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Australia’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign will be stepped up following provisional approval of the Moderna vaccine for use by adolescents.
The drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, announced on Saturday that it has provisionally approved Moderna’s Spikevax vaccine for use in people 12 years of age and older.
This reduces the age limit of 18, set at the beginning of August.
Moderna’s vaccine has also received regulatory approval for use by the 12 to 17 year old age group in the UK, Canada, the European Union and Switzerland.
The recommended dose and dose interval are the same as for the adult population – two full doses given 28 days apart.
The announcement follows the agreement between Australia and the United Kingdom to provide 4 million doses of Pfizer vaccine as part of a vaccine exchange agreement.
Pfizer is now available to Australians aged 16 to 39 with bookings for 12-15 year olds open from September 13.
Doses in the UK will be distributed on an equal population basis, with 60% delivered through the primary care network and 40% through state-based vaccination clinics.
However, health officials want as many people as possible to sign up for AstraZeneca shots.
Another 300,000 people received a vaccine in the past 24 hours, as double-dose coverage for people aged 16 and older reached 37.12% nationwide.
ACT is leading the way, with 44.55% of its population over 16 fully vaccinated, with Western Australia lagging behind with 33.26%.
A record rise in infections has been fueled by the spiraling epidemic in NSW, which has led to another positive test of 1,533 people, as reported on Saturday, as well as four deaths.
Victoria reported 190 new cases of Covid on Saturday, with both states setting exit plans from lockdown on a rapid increase in vaccinations.
Queensland reported a new infection on Saturday – a four-year-old girl whose daycare attendance triggered an isolation order for 1,000 families in the southeastern state.
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