After the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) provisionally approved the new Novavax vaccine, the Massachusetts based company has the green light from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) to begin distributing the vaccine late last week.

According to a media release from Health and Aged Care minister, Greg Hunt, the Federal Government has already purchased 51 million vaccines that will arrive in Australia early February, and subject to the successful batch testing, the Novavax will be ready to be administered the week of February 21.

The ATAGI complies with the TGA’s recommendation of giving two doses, at least three weeks apart, like the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

Currently, according to the federal department of health, studies of the vaccine being used as a booster and amongst paediatrics are still within its infancy and are ongoing, “The vaccine does not have regulatory approval for these purposes at this stage,” they said on Thursday, however since yesterday the Pfizer vaccine has been granted provisional approval from the TGA for 16–17-year olds.

However, children aged 5-17 who are immunocompromised, can still get their third shot of their primary dose.

“ATAGI recommends the Novavax vaccine can be administered to pregnant and breastfeeding women” they said and strongly stress that people of this category should get the booster as soon as possible.

According to the Western District Health Service (WDHS), they have announced they have been authorised the use Pfizer only, and will update the community when more information is known about the Novavax vaccine.

They have also announced the changing response to elective surgeries and will recommence category 2 & 3 surgeries as of Wednesday 2 February, according to the WDHS.

A Facebook post made on Thursday morning said an extension to February 27 has been revised, attributed to the rapidly changing environment and stabilising number.

“While we are reviewing the situation on a daily basis, we are hopeful we can resume between 50-75 per cent  of elective category 2 and 3 surgeries over coming weeks,” WDHS Chief Executive Rohan Fitzgerald said.

Cry for help

President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), Dr Karen Price, said that this was a positive step in the vaccine rollout.

“All of the vaccines, including Novavax, are extremely safe and effective and will significantly reduce the incidence of people suffering severe effects from the virus, including hospitalisation or worse,” she said.

“Novavax will be particularly beneficial for those who have contraindications to other COVID-19 vaccines, including serious reactions to previous doses.”

Dr Price said this is the first protein-based vaccine to be approved in Australia.

However, she warned of the participating vaccine rollout centres in the months ahead, and called for additional support from the Federal Government.

“Although there are plenty of children’s vaccine doses in Australia, the challenge is getting those supplies into practice fridges and then into arms,” she said.

“GPs are still reporting doses not arriving on time or insufficient stock being delivered. So general practice teams then have the unenviable task of ringing families and telling them that their child’s appointment must be cancelled. This is causing a lot of stress and anxiety and, unfortunately, some people are once again taking their frustration out on exhausted nurses and receptionists.

“Practices are also struggling to absorb the cost of taking part in the rollout. General practice teams did not sign up to make money but at the end of the day they must make ends meet and that is proving very difficult.”

As general practices are shouldering the load of the COVID pandemic, Dr Price said the Federal Government needed to step up and provide greater assistance.

School’s Back

With the rush to get ahead of the school openings, the State Government announced last week that state-run centres from last weekend will accept walk in patients for paediatrics, aged 5-17, and will be opening up pop up clinics around Victoria within the next few weeks in primary state schools, “making sure families have every opportunity to get their children aged 5-11 vaccinated”.

Hamilton Primary school principal, Ben Kelson, said that despite the uncertainty of the Omicron variant, “teachers are looking forward to see the kids – after a challenging year,” he said, and will implement a “high level of hygiene,” such as promoting outdoor learning and masks for grades 3 and higher, with additional air purifiers that have just come in before the first school bell.

 Although Hamilton Primary have not been approached about the upcoming vaccination clinics, Mr Kelson said “we will wait and follow advice from the Department of Health and the Department of Teaching, and we will work with the Victorian Government and do everything to benefit the community”.

Despite the low vaccination rates, the more infectious variant will be battled with RAT tests to “stop it sooner,” Mr Kelson said, as the in-person learning is much preferable to online, particularly to new students.

Since last Thursday, one third of children have been vaccinated with their first dose.

The State Government said in a press release to selected schools “local GPs and pharmacists can receive up to $6500 to cover staffing, travel and equipment costs to get out to schools and vaccinate children, with an additional $5000 clinic establishment fee per school also available, plus additional loadings for specialist schools or small, rural or regional schools”.

Victorians will be able to access a Novavax vaccine through general practices, community pharmacies, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, Commonwealth vaccination centres, and state clinics.