The Pharmacy Guild of Australia welcomes the decision by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to provisionally approve the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine for use in children aged from 6 months to 5 years, however, they say that national uniformity around the decision is needed.
Acting National President of the Pharmacy Guild, Nick Panayiaris says the decision by the TGA is good news for patients and families and that “extending the age group of children eligible for the vaccine will help to provide more people with protection” against Covid-19.
Mr Panayiaris says pharmacists now await the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommendation on administering the Moderna vaccine under the new TGA guidelines.
“If that recommendation comes through it is critical that all States and Territories look to amend their regulations to enable pharmacists to administer the vaccine to children within this age group,” Mr Panayiaris says.
“We need to act cohesively and swiftly to protect the children in this age group, particularly as we are seeing a significant surge in Covid-19 cases across Australia.
“The Guild urges all jurisdictions to act uniformly as a matter of priority so that the approvals for pharmacists to administer the vaccine to children in this age group are consistent across Australia.
“States and Territories acting to enable pharmacists to administer the vaccine will ensure it reaches as many individuals in this cohort of patients as possible,” he says.
