Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the vaccination program will open up to all people aged between 16 and 39 by 30 August.
“We will be moving to opening up 16 to 39-year-olds for the program. We intend for that to commence on the 30th of August,” says Mr Morrison.
National Cabinet will meet today [Friday 20 August] to work out the logistics of the latest decision.
“Now, I want to stress, do not make a booking yet. We will advise when bookings can be made over the course of next week. It has been a question that has been put to me for some time, as when we would bring 16 to 39s forward. Well, the question is usually about 20 to 39s, but we’ve decided to go all the way through for 16 to 39s. That’s some 8.6 million Australians that are in that group,” he said.
Mr Morrison also wanted reassured Australians, especially parents of young children, that immunisation for those aged 12 to 15 is currently being considered
“We’re taking very seriously the issue of vaccination of our children. I’m anticipating that ATAGI advice, certainly in an interim level, to be available very soon. And, we’ve been already working, [with] General Frewen, his team and the states, to see how we would implement a vaccination program for children, that is those aged 12 to 15. And, we’ll have further things to say about that,”.
“But, I just want to assure, particularly parents, vaccinating children is something we take really seriously and we do it very carefully. We’re just making sure that we’re getting the right advice and then we can put the right plans in place and move on those vaccinations in the safest and most effective way possible.”
