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AUSTRALIAN authorities on Sunday said they would speed up delivery of a COVID-19 booster vaccine following an increase in Omicron cases.
Australia has previously said it will provide a COVID-19 booster vaccine to people aged 18 and over and who have received a second vaccine for at least six months.
However, as cases of the Omicron variant increase, Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said that the lag time would be shortened to five months from the second vaccine.
“A booster dose, five months or so after the second dose, will ensure that the protection from the main vaccine is even stronger and longer lasting and will help prevent the spread of the virus,” Hunt said by email.
It said data from Israel showed the boosters supported a reduction in rates of infection in vulnerable age groups, severe illness among those aged 40 and over and death among those aged 60 and over.
Australia will use Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in a booster programme. Australia has one of the highest vaccination rates, with around 90 per cent of people aged 16 and over already receiving the full vaccine.
Authorities on Saturday (12/11) recorded 1,753 daily cases of COVID-19, up about three percent in the past week and the highest daily number since October 29. [antaranews/photo special]
