ATAGI recommendations on the use of a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) have developed recommendations on the use of additional (booster) doses of COVID-19 vaccine. they updated the recommendations on March 1st 2022. What’s changed:

• Nuvaxovid (Novavax) can be used as a booster in an individual aged 18 years and above if no other COVID-19 vaccine is considered suitable for that individual.
• Recommendations concerning the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose have been updated. AstraZeneca is no longer recommended for use as the booster dose for people who received a primary vaccination course of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, although it can still be used for this purpose if these individuals decline receiving an mRNA vaccine as a booster dose. AstraZeneca is now only recommended when there are medical contraindications to the mRNA vaccines.
• Comirnaty (Pfizer) can be used as a booster in individuals aged 16 years and above.
• Updated evidence of vaccine effectiveness of booster doses against the Omicron variant has been included.