Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Health and Aged Care. What is the government's advice to Australians in their 50s who have had their first dose of AstraZeneca and are yet to receive their second? How many Australians are in that situation?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow minister for his question. There are approximately 815,000 Australians who have had a first dose of AstraZeneca and are waiting for a second. Some in this chamber will be in that circumstance. The advice, as provided both by ATAGI and the Chief Medical Officer, has been very, very clear: they should proceed with the second doses, as was the case when the previous advice was given. At all times what we have done—this has been one of the hallmarks of Australia's response—has been to follow that medical advice. There was the closing of the border with China and the difficult decisions in relation to the closing of the national border more generally. In particular, there was the selection of vaccines, which was based on the advice of the scientific and technical advisory group, led by Professor Brendan Murphy. We have followed all of their recommendations in terms of the source, the quantity and the application of the vaccines. The advice given just before question time, in writing by ATAGI and verbally by the Chief Medical Officer of Australia, is: if you have had a first dose of AstraZeneca, no matter what your age please proceed with a second dose unless there has been a significant adverse contrary indication. That is the same advice that was given to others at the time the 50-and-above age group was put into place. The reason why, as explained by the Chief Medical Officer, is that the global evidence is that there is a very, very low case level, right around the world, with regards to any adverse reactions to a second dose of AstraZeneca. I think that that hopefully addresses the question—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

815,000

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before we go to the next question, I just want to point out that the chamber is much quieter than it has been. But that doesn't mean that those few people interjecting will be able to do so, when others have listened to what I've said and have ceased interjecting. So to those who can't pick up the fact that the chamber's quiet and that there are just one or two of them interjecting or having a conversation—with I don't know who—you will be ejected, okay? You seriously will be.