Chair in Epidemiology, Deakin University Geelong (Australia) (The Conversation) Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced yesterday that the Pfizer vaccine will become available to all Australians aged 16 to 39 from 30 August. This represents confidence in our vaccine supply, which has been plagued with problems since the rollout began. This gives us a fighting chance of reaching current targets, which suggest 70% of eligible Australians can be fully vaccinated by November and 80% by December.
Importantly, given that we know about high rates of COVID infection among young people, and the important role they are playing, this is good news. Increasing the vaccination rate in this group would be an important step towards controlling the virus. And with some young adults in various states already eligible for the Pfizer vaccine (depending on where they live, their jobs, and so on), the move will serve to reduce confusion.
Why vaccination of young adults is important During the current COVID outbreak in New South Wales, we have heard that young people are becoming disproportionately infected. We’re hearing it in Victoria too. In part, this is because this group is generally more mobile, both in the nature of their work and in their social life. Of course, the latter should not be relevant under lockdown conditions, but young adults are also more likely to live in shared homes with essential workers from different workplaces.
While 20- to 39-year-olds made up the highest proportion of cases in the entire epidemic, the increasing number of older adults now vaccinated may go some way to explaining why younger adults and children make up a greater proportion of late infections. are. Worryingly, data from the NSW outbreak also shows that young people make up a higher proportion of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 than previously thought.
Given that young adults make up the vast majority of cases, it follows that they are the major drivers of transmission. Recent modeling from the Doherty Institute described young and working-age adults as peak transmitters of COVID-19, and advocating vaccination for people in their 20s and 30s would reduce overall spread. It makes sense to prioritize people in high-risk jobs, as well as those at highest risk of serious consequences from COVID-19, for the first vaccination. But much remains to be done to get these young age groups vaccinated.
For example, 33.5% of people aged 35 to 39 have received a single dose of a COVID vaccine, compared to 86.1% of those aged 75 to 79. Some 25% of people aged 25 to 29 have taken the first dose, compared to 76.1% of those aged 65 to 69. Opening Pfizer to everyone aged 16 to 39 will help us increase the numbers in those younger age groups and in turn reduce infection and transmission.
Don’t dismiss AstraZeneca. This news should be inspiration for anyone currently eligible for Pfizer who hasn’t yet (primarily adults in their 40s and 50s) to make an appointment as soon as possible. Because it’s only going to get tougher after millions more people become eligible. For those aged 16 to 39 who are trying a little bit for a Pfizer vaccine, it’s important to know that you probably won’t be able to start booking a day. It may well be that you have to wait weeks for an appointment.
So if you were already considering getting the AstraZeneca vaccine, or if you have already booked an appointment, stick with it. It is a highly effective vaccine, the risk of any complications is incredibly small, and the benefits are especially significant in areas like Sydney, where we are seeing high community transmission and young people fighting the virus in ICUs.
What about the ‘mix and match’ approach? While Pfizer’s supply is increasing, and we expect to begin receiving Moderna next month, the daily demand for these mRNA vaccines still exceeds supply. One possible way to deal with this would be to give some people a first dose of AstraZeneca and then a second dose of Pfizer. This will allow us to start getting more people vaccinated sooner and further Pfizer’s supply.
This mix and match approach is already being explored in many countries. Data is showing that it is not only effective, but it may provide better protection than two doses of the same vaccine. Ensuring that everyone has the rights that come with vaccination is becoming increasingly important, not only in the face of current delta outbreaks, but also for individual movements and freedoms, as regulations are introduced that regulate vaccination. Recognize a low risk of infection between
For example, people traveling from NSW to Western Australia must prove they have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. Meanwhile, some countries around the world require proof of vaccination for visiting the likes of museums, cinemas, and eating activities indoors that may not open at all in the absence of vaccination.
Expanding the vaccine rollout to young people now ensures they will have time to access vaccinations and will not be harmed by any such regulations down the track.
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