COVID-19: Australia updates advisory on AstraZeneca vaccine

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A nurse prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine during vaccination drive in Suva. Picture: JOVESA NAISUA

The Australian government has updated its advisory on the AstraZeneca vaccine and recommends only people over 60 get the jab.

Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt told Australian media that those under 60 would now be offered the Pfizer shot.

The recommendation came after 60 out of the 3.3 million people who got the shot developed blood clots.

Mr Hunt told reporters in Canberra on Thursday that “the Government places safety above all else”.

Questions sent to the Australian High Commission, Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete and the World Health Organization remained unanswered when this edition went to press last night.

However, in a COVID-19 update yesterday, Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong said Fiji was making “excellent progress” in its effort to get those over 18 to take the AstraZeneca shot.

He said 252,781 Fijians or 43 per cent who were 18 years and older had received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 12,246 or 2.1 per cent were fully vaccinated.

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