The risk of COVID-19 far outweighs that of a blood clot from the AstraZeneca vaccine, especially for those who already had the first dose of the vaccine, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly told a news conference.
“If you are over 60, do not delay"
“The benefit far outweighs the risk of AstraZeneca and you need to get on and get that vaccine,” Professor Kelly said.
“You need to have that second vaccine to get the full protection from the AstraZeneca. It is an effective vaccine,” Professor Kelly said.
“The risk of this very rare side effect is extremely rare 1.5 per million in a second dose. This a is far outweighed by the risk posed by COVID at any stage“.
Australians aged under 60 no longer receives first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to the rare risk of a serious blood clotting disorder among people aged 50 to 59.
The government has accepted the advice of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), which recommends those aged under 60 now receive the Pfizer vaccine. It previously recommended Pfizer to those aged under 50.
