Australia to continue review of COVID-19 vaccinations

On Apr 17, 2021

Australia will continue its review of COVID-19 vaccines after a 48 year old woman’s death was likely linked to the inoculation.

Health Minister, Greg Hunt said on Saturday that the government will ask Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), to ensure continuous review of all of the vaccines in terms of their safety and their efficacy.

Australia reported its first fatality from blood clots in a recipient of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 shot on Friday.

It was the third case of the rare blood clots appearing in people who have administered the vaccine in the country.

Hunt said there will be no immediate change to further limit the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine remains the preferred option for people under the age of 50.

There had been at least 885,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines administered in Australia so far, equating to a frequency of instance of blood clot in every 295,000 cases.

Australia has been one of the world’s most successful countries in curbing the pandemic, with snap lockdowns, border closures and swift tracking limiting coronavirus infections to just under 29,500 infections, with 910 COVID-19 deaths.

Kamila/Reuters

COVID-19 vaccination