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COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5 to 11

Posted at 12:17pm on 23 December 2021 in COVID-19, Latest news, Vaccination by

Overview

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has approved the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5 to 11 years. Children aged 5 to 11 years will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine from 10 January 2022.

The recommended schedule for vaccination in this age group is two doses, 8 weeks apart.

The recommended dose for the 5-11 age group is 10µg (0.2mL), which is one third of the recommended 30µg dose for people aged 12 years and over.

Children who turn 12 after their first dose may receive the adolescent/adult formulation of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to complete their primary vaccine course.

Online Forum

This week, Monash Health hosted a Facebook Live Event to discuss COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 and answer your questions. We were joined by Professor Rhonda Stuart, Director of the South East Public Health Unit and Dr Jeremy Carr, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician, Monash Health Immunisation.

For those who missed the Facebook Live Event, you can watch the replay here. The online forum is a great resource for parents and carers, who may have questions or concerns they want addressed before their children become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on 10 January 2022.

We encourage you to watch the forum to learn about:

  • Prevalence of COVID-19 infection and vaccination of children globally
  • Parent and carer vaccine hesitancy for children
  • Importance of vaccination for children
  • Where to get children vaccinated from January
  • Vaccine types, doses, intervals, safety and efficacy for children
  • Research and results of COVID-19 vaccination in children overseas
  • Side effects, allergies, medication and children who are immunocompromised

The Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre

The Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre is another great hub of resources and information for parents and individuals seeking advice and education about immunisation.

Through their range of online resources, you can find answers to commonly asked questions and learn more about the benefits of vaccination. For parents and carers, the following resources are available: