NSW recorded 1,533 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours and four more deaths as the state continues to battle its most dangerous phase of the pandemicMeanwhile, children will soon be able to receive the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) granting provisional approval for its use in 12-17 year-olds.The decision follows the provisional approval granted by the TGA on August 9 for the use of the vaccine in Australians aged 18 years and over, and is set to further boost national vaccination rates with plans for the jabs to be made available in pharmacies.It is understood the idea will be for an entire family to turn up to all receive their vaccinations at the same time. The recommended dose and dose interval for children will be the same as that for the adult population – two full doses given 28 days apart. The provisional approval for the use of Moderna in children followed “careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy”, a TGA statement said.The vaccine had also received regulatory approval or authorisation in this age group in several jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union and Switzerland,” it said. “The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has shown strong efficacy preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and severe COVID-19 in clinical trials,” the statement said. “The decision to provisionally approve the vaccine for use in this age group was informed by expert advice from the Advisory Committee on Vaccines (ACV), an independent committee with expertise in scientific, medical and clinical fields including consumer representation.“The TGA will continue to actively monitor the safety of Spikevax and will not hesitate to take action if safety concerns are identified.”The Federal Government has secured 25 million doses of Moderna – or Spikevax – as it moves to diversify vaccines available to Australians, including potential access to booster or variant vaccines should this be required in the future.The agreement includes the supply of 10 million doses in 2021 and of 15 million doses of Moderna’s updated variant booster vaccine in 2022. SYDNEY TO RE-OPEN TO WORLD BY ITSELFInternational travel restrictions will be lifted in NSW when 80 per cent of the state is vaccinated even if other states remain closed.Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed he would authorise states to go-it-alone in reopening to the world when 80 per cent of the population aged over 16 is fully vaccinated.NSW is currently leading Australia’s vaccination race with 71.5 per cent having received their first dose and 39.5 per cent fully immunised.A continuation of the current pace would open international travel before the end of the year, which would allow NSW residents to fly to Europe ahead of visits to family in locked down, slowly vaccinating states.According to the national recovery plan, there would be no cap on returning Australians and the restrictions on outbound travel would end at the 80 per cent mark.NED-4235-Australias-Vaccine-Rollout-Timeline“The National Plan sets that out very clearly,” Mr Morrison said as he confirmed states would be able to open in isolation.“The national plan was agreed by all states and territories. It’s a plan that is actually going to see Australia open up again and move forward again.”It came amid deepening division between state leaders, with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s hard line border approach drawing condemnation from senior members of her own party.Ms Palaszczuk has received bitter backlash after she withdrew her support for the national reopening plan, declaring that opening Queensland’s borders would be too risky for unvaccinated children.Daily Telegraph – News Feed latest episodeThis was despite the fact not a single country has approved vaccinations to children under 12.Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles slammed Ms Palaszczuk’s rogue health advice.“I would be distancing myself from the comments of Annastacia is the honest answer,” Mr Marles said when asked about his reaction to her split from the national plan.“We need to be following the health advice when it comes to the impact and who we should be vaccinating when.“I don’t want to see Australia in one extra day of lockdown than it needs to be.”NAT – Stay Informed – Social Media
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