The TGA Has Approved the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine for 12 to 15-Year-Olds

Up until now, it was only approved for people aged 16 and over.

Over the last few months, Australia’s vaccine rollout has been majorly under the microscope and not for good reasons.

With many states around the country still dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks and not having enough vaccines to go around, the government has been experiencing a lot of criticism for how chaotic and slow the whole vaccine rollout has been.

Thankfully, every now and then we’re getting bits and pieces of positive news about the available vaccines and their supply.

In late June, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that anyone over the age of 18 was now eligible to get the AstraZeneca vaccine if they wanted it (although it’s important to keep in mind that the AZ vaccine is not recommended for anyone under 40).

Then in early July, the government predicted that most young people could be eligible for both the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines by September or October.

Now, as of late last week, the federal government and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced that young people between the ages of 12 and 15 would finally join the list of Aussies approved to get the Pfizer vaccine.

The TGA has provisionally approved the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (COMIRNATY) in individuals 12 years and older. Find out more: https://t.co/DeeJV0QpDR pic.twitter.com/JR5Q4RECaq

— TGA Australia (@TGAgovau) July 22, 2021

This is awesome news for young Aussies as it now means more people can get vaccinated when their age bracket becomes eligible.

Just to be clear, this approval doesn’t mean that teenagers are able to book their vaccination appointment yet. Unfortunately, young people are still waiting to become eligible for certain vaccines and likely won’t get the jab until September or October at the earliest.

“As with all of our vaccination decisions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will now consider this approval and provide expert advice on which groups of adolescents should be prioritised for the roll out of the vaccine and how and when it should be administered,” they wrote in a statement.

“ATAGI has been meeting with global experts over recent days to inform their deliberations and expert advice.

“The National COVID-19 Vaccines Taskforce has been undertaking detailed planning to support the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine for children, following an approval from the TGA and in line with the expert medical advice from ATAGI.”

TGA approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds @GregHuntMP #auspol pic.twitter.com/8TC6tq016i

— Political Alert (@political_alert) July 22, 2021

Not only does the widening of vaccine approval mean that more people can get the vax if they want, it also means that even more young people can breathe a sigh of relief from some of the anxiety that comes with the risk of falling ill with COVID-19.

Earlier in the month, the government released a controversial advertisement on coronavirus and the urgency to get vaccinated, aimed specifically at young people.

The ad understandably caused a lot of anxiety for Aussies under 40, but especially for those in groups that weren’t yet eligible or approved for vaccination.

On top of vaccine approval for young teens, pregnant women of all ages are now eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, so regardless of age or how far along someone might be in their pregnancy, any expecting mother can now book in to get the jab.

"All pregnant women, regardless of their stage of pregnancy and whether they are eligible for other reasons or not, can access their vaccine through primary care channels," the Department of Health's Lucas de Toca told a Senate committee on Friday.

So, fingers crossed all young Aussies will get their opportunity for a COVID-19 jab before the end of the year.

Header Image Jakayla Toney via Unsplash