Change for Victorians getting Pfizer shot

Victorians getting the Pfizer vaccine at state-run hubs have been told to wait a little longer for their second shot. This is why.

The change will come into effect at Victoria‘s state-run clinics from Monday. Picture: Jason Edwards

The interval between Pfizer vaccine doses given to Victorians at state-run clinics will be extended to six weeks in a bid to get more jabs in arms during supply constraints.

At the moment, people who receive Pfizer vaccines are given a second dose three weeks after their first jab.

But chief health officer Professor Brett said federal health guidelines say that the most effective interval between doses is any time between three and six weeks.

Changes are being made to try to get as many people their first jab in order to increase coronavirus protections in the community.

There have been long lines of people waiting to get their vaccination at the Royal Exhibition Building. Picture: Ian Currie

The interval between Pfizer vaccine doses given to Victorians at state-run clinics will be extended from three weeks to six weeks.

The shift will begin on Monday, and people with existing bookings won’t be impacted, and neither will those going to GPs for vaccines.

Health Minister Martin Foley said until more supply comes online, it was important to get as many first doses into arms to extend a “ring of protection” in Victoria.

“Extending that minimum interval increases the number of first doses of Pfizer that get into the arms of Victorians as quickly as we possibly can,” Mr Foley said.

“What this change is about is making sure that we extend the ring of protection that first dose vaccines provide.”

Prof Sutton said one dose of coronavirus vaccines “give you a strong protection” and changes to timing of intervals was “consistent with ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) guidelines”.

He said the UK and Canada had employed similar tactics to ramp up the number of people who had first doses.

[e-mail]