People who are “severely” immunocompromised in Australia can expect coronavirus booster shots from next week.
It comes after Australia’s expert panel on vaccines, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), approved the booster doses for about 500,000 people.
“The third dose is intended to maximise the level of immune response to as close as possible to the general population,” ATAGI said in a statement.
The ATAGI warns people who are on immunosuppressive therapies like chemotherapy might not be fully protected by the regular two doses of a vaccine.
“Protection from three primary doses in severely immunocompromised individuals may still be lower than the general population,” they say.
“People should continue risk mitigation strategies such as mask-wearing and social distancing even after receipt of a third dose.”
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly supports the move.
“Unfortunately [for] some people that have immune systems that don’t work as well as the general population, those vaccines may not lead to that protection,” Professor Kelly said on Friday.
“So the evidence is now clear that people in those categories of immune-compromised should receive a third dose. That should happen at a period after the second dose, between two and six months after that time of the second dose.”
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
