Older Australians told to book COVID-19 booster with flu shot amid immunity concerns

GPs have asked older Australians who are yet to receive a COVID-19 booster to book one alongside their flu shot amid concern about dwindling immunity in the 1.8 million people who did not return for a third dose.

More than 450,000 vaccinated Australians have very little protection against an Omicron infection after they received the AstraZeneca vaccine last year but did not have a booster.

People aged 65 and over became eligible for a free flu shot this week, which can now be administered at the same appointment as a COVID-19 booster.Credit: Eddie Jim

People aged 65 and over, who received the bulk of AstraZeneca vaccines during the nation’s rollout last year, also became eligible for a free flu shot this week, which can be administered at the same appointment.

Data from the Australian Immunisation Register showed by the end of March 1.815 million COVID-19 vaccine recipients were considered “overdue” for their booster shot, meaning more than six months had passed since their second dose.

Of those overdue, 453,000 people received the AstraZeneca vaccine as their primary course. About 1.36 million in the group had two doses of Pfizer.

People aged 16 and over have been able to receive a booster shot three months after their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine since February, after previously being eligible at four months.

Almost half a million people who had the AstraZeneca vaccine did not come back for a booster.Credit: Eddie Jim

From this week non-Indigenous Australians aged 65 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over, residents of aged or disability care and people who are severely immunocompromised can also receive a second booster dose four months after their first.

University of Queensland vaccine researcher Associate Professor Paul Griffin said people who received AstraZeneca more than six months ago “probably have very little remaining protection” from a COVID-19 infection, although they should still have some protection against severe illness from the virus.

“We know that protection wanes with time,” Dr Griffin said. “Those people [who received AstraZeneca] were likely vaccinated really early, and we know protection against Omicron is significantly reduced compared to what they may have had against previous variants.”

Data from more than 2.5 million test results recorded in the United Kingdom between November 27, 2021, and January 12, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine last month, suggested vaccination with AstraZeneca more than 20 weeks prior had “no effect” against Omicron infection.

However, vaccine effectiveness against infection increased to 62.4 per cent two to four weeks after a Pfizer booster (dropping to 39.6 per cent by 10 weeks) and 70.1 per cent two to four weeks after a Moderna booster (declining to 60.9 per cent five to nine weeks after vaccination).

President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Dr Karen Price said it was “concerning” such a high number of people who had their AstraZeneca shot more than six months ago had not been boosted.

“Overall, it is about two-thirds of eligible people who’ve had the booster, which is not enough,” she said.

“I know there has been a lot of anti-vax commentary about how ‘oh, you can still get COVID’. But it will be more mild if you’re vaccinated, and you will be protected against acute infection and severe infection.”

Dr Price said, anecdotally, issues with booster uptake had been seen in particular groups, including culturally and linguistically diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and other groups with access issues.

She encouraged people with older friends and relatives who may have received AstraZeneca last year to check they had received a booster dose and assist them to make a booking. They will be offered the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines as their booster dose.

While last year it was recommended people leave two weeks between receiving a flu shot and a COVID-19 vaccine, GPs and pharmacies can now administer the shots in the same appointment.

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