Australians aged 18 and over can now get the Moderna vaccine as a booster shot against the coronavirus as an alternative to a Pfizer dose, Health Minister Greg Hunt says.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has given approval to the Moderna vaccine as a booster shot, and like Pfizer, it can be used irrespective of what vaccine a person received for their primary course of vaccination.
ATAGI has also confirmed in updated advice that booster doses can be provided from five months after completion of the primary course, given the likelihood of ongoing transmission of the Omicron and Delta variants.
This was previously recommended to be six months from a second dose.
"A booster dose, five or more months after the second dose, will make sure that the protection from the primary course is even stronger and longer lasting and should help prevent spread of the virus," Mr Hunt said in a statement on Sunday.
He said more than 670,000 Australians had already received more than two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Moderna booster dosage is half that of the primary course dosage.
Mr Hunt and Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy will receive their COVID-19 booster shots on Sunday.
Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton commended the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) for changing its advice on the booster gap.
"Thanks ATAGI. There is an urgent need for third doses/boosters. Don't delay if you're due. I'll now get mine before Christmas," he tweeted on Saturday night.
The announcement came as NSW recorded 485 new COVID-19 cases and two virus-related deaths on Sunday.
The state is inching closer to its 95 double dose target with 93.1 per cent aged 16 and over who are vaccinated.
Genomic testing into additional Omicron cases continues, with the state tally up to 45 as of Saturday.
In Victoria there were 1,069 new infections on Sunday with the state currently managing over 11,400 active cases. It marks the seventh consecutive day Victoria has battled case numbers over 1,000.
As of Saturday, Victorian authorities were responding to three existing Omicron infections.
The ACT announced one new COVID-19 case on Sunday, with four patients in hospital.
Queensland recorded one new coronavirus case as authorities prepare to welcome "tens of thousands" of interstate travellers from Monday.
The new case was a man in his 30s who arrived from Nigeria, with health authorities are closely monitoring the genomic sequencing to see if it is the Omicron variant.
South Australian health authorities on Sunday confirmed two COVID-19 cases announced on Friday were of the Omicron variant. No further cases have been confirmed as the Omicron variant at this stage.
Mr Hunt said more than 40 million COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in Australia, with more than 93 per cent of eligible Australians aged 16 and older having received a first dose and more than 89 per cent having received a second dose.
Government frontbencher Peter Dutton said it was important people understood Australia was living with the virus now and the reason behind getting to a fully vaccinated rate of 80 or 90 per cent.
He said people did not want to go back into lockdowns.
"I think that is the general sentiment frankly across the country," he told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program.
"We need to recognise the mental health issues that have been generated in our community, the domestic violence issues from people being stuck at home for extended periods."
Western Australia - the only state to have fully vaccinated 80 per cent of its eligible population - will .
WA Premier Mark McGowan saying vaccinated travellers from Queensland must now quarantine for 14 days on arrival, following a virus outbreak on the Gold Coast.
With SBS News
