Woohoo! Western Australians Aged 12 to 15 Can Get the Pfizer Jab From Today

Don’t forget to snap a vaccine pic for the ‘gram.

Great news for high school students in the West: all West Aussies aged 12 – 15 years are now eligible for a COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine from today, Monday 13 September.

On Saturday, the state government announced the news that younger West Australians would finally be able to book in their jab, which is awesome for WA’s rollout and vaccination rate.

Pfizer has already been available to younger people who are First Nations, have underlying health conditions, or are part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, but the new update broadens the availability to all teens.

The widening of the age bracket means that teens can now book and receive a Pfizer COVID-19 jab at one of WA’s state-run clinics, so if you’d prefer to wait on your GP, you’ll probs have to be a bit more patient.

National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance's Director, Professor Kristine Macartney told the ABC that she hoped it will help get young Aussies back into school classrooms, rather than continuing to study through lockdowns.

"They have missed out on a lot, not just from an educational perspective but the socialisation, the effects on their mental health and wellbeing have really been quite substantial," she said.

"And, in a way, those kids have been paying for us as adults who are the ones who are more likely to have severe disease.

"They've done the hard yards here."

Along with Pfizer, Health Minister Greg Hunt expects the Moderna jab to be made available to young Aussies in the coming weeks as the government continues to accelerate the nation’s vaccination program.

“This fortnight, we’re expecting to get advice from the TGA on Moderna for 12 to 17-year-olds,” Hunt said in an interview with Sky News.

“I’m hopeful that will be added which will give a second vaccine.”

As you might expect, parents and guardians have to make the decision and do the bookings for anyone under the age of 18, so the state government is urging families to support teens and encourage them to get the jab.

At the time of writing, 39.3 per cent of WA’s population is fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 immunisation, so the new update is sure to speed things up big time.

(Image: Government of Western Australia)

Okay, so where can I book my vaccine?

First things first, make sure you have a chat with your ‘rents or legal guardian and GP before booking your jab as you will need parental consent to go through with it.

Once you and your fam are all g with the jab, you can book your appointment through your parent's VaccinateWA account or visit the Roll Up for WA website.

There are also appointments available state-wide at vaccination clinics. You can check out the full list of clinics on the HealthyWA website.

As for school-based vaccine programs, it’s looking like they might be a little while away, so Health Minister Greg Hunt has advised teens not to wait.

“Do not wait for a school program,” the Health Minister said.

“If you can have your child vaccinated, get them vaccinated.”

If you’re not in the 12 to 15 years age bracket or not a WA resident, you can check your vaccine eligibility here.

Header Image: Government of Western Australia