Australians hoping to come back residence for Christmas might stay caught abroad as a result of they aren’t thought-about totally vaccinated if they’ve had totally different doses of authorized vaccines.
Key factors:
- Worldwide borders in Australia will open for totally vaccinated residents, everlasting residents and their households in November
- Some Australians have confronted conflicting recommendation over whether or not they can come residence after having combined doses of COVID-19 vaccines
- ATAGI recommends having two doses of the identical authorized COVID-19 vaccines
For the reason that federal authorities announced international borders would reopen to totally vaccinated residents, everlasting residents and their households, some abroad have obtained conflicting recommendation about their immunisation standing.
Tim and Sharyn Nilsen have been residing in Vietnam for the previous two years after turning into stranded throughout their travels.
Ms Nilsen informed ABC Radio Brisbane they have been solely supplied an AstraZeneca jab and Pfizer for the second shot throughout the nation’s vaccine rollout, partly due to a provide concern.
However Ms Nilsen mentioned it was good to have had the combined vaccines as a way to be totally vaccinated, particularly at a time when Ho Chi Min Metropolis was recording hundreds of instances a day.
Blended dose, combined message
When the Australian authorities introduced worldwide borders would reopen, Ms Nilsen checked the Companies Australia web site and with the Australian embassy in Vietnam about vaccine certification.
The embassy informed her that having two totally different vaccines was acceptable so long as they have been authorized varieties like AstraZeneca or Pfizer.
So she booked tickets to go to her and Mr Nilsen’s dad and mom in rural New South Wales, who they haven’t seen for nearly two years.
“I went and booked a ticket and that was the Wednesday,” Ms Nilsen mentioned.
However on Friday, she obtained an replace from the embassy that mentioned the foundations have been altering always and individuals who had combined pictures would be thought-about “not vaccinated”.
A day later, Singapore Airways suggested Ms Nilsen that the the flight had been designated as “For Eligible Passengers Solely” (FEPO) and that combined vaccines wouldn’t be recognised.
“[The Australian government is] leaping up and down saying, ‘We’ll get Aussies residence,'” Ms Nilsen mentioned.
Singapore Airways, Scoot and Vietnam Airways all have statements on their web sites that clients with combined vaccine doses usually are not eligible at this stage.
Internationally, many nations, together with Canada, Spain and South Korea, have launched mixing doses of vaccines as a part of their rollout.
Whereas it doesn’t suggest mixing jabs, the US Centre for Illness Management and Prevention lately up to date its tips to counsel travellers who’ve had combined doses of US or World Well being Organisation (WHO) authorized vaccines be accepted.
Divide over concern stays
Katherine O’Brien, the director of the WHO’s Division of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, recently said there was evidence combining an AstraZeneca vaccine dose with either of the MRNA vaccines, Pfizer or Moderna, might produce a “good” immunity response.
However Immunisation Coalition chair Rod Pearce mentioned there have been too few research to make certain in regards to the efficacy and security of blending vaccines.
Mater Hospital’s infectious ailments director Paul Griffin mentioned authorities ought to think about whether or not mixing vaccine doses may very well be authorized.
“There’s been just a few medical trials,” he mentioned.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends utilizing the identical COVID-19 vaccine for the 2 doses of the first course.
“Whereas there may be rising knowledge about combined dose schedules, bigger research and long run observe up are required to verify the protection of this strategy,” a spokesperson mentioned.
ATAGI provides clinical advice on using a distinct COVID-19 vaccine because the second does in particular circumstances.
“ATAGI continues to watch and evaluate the proof for combined COVID-19 vaccine schedules and supply up to date suggestions to authorities as applicable,” the spokesperson mentioned.
“Travellers that don’t meet the definition of totally vaccinated should be capable to journey, however solely beneath the foundations of unvaccinated journey.”
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