AstraZeneca vaccine set to be limited to over 60s in Australia - The Northern Daily Leader

Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout is set to be thrown into further chaos, with the federal government's vaccine advisory recommending the AstraZeneca vaccine should only be given to those aged 60 and older.

The military-led rollout has now been given the name, "Operation Covid Shield" and 2.8 million doses of the alternative COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer are now due next month.

Until now, the AstraZeneca shot was only to be given to people aged 50 and above.

State and territory health ministers will hold an urgent meeting on Thursday to consider the next steps in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout based on the ATAGI advice.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed by Oxford University, was set to be the major pillar of Australia's vaccine rollout, with Melbourne-based CSL signing a deal to produce the vaccines onshore.

That decision was based on the higher risk to people aged over 50 if they get COVID-19, and the higher risk of blood clots in younger people after receiving the vaccine.

The likely change in advice will put further pressure on Australia's supply of Pfizer vaccines, the only other vaccine against COVID-19 currently approved and available in Australia