‘A logical step’: Younger Aussies could choose between Moderna, Pfizer once supplies arrive

Australians aged under 40 can expect to officially become eligible for a Pfizer or Moderna shot around “September or October”, according to the head of the COVID-19 vaccine taskforce.

Lieutenant General John Frewen has also revealed younger Australians could be given a choice as to which mRNA jab they receive, once enough doses arrive and access is expanded.

“When we have adequate supplies, I think that’s a logical step,” he said.

Most Australians under 40 are not yet eligible for Pfizer or Moderna, but they have the option of talking to their GP about getting AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.

That jab is recommended for Australians over 60, but Lieutenant General Frewen confirmed it was the Prime Minister who expanded access last week.

“AstraZeneca is open to under 40s with informed consent with their GPs,” he said.

“That was opened up last week, it hadn’t been opened up specifically prior to that.”

Mr Morrison made the announcement without consulting National Cabinet or GPs, causing confusion with the rollout and sparking a row with the states.

According to Lieutenant General Frewen, since the late-night announcement, nearly 8,000 younger Australians have opted to receive the AstraZeneca jab.

With supplies of Pfizer and Moderna expected to massively ramp up in coming months, Lieutenant General Frewen said younger Australians should not have to wait much longer for their shot.

“It’ll be a matter for government for when we open up those cohorts, but September, October, I’m confident we’ll have a greater range of choice around vaccines,” he told ABC News Breakfast.

He said that was based on the “current supply forecasts” and didn’t want to “tie himself to specific dates”.

Australia has purchased 40 million doses of Pfizer and 25 million doses of the yet-to-be-approved Moderna vaccine — enough to vaccinate the entire population — but the bulk of the supplies are scheduled to arrive in the final three months of the year.

Lieutenant General Frewen’s comments come as he prepares to hold his first meeting with state health officials to “war game” problems with the national vaccine rollout.

Aged care ‘an absolute priority focus’

The outbreak in a Sydney nursing home has put the spotlight, once again, on the slow rollout in the aged care sector.

All but one residential aged care facilities nationally have now received both doses, but only 36 per cent of staff working in those homes have had one dose.

Residents and workers were both in the first priority group, but Lieutenant General Frewen confirmed there was a change to the rollout that saw residents prioritised over staff.

He said from mid-September, it would be compulsory for anyone working in aged care to get vaccinated.

“Right now this is an absolute priority focus for us,” he said.

“We are accelerating efforts to get those aged care workers vaccinated.

“They are at 36 per cent now, which is above the national average, which is higher than the broader national average, so progress is being made.”

Lieutenant General Frewen said he was “very confident” that all Australians would be offered a vaccine by the end of the year.

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