Fully vaccinated Canberrans aged 18 years and over can now book in at an ACT Health clinic to receive a booster shot to further protect them from COVID-19.
Announced by Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, the booster doses are available to anyone who received their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine more than six months ago.
“Booster doses extend your protection against COVID-19 and will help keep you, your loved ones and our community safer for longer,” Mr Barr said.
“Canberrans have shown an amazing enthusiasm for getting vaccinated and we expect that this will carry over into the booster program,” he said.
Mr Barr said making booster shots available to all Canberrans over 18 years old was based on advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith said it was important for people to get their additional vaccine shot at the correct time to help keep the community safe.
“Booster doses are anticipated to increase protection from severe disease, particularly in older people, and may also reduce the potential of infected individuals to transmit the virus to others,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“People who had their second dose at an ACT Government COVID-19 vaccination clinic will be contacted by ACT Health when they become eligible for a booster dose,” she said.
“At this stage, bookings will only be made at ACT Government clinics for those who were fully vaccinated before the end of June, and only for the Pfizer vaccine.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said the bookings could be made online through MyDHR or by calling the COVID-19 vaccination booking line on 02 5124 7700.
The Minister said ATAGI recommended the Pfizer vaccine for all booster shots, regardless of which vaccine people received for their initial immunisation.
She said the AstraZeneca vaccine could also be used as a booster for people who had received AstraZeneca for their first two doses, or who had a significant adverse reaction to a previous mRNA vaccine.
“The COVID-19 vaccine booster program is in addition to the ongoing third-dose program for immunocompromised people, where an extra dose is required to complete the regular course of vaccination for a specific group of vulnerable Australians,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
Further information on COVID-19 booster shots can be accessed on the Australian Department of Health’s website at this PS News link.
