Pfizer, Moderna now available for NSW residents aged 60 and older

After mounting pressure from a group of Sydney GPs, NSW Health has announced a change to their vaccine rollout.

NSW residents aged 60 and older will now have access to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the health department confirmed.

Previously, Pfizer and Moderna had only been available for those aged between 12 and 59, while AstraZeneca was the only vaccine available for the over 60 cohort.

The move comes after a group of south western Sydney GPs pushed for a change to the vaccine eligibility, warning that there had been “pervasive misinformation” that meant some older Australians would not roll up their sleeves to receive AstraZeneca.

All three TGA approved vaccines are now available to:

✅ Everyone aged 12+ for Moderna and Pfizer
✅ Everyone aged 18+ for AstraZeneca

Let’s get back to the things we love.

Don’t delay, book your COVID-19 vaccination: https://t.co/RwqJh5wWitpic.twitter.com/vf1Zd814xS

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 29, 2021

“Although we agree and support the use of (AstraZeneca) as the Covid-19 vaccine of choice in people aged 60 years and older, we believe that it is now time that older people can have access to any safe Covid-19 vaccine that is registered for use in Australia,” Sydney South West GP Link said last week.

There are more than half a million Australians aged between 60 and 69 who haven’t received a single dose of vaccine, while about five per cent of those aged 70 and older have yet to have a jab.

NSW residents aged over 60 will now have access to Modern and Pfizer vaccines. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Over 60s are now eligible for Pfizer in Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania.

There are 9.3 million Pfizer and three million Moderna doses due to arrive in Australia in October.

As of Thursday morning, 86.2 per cent of NSW residents aged 16 and over have had one dose, while 61.7 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Originally published as Pfizer, Moderna now available for NSW residents aged 60 and older