Authorities are scrambling to shore up Australia’s supply of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines and ward off community hesitancy, after the nation’s top immunisation experts recommended under-60s not get the AstraZeneca jab due to serious blood clot risks.

After intense debate in the past week, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) changed its guidance to the federal government over the use of the Oxford University-developed vaccine on Thursday. The age range for AstraZeneca has been lifted to 60 years and above and now excludes those aged between 50 and 59.