The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled out in northern New South Wales for people aged from 40 to 59 years

 

Port Macquarie News, 23 June 2021, article excerpt:

The Ballina Commonwealth Vaccination Clinic began administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine this week and will be able to start accepting people aged 40 to 59.

Planning is underway to increase the number of Commonwealth vaccination clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine.

The other six Commonwealth vaccination clinics in the region are at Wauchope, Kempsey, Murwillumbah, Casino, Yamba and Nambucca Heads.

Additionally, 20 local general practices are due to begin administering the Pfizer vaccine from July 5, with a further 10 starting on July 12.

More practices are expected to come on board from July 19.

There are more people in line for the Pfizer vaccine after the federal government announced that Pfizer is the preferred vaccine for people aged 59 and under, based on updated advice from the expert vaccine body.

BACKGROUND

Australian Technical Advisory Group, statement excerpt,

17 June 2021:

A statement from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in response to new vaccine safety concerns.

Summary

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine (Comirnaty) as the preferred vaccine for those aged 16 to under 60 years. This updates the previous preferential recommendation for Comirnaty over COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in those aged 16 to under 50 years. The recommendation is revised due to a higher risk and observed severity of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) related to the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine observed in Australia in the 50-59 year old age group than reported internationally and initially estimated in Australia.

Australian Government, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report - 17-06-2021, snapshot:

Five of the twelve cases of confirmed or probable adverse reactions resulting in Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after being administered the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine recorded between 11 and 17 June 2021 were in people aged between 65 and 80 years of age.

Australian Government, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report - 24-06-2021, snapshot:

Two of the five cases of confirmed or probable adverse reactions resulting in Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome

(TTS) after being administered the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine recorded between 18 and 24 June 2021 were in people aged between 60 and 95 years of age.

As of 24 June 2021 there have been a total of 64 cases of confirmed & probable TTS reported from approximately 4.2 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses and, as of 20 June 2021 there have been a total of 38 reports of the immune disorder Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) following approximately 4.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. GBS causes nerve inflammation and can result in pain, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty walking. In many cases it resolves within months but can sometimes take up to two years.

Australian Government Dept. Of Health, "Information for health care providers to help consumers make informed decisions", 18 June 2021:

 

TTS involves blood clotting with low platelet count. Current data indicates that TTS occurs in around 2 out of every 100,000 people who receive the first dose of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. TTS appears to be far more rare following second doses, with data from the United Kingdom indicating a rate of 1.5 per million second doses. The severity of illness due to TTS ranges from fatal cases and those with significant morbidity, to relatively milder cases. TTS appears to be more severe in younger people. In Australia, the overall case fatality rate is 3%. Of the TTS cases that have been classified by the Therapeutic Goods Administration as confirmed or probable, over half have been discharged from hospital. Around a quarter of the Australian cases so far have been more serious and have required treatment in intensive care, and tragically two people have died.

Hi, COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing you from getting very sick, going to hospital or dying from COVID-19. The vaccines will help you sustain an immune response for longer and help us avoid prolonging the pandemic.

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 24, 2021