21:41
Victorian health minister Brett Sutton tweeted his support for bringing the Covid-19 booster shot wait time forward to five months.
Chief Health Officer, Victoria
(@VictorianCHO)Thanks ATAGI. There is an urgent need for third doses/boosters. Don’t delay if you’re due. I’ll now get mine before Christmas. https://t.co/jhoR9s8g4E
21:35
Good morning! It’s Justine Landis-Hanley here to bring you the headlines today, Sunday 12 December, 2021.
The Australian government is expected to announce that it will cut the wait time for Covid-19 booster shots from six months to five, in an effort to combat the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
Health Minister Greg Hunt told Nine newspapers that “a booster dose, five or more months after the second dose, will make sure that the protection from the primary course is even stronger and longer lasting and should help prevent spread of the virus”.
“Data from Israel shows boosters supporting reductions in the rate of infection in eligible age groups, severe disease in those aged over 40 years and deaths in those over 60 years,” he said.
ATAGI has also approved the Moderna Covid-19 booster to be offered alongside Pfizer, the ABC have reported.