Covid vaccine provisionally approved in Australia for children aged six months to six years
Moderna's paediatric dose will become available only after Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation gives advice
- Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
- Get our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcast
Children aged from six months up to six years may soon be eligible for Covid-19 vaccination, after Australia's drugs regulator approved a paediatric dose of the Moderna vaccine.
The vaccine is already approved for children aged six years and older, who can receive two doses administered at least 28 days apart, and it is also used as a booster dose for adults aged 18 years and older. Currently there is no Covid-19 vaccination available to younger age groups.
In a statement the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said: As we have seen with children in older age groups, the TGA expects that vaccines for younger children will provide protection from the most severe outcomes of Covid-19, such as hospitalisation and death."