Key Points
- The Moderna vaccine will be available from 5 September for some children under five who meet the health conditions.
- An estimated 70,000 children who are at a higher risk of developing severe disease from COVID-19 will be eligible.
Children aged six months to 5 years in at-risk groups who meet health conditions will get access to a COVID-19 vaccination from next month.
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children has been approved by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) for those who suffer certain medical conditions or have a disability making them more vulnerable to COVID-19.
It's estimated around 70,000 children considered at higher risk of developing the severe disease will be able to receive a vaccination from 5 September.
Health Minister Mark Butler said Australia would be among the first nations in the world to begin rolling out COVID-19 vaccines for children aged under five.
"Given that there is quite a limited cohort here of children who are particularly vulnerable to severe illness we are confident there will be a reasonable update," he told reporters.
"This obviously is a matter for parents to decide and I encourage them if they have any questions to consult with their treating medical practitioners."
The Albanese government has secured 500,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine for this age group, which would then be tested by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
It's expected initial supplies will be arriving in Australia later this week and then distributed to vaccine sites.
The vaccine will mainly be rolled out to the at-risk cohort through paediatric hospitals.
The full list of conditions is available on the health department website, but arrangements have not yet been put in place to book vaccinations.
The recommendation is for two primary doses, except for those with severe immunocompromise who require three primary doses.
The recommended interval between each dose is eight weeks.
At this point, the COVID-19 vaccine is only recommended to children in the age range who are in at-risk groups, and not others more broadly.
ATAGI says there is a "very low risk" of COVID-19 in healthy children under five.
But the body intends to continue to monitor the medical evidence in relation to extending COVID-19 vaccines to others in this aged group.
The United States and Canada have already begun delivering vaccines to under-fives in their countries.
Last month, the country's chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly issued a fresh warning about the increase in the number of cases from a winter COVID-19 wave.
