development of PNG’s first mobile vaccination unit, a yellow bus. The bus takes vaccines to communities enabling the locals to see the vaccination process in action.
All supplies, vaccines and emergency equipment required to vaccinate can be taken to villages in the bus, some of which don't have their own health clinics. This community led initiative enables people to seek information from health providers in an effort to overcome hesitancy and misinformation and get vaccinated.
With widespread community transmission, a focus remains on encouraging health care workers to get vaccinated, as well as eligible members of the community such as the elderly and those with comorbidities.
To read more about Papua New Guinea’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the mobile vaccination unit please refer to the link below:
Joint statement between RANZCOG and ATAGI about COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and ATAGI have released a joint statement regarding COVID-19 vaccines and pregnant women.
It is recommended that pregnant women are routinely offered Comirnaty™ at any stage of pregnancy. This recommendation has been made based on the increased risk of severe outcomes for pregnant women and their unborn baby, should the woman develop COVID-19 disease
This advice reflects the findings of international data which has not identified any safety signals following the administration of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant women. Further to this, antibodies have been detected in the cord blood and breastmilk of vaccinated women, suggesting the transfer of protection to the baby,
To read the statement in full please refer to the following link:
Joint statement between RANZCOG and ATAGI about COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women
RACGP - Australian authorities update side effect advice on AstraZeneca vaccine
Following the recent joint statement from ATAGI and the Thrombosis and Haemostasis Society of Australia and New Zealand (THANZ), RACGP confirms that almost anyone over the age of 50 can safely receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. The statement also clarifies that the rare blood clotting condition that has been linked with the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in some groups – Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) – can now be treated effectively.
The latest release also confirms that the risk of TTS is not likely to be increased in people with the following conditions (and that over-50s in these groups can still get vaccinated with AstraZeneca):
- History of blood clots in typical sites
- Increased clotting tendency that is not immune mediated
- Family history of blood clots
- History of ischaemic heart disease or stroke
- Current or past thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
- Those receiving anticoagulation therapy
Furthermore, the ATAGI/THANZ statement also reports that UK data suggest the risk of TTS is much lower following a second dose, with only 15 cases reported to date out of nine million administered, translating to an estimated rate of 1.7 cases per million doses.
Please refer to the article and statement in full in the following link:
RACGP - Australian authorities update side effect advice on AstraZeneca vaccine