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Australia s vaccine regulators are urgently investigating the European Medicines Agency s findings of a possible link between the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and blood clots.
While the EMA has not made a specific recommendation, it has found women and people under 60 are at a higher risk of developing the rare side effect.
In response, the United Kingdom has announced it will now offer alternative coronavirus vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna, to people under 30.
On Thursday, the Australian Government urged its immunisation advisory group and the national medicine regulator to review the recommendations from the EMA.
The issue will also be discussed among state and federal health ministers and at the National Cabinet meeting on Friday.
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CSL comments on ATAGI advice to prefer Pfizer over AstraZeneca
CSL remains committed to meeting its contracted arrangements with the Australian Government and AstraZeneca for locally produced AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. We will continue our focused and important efforts to manufacture this vaccine which remains critical for the protection of our most vulnerable populations.
We are proud of our unique role in Australia as the only onshore manufacturer that can produce this vaccine and remain dedicated to our ongoing contribution towards this effort.
Note: In an unexpected press conference on Thursday night, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly announced the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) had met over the recent finding of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and recommended the Pfizer shot be preferred for adults under 50 who have not already received their first AstraZeneca dose.
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SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia has no current plans to change the rollout of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday, after Europe’s drug regulator found possible links between rare blood clots and the vaccine.
FILE PHOTO: Vial labelled AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine placed on displayed EU flag is seen in this illustration picture taken March 24, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
“At this point, there is no advice to suggest there would be any change to the rollout of the vaccine,” Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
The European Medicines Agency on Wednesday said it found rare cases of blood clots among some adult vaccine recipients, although it said the vaccine’s advantages still outweighed the risks.
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The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is now the preferred shot for adults in Australia under the age of 50, after the government received new medical advice around the AstraZeneca jab following confirmation of a link to rare blood clots.
In a surprise press conference on Thursday night, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation had met after European authorities confirmed the link, and recommended the Pfizer shot be preferred for adults under 50 who have not already received their first AstraZeneca dose.
Under Australia s vaccine strategy, most Australians were expected to receive the AstraZeneca shot.
Health by Janelle Miles
Premium Content Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says Queensland Health would closely monitor an investigation into how an elderly woman died shortly after getting the COVID vaccine yesterday. Ms Palaszczuk said a report was being prepared for the coroner after an 82-year-old elderly woman in aged care at Springwood died yesterday within hours of receiving Pfizer s COVID-19 vaccine. I have to get more details, she said. Any death is a tragedy and I think they need to look very closely as to were there any other conditions or was it vaccine related. It comes after Queensland recorded three new cases of the COVID-19 virus, all in hotel quarantine.