The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has welcomed news that primary school children will now be able to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
It comes following the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommending the use of the vaccine for 6- to 11-year-olds.
RACGP President Dr Karen Price welcomed the decision.
“This is good news for Australian families,” she said.
“Children aged 5 to 11 can already receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and now parents and carers also have the option of the Moderna vaccine. Both vaccines are extremely safe and effective and we need children vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Australia is a vaccination nation and we are doing really well compared to most other countries around the world when it comes to vaccinating our children. So, I encourage even more families to jump aboard and get vaccinated..
“I also urge parents and carers who are feeling uncertain about their child’s vaccinations to turn to their GP. We will give you expert advice and answer any questions you have; we are here to help.
“Children are very unlikely to experience severe effects from COVID-19. However, it’s important to be mindful that some children may have underlying health conditions and a small percentage may suffer serious symptoms that require medical attention. Vaccinating children also helps limit community transmission, including to older people and the immunocompromised. So once again, I urge all families to roll up their sleeves and receive their COVID-19 vaccine.”
Dr Price also reiterated warnings that general practices need a helping hand.
“This latest announcement is positive news but once again I remind government that GPs and general practice teams are seriously under the pump and need more assistance,” she said.
“We are delivering booster vaccines and vaccines to children, which is a more time consuming and complicated process compared to vaccinating adults. On top of all of that, we are managing our day-to-day patient caseload. People haven’t stopped getting sick and injured just because we are busy with the vaccine rollout.
“GPs are paying particularly close attention to people who have delayed or avoided screenings and consults during the pandemic as well as patients experiencing serious mental health concerns, which have been exacerbated by lockdowns and other facts linked to the pandemic.
“So, if we are to continue being the backbone of the vaccine rollout, we really need more help from the federal Government. As I have said many times before, hardworking practices are struggling to absorb the cost of taking part in the vaccine rollout. GPs and their teams didn’t decide to participate in the rollout to make money but the reality is that practices do have to make ends meet.
“In 2021, GPs received an additional $10 delivering booster vaccines; however, since then our workload has escalated. We need more funding and support for general practice teams, this will enable more practices to run after-hours and weekend vaccination clinics.”
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