The Hon Mark Butler MP
Minister for Health and Aged Care
The Australian Government has accepted a recommendation from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on the use of the Pfizer Comirnaty Bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1 vaccine as a third and fourth dose in people aged 18 years and older.
ATAGI has found this next generation vaccine triggers a modest improvement in the immune response against both strains. This vaccine and the original vaccines still provide significant protection from severe disease against Omicron subvariant infections.
The first doses of the bivalent vaccine have arrived in the country and are undergoing batch testing by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Rollout of this vaccine will commence from 12 December 2022.
This is the second bivalent vaccine approved for use in Australia. The Moderna Spikevax Bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1 vaccine has been available for people aged 18 years or older since 14 October 2022.
A separate recommendation from ATAGI to make the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine available for certain at-risk children aged 6 months to under 5 years has also been accepted. This vaccine will become available for eligible children from mid-January 2023.
The Pfizer vaccine is being restricted to children who are severely immunocompromised or who have other specific conditions that put them at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
The best vaccine is the one available to you. You can check your eligibility here and book a vaccine appointment here.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"The Australian Government has added this next generation Pfizer vaccine to our armour against COVID-19.
"This is a reminder to all Australian to make sure you are up to date with your COVID vaccinations, now is the time to get your booster."
