Roundtable to address children’s vaccine rates

Health Minister Greg Hunt has called a roundtable with experts and state representatives in an effort to boost Covid vaccination rates among children.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Health Minister Greg Hunt has called a roundtable with experts and state representatives in an effort to boost Covid vaccination rates among children.

While more than one million first doses have been administered to children aged five to 11, the uptake of vaccines has slowed since school returned this month.

Mr Hunt said he had called a roundtable to address the rate and discuss strategies such as in-school vaccinations.

“I’ve been speaking directly with Professor Julie Leask, who is one of Australia’s great vaccination program experts … And I’ve asked Professor Julie Leask to lead a roundtable with the commonwealth, the states, and the community on what can be done specifically to lift that vaccination rate further,” he said on Tuesday.

“One of the primary topics is in-school vaccination. We’re encouraging all of the states to conduct extensive, comprehensive in-school vaccination programs.

“We want to lift that (vaccination rate) further.”

Pfizer was given provisional approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for use in children late last year.

About 49 per cent of five to 11-year-olds have had their first dose so far, a rate that’s higher than the US, Germany and Israel but lower than Canada, Spain and Singapore.

State health departments such as NSW and Victoria are seeking to set up pop-up vaccine hubs at events popular with children, such as zoos.