CANBERRA, Jan 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Australia approved the Novavax vaccine for people aged 18 and over today, making it the fourth COVID-19 vaccine to be approved for use in Australia, after AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), recommended the Novavax vaccine be given in two doses, at least three weeks apart.
The government has ordered 51 million doses of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, to be available in Feb, Health Minister, Greg Hunt, said.
“We will be able to commence that programme in the week of Feb 21,” he told reporters today.
Australia today reported more than 40,000 locally-acquired infections and 58 deaths – 24 in New South Wales, 17 in Victoria, 13 in Queensland and two each in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), according to health department figures, from states and territories.
Hunt said, there were promising signs that Australia’s wave of Omicron infections has peaked in some areas, with hospitalisations stabilising.
“So, it’s an important moment where we are seeing, now, clear signs that this Omicron wave, at least in New South Wales, Victoria, and the ACT, has peaked,” he said.
From today, millions of welfare recipients are eligible to receive free rapid antigen tests (RATs).
However, the industry’s peak body warned that, pharmacies do not have enough supply to meet demand but that pressure should ease by the end of Jan.– NNN-AGENCIES
