ATAGI Statement on the Omicron variant and the timing of COVID-19 booster vaccination
In response to the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 disease and it's community transmission within Australia, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has updated recommendations for the timing of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses.
These updated recommendations are based on strong evidence indicating that booster doses are likely to increase protection against infection with the Omicron variant, as well as reassuring international data on the safety of administering early booster doses.
These recommendations include:
- all adults (≥ 18 years) should receive a single booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine
- booster doses can be administered as early as 3 months following the completion of a primary course
- timely booster doses for pregnant women is recommended
- immunocompromised individuals who have received a 3-dose primary course should also receive a booster dose 3 months after the date of their 3rd dose
- Comirnaty (Pfizer) and Spikevax (Moderna) are the preferred brands for booster doses. Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) can be used as a booster dose for individuals with a contraindication to receiving Comirnaty or Spikevax.
ATAGI also encourages anyone aged 12 years or older who is unvaccinated to receive COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible.
To read the latest update in full please refer to
ATAGI Statement on the Omicron variant and the timing of COVID-19 booster vaccination
European Commission authorises fifth safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19
Nuvaxovid, a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax, has become the fifth COVID-19 vaccine authorised for use in the European Union (EU). Following rigorous safety, efficacy and quality testing by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European Commissions has granted a conditional marketing authorization (CMA) of the vaccine for its perceived benefits in providing protection against severe COVID-19 disease.
To read the full statement, follow the link below:
European Commission authorises fifth safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19
Pfizer and BioNTech provide update on ongoing studies of COVID-19 vaccine
Following a routine review examining the safety and efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech by the external Independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC), data has demonstrated that whilst there were no safety concerns, immunogenicity of a two dose primary course consisting of 3µg doses in the 6 to 24 month-old cohort was met with non-inferiority, but not in the 2 - 5 year old group.
The company has also announced that it will resume studies evaluating a third 3µg dose of COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months to under 5 years of age in order to select the right dose to maximise the risk-benefit profile in this age group.
For further information on this study and its findings, follow the link below:
Pfizer and BioNTech provide update on ongoing studies of COVID-19 vaccine
The Sydney Morning Herald: Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster dose ‘appears protective against Omicron’
Following laboratory testing, data shows that whilst a two-dose primary course of the Spikevax (Moderna) vaccine resulted in a low generation of neutralising antibodies against the Omicron variant, a booster dose provided a 37-fold increase in neutralising antibodies.
For more information on these findings refer to the full article via the link below:
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster dose ‘appears protective against Omicron’
Raising Children Network - COVID-19 vaccination and children: 5-11 years
Immunising children against COVID-19 ensures stronger, longer-lasting protection than infection does. To build the best immunity, ATAGI recommends that children aged 5 to 11 years should have a 2 dose primary course of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, 8 weeks apart.
This Raising Children article developed in collaboration with MVEC explores the safety, efficacy and recommendations for immunising children aged 5 to 11 years against COVID-19.
要阅读全文，请点击以下链接：
COVID-19 vaccination and children: 5-11 years
澳大利亚免疫技术咨询小组 (ATAGI) 关于使用 Spikevax (Moderna) 作为 COVID-19 加强疫苗的建议
在最近获得 TGA 的批准后， 澳大利亚免疫技术咨询小组 (ATAGI) 已推荐 使用 Spikevax (Moderna) 作为 COVID-19 加强疫苗，适用于 5 个月或更长时间前完成 COVID-19 疫苗初级课程的 18 岁及以上人群（包括孕妇）。加强剂量是用于初级课程的 Spikevax 疫苗推荐剂量的一半。
ATAGI 指出，Moderna 和辉瑞公司的 COVID-19 疫苗在澳大利亚的合格人群中同样可以用作加强疫苗。
To read ATAGI's 关于使用 Moderna COVID-19 疫苗作为加强剂的完整声明如下 下面的链接:
澳大利亚免疫技术咨询小组 (ATAGI) 关于使用 Spikevax (Moderna) 作为 COVID-19 加强疫苗的建议
Updated ATAGI advice on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2021 (December 2021)
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has released updated advice for influenza vaccination in 2021.
Due to international borders reopening from November 2021, and greater population movement, seasonal influenza virus is expected to emerge and circulate in Australia outside of the usual influenza season.
Influenza vaccination is recommended for anyone aged 6 months and over who has not had an influenza vaccine this year. In particular, it is strongly recommended for those in higher risk groups.
To read the advice in full, please click on the link below:
Updated ATAGI advice on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2021 (December 2021)
ATAGI recommendations on Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine use in children aged 5 to 11 years
A new formulation of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) has been provisionally approved for use in children aged 5-11 years by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. This approval is based on the results of a recent clinical trial demonstrating that the vaccine is highly effective and that most side effects are mild and transient. ATAGI notes that real-world evidence on the safety of this vaccine in children aged 5-11 years is rapidly accumulating overseas, including data on the low rate of rare adverse events following immunisation, notably myocarditis, which the clinical trial was insufficiently powered to assess.
The recommended dose for this age group is 10µg (0.2mL), a third of the recommended 30µg dose for people aged ≥12 years.
ATAGI’s recommendations take into account:
- The direct benefits of vaccination for the child in preventing illness;
- The indirect benefits of vaccination for the child, their family and for the broader community. To realise some of these benefits, a large proportion of the 5-11 year age group would need to be vaccinated;
- Adequate supply of the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be available to vaccinate all 5-11-year-old children.
To read the recommendations in full, please click on the link below:
ATAGI recommendations on Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine use in children aged 5 to 11 years
Safety, side effects, allergies and doses. The COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine for 5-11 year olds explained
Australian children aged 5-11 will start to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from January 10 as recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). As part of the recommendation, children in this group will receive two 10 microgram doses (one-third of the over-12s dose), given eight weeks apart.
While this is an important step in helping to protect the community against COVID-19, safety of the vaccines will continue to be paramount and closely monitored.
This article highlights what the current trial data says about safety and efficacy, including what data we already know from real-world experience of the Pfizer vaccine in the US. Currently, more than 5 million US children aged 5-11 have received one dose and more than 2 million have had a second dose.
One safety concern of particular interest is myocarditis, a rare side effect seen after the second dose in young males aged 12-17. Reassuringly, to date, no cases of myocarditis or pericarditis have been reported in the clinical trials of 5-11-year olds.
要阅读全文，请点击以下链接：
The Conversation: Safety, side effects, allergies and doses. The 新冠肺炎 Pfizer vaccine for 5-11 year olds explained
ATAGI statement on SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and COVID-19 booster doses
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has released a statement regarding the emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern, which has been named the Omicron variant.
ATAGI have advised that there is currently no evidence to suggest that earlier booster doses of current COVID-19 vaccines will augment protection against the Omicron variant. Further to this, it will continue to closely monitor the epidemiology and emerging data on the likely impact of vaccination on this variant and update recommendations in the near future.
To read the statement in full, please click on the link below:
ATAGI statement on SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and COVID-19 booster doses