‘Grumpy’ TGA boss unloads over people downplaying Covid’s effect on kids

A high-ranking health official says he’s getting quite “grumpy” with people downplaying the effects of Covid-19 among children.

The head of Australia’s medicines regulator has unloaded on those downplaying the effect Covid-19 has on kids.

Therapeutic Goods Administration boss John Skerritt said he was starting to get “grumpy” and called for people to stop the misinformation.

“There has been a lot of talk (that) kids don’t get very sick with Covid, why are we exposing them unnecessarily,” Dr Skerritt told reporters in Canberra.

TGA boss John Skerritt has unloaded on those downplaying the effect of Covid on kids. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“Well, in Australia, we believe there have been at least six deaths of children with Covid-19. That’s a very significant impact.

“There’s also a serious condition that between 40 and 50 kids in Australia have called multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

“I get a bit grumpy when people say ‘Covid-19 doesn’t affect kids, it’s just a cold’. Try telling that to the parents of the kids who got sick.”

The TGA boss made the comments at a press conference announcing the Moderna vaccine had been approved for use in children as young as six.

Australia’s expert immunisation panel on Wednesday gave the jab the green light, and it will be available from Thursday.

Australia is the first country to approve Moderna for children aged six-11. Picture: Brendan Radke

Pfizer remains the only vaccination available for children who are five years old. There are no jabs approved for children aged four years and under.

Australia is the first jurisdiction to approve the use of Moderna in school-aged kids.

The Moderna vaccine for kids is a half dose, the same as the Moderna booster.

So far, 49.4 per cent of kids aged five to 11 have received their first dose of the Covid jab since the program came online in early January.

The vaccine will only be available to children over six. Picture: Brendan Radke

But Health Minister Greg Hunt would like that figure to reach somewhere around the 76 per cent mark.

“Australia has one of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the world already, but it can go higher, and we want it to go higher,” Mr Hunt said.

He added criticism of the slow pace of the rollout was unfounded, given Australia is ahead of the US, UK and Germany on vaccination rates for the age group.

A round table of state and federal government representatives and public health experts are set to meet on Friday to discuss how to increase the uptake of the Covid jab in kids.

Originally published as ‘Grumpy’ TGA boss unloads over people downplaying Covid’s effect on kids