Moderna vaccine: What we know and when we’ll get it
The Moderna vaccine could be available in Australia within weeks. Here’s a rundown on everything you need to know about the US-made anti-Covid jab.
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As vaccination rates in Australia continue to improve, the rollout will be significantly boosted with the approval of the US-made Moderna vaccine.
The Moderna jab, Spikevax (elasomeran), which is used widely across the globe, will boost existing supplies of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines already being used across the nation. In more good news, Pfizer imports are also set to increase.
So what do we know about Spikevax (elasomeran) and when will it be ready for use in Australia?
WHAT IS IT?
Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine Spikevax is used to provide protection against infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to prevent Covid-19.
WHEN WILL IT GET APPROVED?
The Therapeutic Goods Administration granted provisional approval of the vaccine on Monday for use by those aged 18 and over.
Data to support the use of the vaccine in teens aged 12 to 17 years are currently under evaluation and no specific concerns have been identified to date. The TGA will announce it decision on the use in teens at a later date.
HOW MANY ARE COMING TO AUSTRALIA?
25 million doses of Spikevax (elasomeran) have been secured by the Australian Government.
The agreement includes the supply of 10 million doses in 2021 and of 15 million doses of Moderna’s updated variant booster vaccine in 2022.
HOW MANY DOSES DO I NEED?
You’ll need two. The Moderna vaccine consists of a series of two doses, given 28 days apart.
WHAT’S ITS EFFICACY RATE?
According to health experts, evidence of vaccine efficacy starts about two weeks after the first dose. High efficacy is achieved with full immunisation, two weeks after the second dose, and Moderna was evaluated at 94.1 per cent effective against the coronavirus at the end of the vaccine study that led to its emergency authorisation in the US. In the US, Moderna is authorised for use in people 12 years and older. Currently, Moderna is considering evaluating Australia as one location for a trial that aims to enrol 6000 children aged from six months to 12 years.
WHERE IS IT MADE?
The vaccine was co-developed by Moderna, Inc., a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the US.
WHAT ARE THE VACCINE’S SIDE EFFECTS?
In the US, the most commonly reported side effects, which typically lasted several days, were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes in the same arm as the injection, nausea and vomiting, and fever. It has been reported that more people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose.
WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES ARE USING IT?
The Moderna vaccine is used widely throughout the world. It was given the green light to be administered throughout the 27-nation European Union in January, and is also used in countries such as the US, the UK, Canada, France, Colombia and Singapore.
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