The Therapeutic Goods Administration has given the green light to inoculate children as young as 12 with the Pfizer vaccine which is “good news for parents" according to Health Minister Greg Hunt.
“Two steps to the process so the Australian regulator, what’s called the Therapeutic Goods Admin, has overnight approved Pfizer for 12- to 15-year-olds,” he told Sky News.
“The second stage now is the Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, or ATAGI, considers within that which are the appropriate children.”
Mr Hunt said ATAGI will have a two-step consideration process to approving the jab for adolescents with a decision to be made in a week.
“It’s likely that on the advice we have, they’re well advanced in their preparations, they will probably move in two steps themselves, one will be a consideration for immunocompromised children or children with underlying med conditions.”
Mr Hunt said if the shot was approved, the government would “move immediately to make that open to children” under the phase 1B program.
