Australia secures 20 million more doses of Pfizer vaccine after AstraZeneca jab is linked to blood clots – but they won’t get here for SIX MONTHS
Australia has ordered 20million more doses of the Pfizer vaccine after the AstraZeneca vaccine was linked to potentially deadly blood clots.
The vaccines – taking Australia’s Pfizer jab total to 40 million – are due to arrive in the final three months of 2021.
On Tuesday night the government received advice from its scientists that the Pfizer vaccine was preferred in adults under 50 because of evidence from Europe that the AstraZeneca vaccines causes blood clots in extremely rare cases.
Australia has ordered 20million more doses of the Pfizer vaccine after the AstraZeneca vaccine was linked to potentially deadly bloodclots
Australia had relied heavily on the AstraZeneca vaccine, the only jab that it can manufacture onshore at the CSL factory in Melbourne.
Mr Morrison said Australians can still choose to take the the AstraZeneca jab if they want.
‘It is not a ban on the AstraZeneca vaccine, it is not a prohibition on the AstraZeneca vaccine, it recommends and notes that the risk of these side effects are remote.
‘They are very rare. We are talking in the vicinity of five to six per million which is a rather rare event. But it must be acknowledged,’ Mr Morrison said.
‘It’s important so Australians can make informed decisions about their vaccination and their health care with their medical professionals, with their doctor.
‘So there was no instruction not to take that vaccine. There is an acknowledgement of the risk that is there but as is the case always with these matters these are decisions for Australians.’
The prime minster encouraged Australians over 50 to have the AstraZeneca jab because they are less at risk of the clotting events and more at risk of getting seriously sick from Covid-19.
‘Certainly for those who are over 50 there is a strong encouragement to be taking this AstraZeneca vaccine which we discussed today to ensure that we can continue down the path of the vaccination roll out,’ he said.
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