Everyone aged 18 and above in greater Sydney urged to strongly consider AstraZeneca: ATAGI

Australia’s top advisory body on immunisation has now issued new advice on AstraZeneca for over-18’s in greater Sydney.

Australia’s top advisory body on immunisation now says anyone aged 18 and above in greater Sydney should “strongly consider” getting inoculated with any available vaccine, including AstraZeneca.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on Saturday released updated recommendations on the Covid-19 vaccine after NSW recorded 163 new local cases – its highest number of daily cases since the start of the pandemic.

“All individuals aged 18 years and above in greater Sydney, including adults under 60 years of age, should strongly consider getting vaccinated with any available vaccine including Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca,” it recommended.

Sydneysiders are being urged to get the Covid-29 vaccine as its outbreak worsens. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Australia’s deputy chief medical officer Michael Kidd elaborated on the updated advice at a press conference on Saturday afternoon, saying it came on the back of “emerging data” about the increasing severity of the highly contagious Delta strain.

“It is becoming apparent that the Delta variant may be more severe than the original strain of the virus,” he told reporters.

Professor Kidd said higher numbers of younger people were being hospitalised with the Covid-19 Delta strain than in past outbreaks.

“The outbreak in NSW continues to grow and the risk of disease, particularly in the most seriously affected regions in the greater Sydney area, is likely to continue to be significant over coming days,” he said.

“The original advice from ATAGI was that in a large outbreak, the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine are greater than the risk of rare side effects for all age groups.

“That advice has not changed. I urge everyone in Australia aged over 60 years of age to get vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine now – Do not wait.”

Australia deputy chief medical officer professor Michael Kidd says updated vaccine advice is off the back of increasing risk in Sydney and limited supply of Pfizer. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

More than 75 per cent of people in Australia aged over 70 had received the vaccine, but professor Kidd implored “we need to protect everyone”.

“The advice from ATAGI is all individuals aged 18 years and above in greater Sydney including adults under 60 years of age should strongly consider getting vaccinated with any available vaccine, including AstraZeneca,” he said.

“This is on the basis of the increasing risk of Covid-19, and ongoing constraints of supply of the Pfizer vaccine.”

He said residents in areas where outbreaks were occurring could receive the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine four to eight weeks after the first dose, rather than the usual 12 weeks.

“Maximum protection requires two doses of either vaccine, but even a single dose provides substantial protection by more than 70 per cent against hospitalisation,” professor Kidd said.

“If you have received a single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and you get infected with Covid-19, the vaccine partially reduces the risk of transmission to other people by about half, and therefore will also benefit your close contacts and the wider community.”

Professor Kidd also said the Commonwealth would increase the emergency allocation to NSW for 50,000 extra doses of Pfizer this week.

“The Commonwealth will increase the emergency allocation to NSW of additional doses of Pfizer from 150,000 to 200,000 doses this week,” he said.

He said every additional delivery was another person with “extra protection” against Covid-19.

“Every dose of the vaccine counts.”

“If they do get exposed to Covid-19, their risk of becoming seriously unwell is reduced, their risk of transmitting to other people is reduced as well.

“That‘s why it’s so important that so many people are queuing up and getting their vaccines over recent weeks and thank you to everyone who is doing that.”

Anyone aged 18 and above in greater Sydney is being urged to consider getting any vaccine available to them. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

People who receive Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca should be aware of the extremely rare symptoms of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), and when to seek prompt medical attention.

Early detection of TTS means people could get treatment which could improve their outcomes.