Who can get the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Australia and what are the risks?
Australians are facing tighter restrictions and days of lockdown as the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 sweeps parts of the nation. The announcement that it will be easier for some to get the AstraZeneca vaccine from a GP is a spark of good news in an otherwise bleak week. Here's what we know so far about the change to the vaccine rollout. AstraZeneca is the preferred vaccine for people over the age of 60. That is the health advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). However, last night Prime Minister Scott Morrison clarified that did not "preclude" people under 60 from getting AstraZeneca. "If you wish to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, then we would encourage you to go and have that discussion with your GP," Mr Morrison said. So, anyone over age 18 who has been eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine as part of the Commonwealth rollout has always been able to ask for AstraZeneca. The key change announced on Monday night was the introduction of a new no-fault indemnity scheme for GPs. Indemnity is a form of protection. In practical terms, the new no-fault scheme means GPs cannot be sued if a patient under 60 has an adverse reaction to AstraZeneca. It also means a person who has an adverse reaction is entitled to compensation from the federal government without having to establish anyone was at fault. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has been calling for no-fault indemnity for some time, chair of Queensland branch Dr Bruce Willett said. However, Dr Willett said the details of the indemnity scheme were not yet known. He said until the scheme was enacted, patients under 60 could be turned away by their GP because there was no protection for either of them. People under the age of 40 who are not in a priority group are currently not eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine under the Commonwealth rollout. However, federal health officials running the rollout say Australians under 40 should be able to book an AstraZeneca vaccination within days. Head of the COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforce, Lieutenant General John Frewen, told Nine they were working to update the booking system now. We'll be onto it as quickly as we can, and I really think people should be able to start making arrangements, you know, in the days ahead, and in the next couple of weeks I hope to see the effect of these new policies," he said. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been linked to an extremely rare, and treatable, blood clotting disorder called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). TTS is more likely to occur with the first dose of AstraZeneca, however the rate of clotting incidents is low. For people aged under 50, there have been 3.1 cases of clotting per 100,000 first doses. Age Estimated risk of TTS for AstraZeneca first dose <50 years 3.1 in 100,000 50-59 years 2.7 in 100,000 60-69 years 1.4 in 100,000 70-79 years 1.8 in 100,000 80+ years 1.9 in 100,000  (Source: Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation)  TTS symptoms  such as a severe headache that doesn't go away, abdominal pain, blurred vision, and leg pain or swelling  appear four to 30 days after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, with a peak time of six to 14 days. If you show up to your GP with any of these symptoms following the jab, you will get a blood test known as a platelet count. TTS can be treated with blood-thinning medication and a large injection of immunoglobulins  proteins that are a part of the body's defence system. In Australia, the mortality rate for TTS is about 4 per cent, which is about a 1 in a 2 million chance of death. La Trobe University epidemiologist Hassan Vally says the risk of dying from TTS after the first dose of AstraZeneca is similar to the risk of being killed by lightning. AstraZeneca was widely used globally until April 2021, when governments restricted its use to certain age groups due to the risk of blood clotting. Australia initially advised that AstraZeneca be for over 50s, but raised it to over 60s in early June after the death of a 52-year-old woman and increasing rates of TTS in people aged between 50 and 59. The ATAGI says the rare clotting disorder is more common and more severe in young people. The ATAGI says for those aged 60 and above, the benefits of preventing COVID-19 with the AstraZeneca vaccine outweighs the risk of TTS. It also says AstraZeneca can be used in adults aged under 60 for whom Pfizer is not available, and "the benefits are likely to outweigh the risks for that individual, and the person has made an informed decision based on an understanding of the risks and benefits". The ATAGI says people who have had their first dose of AstraZeneca without any serious adverse effects should get their second dose. Pfizer is the recommended vaccine for Australians under the age of 60.