There are growing calls across the region for the COVID vaccine rollout to be expanded and include all children over the age of 12.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Pfizer is also offered to children aged 12 to 15 who have an underlying health condition, or who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
The outbreak of COVID-19 in Shepparton has largely affected children, and the outbreak in Western NSW is also largely affecting young people, with high transmission rates in schools.
Finley GP Dr Alam Yoosuff, who sits of the board of Murrumbidgee Local Health District, believes that children should be included in the vaccine rollout in the future.
"There's no second thought about it," he added.
On Wednesday, Victorian Deputy Premier James Merlino said the priority for the government is to make sure all year 12 students were vaccinated before sitting their exams on October 4.
IN OTHER NEWS
Mr Merlino said they want all children over 12 to have received one vaccine dose before the end of the year.
But in NSW no such declaration has been made.
Dr Yoosuff said that places like North America, Europe and Israel that are already vaccinating children are seeing a reduction in hospitalisations and a reduced threat of infection.
He believes that it is supply issues preventing Australia from broadening its vaccine eligibility guidelines.
"The issue that we have in Australia is we haven't got enough vaccines on the shelves for out adult population, hence we haven't opened it up for the kids," Dr Yoosuff said.
He said the rate of infection amongst children in Shepparton is "worrying", considering Finley's connectivity with the town.
"If we have vaccinated kids, we can see that this kind of outbreak will be far less," Dr Yoosuff said of the Shepparton and Dubbo clusters.
He said that since the pandemic began, almost 8000 children in Australia have been infected with COVID-19. There has only been one death - a 15-year-old boy in Sydney - however he also had pneumococcal meningitis.
"If kids get infected kids rarely die, [but] they get sick, they get hospitalised, they have long-COVID," Dr Yoosuff said.
"One in ten kids when they get infected will have long COVID. That is not something we can tolerate."
Long-COVID refers to people who contract the virus but don't recover for a number of weeks or months, often having ongoing, persisting symptoms.
Deputy premier John Barilaro said on Tuesday that the state government has a focus on vaccinating teachers before school goes back.
He also believes that once 70 to 80 per cent of the adult population is vaccinated, this will provide a "level of protection" for children.
"We've reached out, we're waiting for ATAGI advice for 12-year-old's and above," Mr Barilaro said of the vaccine eligibility guidelines.
"We believe there's enough science and data, we're waiting on ATAGI to give us further permission, but nowhere in the world has it been below 12-year-olds."
Emily Wind
Originally from Lake Macquarie, Emily kickstarted her journalism career in Tumut before moving to the Daily Advertiser in Wagga where she covers Health and Features. Got a story tip? Email emily.wind@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0457 459 095.
Originally from Lake Macquarie, Emily kickstarted her journalism career in Tumut before moving to the Daily Advertiser in Wagga where she covers Health and Features. Got a story tip? Email emily.wind@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0457 459 095.
