ATAGI advises at-risk Aussie teens to get Covid booster

The nation’s peak vaccination body has advised some vulnerable teenagers to get a booster shot. Here’s what you need to know.

Immunocompromised teenagers and those living with disability should get a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot, Australia’s peak vaccination body has advised.

Australian Technical Advisory Group for Immunisation (ATAGI), in advice published on Thursday, said teens aged 12 to 15 who are severely immunocompromised, have health conditions, or have a disability should get a booster shot if they were fully vaccinated three or more months ago.

Otherwise healthy teenagers in the age group need not get a booster.

Only the Pfizer vaccine is available as a booster shot for teenagers aged 12 to 15 at this time.

ATAGI also recommended that all Australians, including adolescents aged 12-15 years, “receive a dose of influenza vaccine as soon as practical”

“At the current time, there is insufficient evidence that a first booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine provides additional protection against severe disease for the majority of adolescents aged 12-15 years,” ATAGI stated in its advice.

“This advice may change as new evidence or vaccines emerge or the aims of the vaccination program respond to local epidemiology.”

Originally published as ATAGI advises at-risk Aussie teens to get Covid booster