More young Aussies will be able to get a COVID-19 booster shot after the Therapeutic Goods Administration granted provisional approval for a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for 16- and 17-year-olds. 

But while they have given teens the chance to get the booster in the same dosage as adults, a final green light is still needed from Australia’s leading vaccine advisory group ATAGI before the boosters can be further rolled out. 

Currently, only those 18 and older have been able to get the booster as the medical regulator is still monitoring trials of vaccine boosters for younger children. 

The booster decision comes as federal, state and territory leaders debate whether to change the definition of fully vaccinated. However, no decision was made with the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation continuing to consider the issue. 

Should the definition change, it would be up to individual jurisdictions to update their respective public health orders.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the possibility of a change in the definition of fully vaccinated was for medical experts to decide. 

“The main message is just to encourage people to get their booster shot,” Minister Dutton said.

“We want to make sure we have sufficient protection, and it is obvious you need the booster and out of all the data available, people that have the booster shot are less likely to have a more severe case of Omicron.” 

However, Labour deputy leader Richard Marles said booster rates remained low across the country. 

“Where we stand relative to the rest of the world, we have had a slow rollout of the booster and that comes on the back of a very slow rollout of the vaccine proper last year,” he said. 

“Other parts of the world are going in that direction (to make three vaccine doses be defined as fully vaccinated) but that is a matter to be listening to the medical advisers.” 

With large numbers of aged care facilities across the country being affected by the Omicron variant, Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended the government’s handling of the pandemic in the sector. 

He said about 86 per cent of aged care facilities had received visits for booster shots. 

“The balance of those are occurring over the course of the next week, and residents in aged care have been the key focus of the federal government,” the Prime Minister said. 

“I’ll be honest, it’s a hard challenge dealing with Omicron and there are staff issues happening right across the health system.” 

With AAP

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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