Australians could get two new Covid vaccines as new strains run rampant

Australians could soon be eligible for two new Covid vaccines, created to protect against new strains of the virus.

Two major pharmaceutical companies have applications with the TGA for new Covid vaccines.

Two new Covid vaccines could soon be eligible in Australia, with major pharmaceutical companies lodging applications with the TGA to protect against new strains of the virus.

The new vaccines, from Pfizer and Moderna, will target the JN. 1 variant, first detected in Australia in late 2023.

According to the most recent Australian Respiratory Surveillance Report, JN. 1 remains the dominant variant in Australia.

The JN. 1 variants, which includes the recent FLiRT mutation, is closely related to the KP. 2 and KP. 3, or FLuQE mutations, so the new vaccines are expected to be able to protect against both.

Pfizer’s application is for people 6 months and older, while Moderna’s vaccine has been created for those 12 and older.

Moderna and Pfizer have designed new Covid vaccines to target new variants. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Both vaccines are under evaluation by the TGA, and approval is not guaranteed.

Infectious diseases physician Paul Griffin told SBS the vaccines would be a “significant improvement” on what is available at the moment, with current vaccines designed for older variants.

“Even though the virus has continued to change, it by no means indicates that these vaccines are not effective. It just means with each iteration efficacy does decline relatively speaking to a degree,” he said.

According to the Royal College of General Practicioners, the new variants do not appear to cause more severe disease than other variants, but are believed to be more transmissible than earlier variants of the virus.

From January 1 to August 11 this year, there have been 205,830 reported cases of Covid-19, with notified cases plateauing after a peak in infections in June.

Originally published as Australians could get two new Covid vaccines as new strains run rampant