Vulnerable children aged between 6 months and 5yo will be able to receive the Moderna vaccine from 5 September after getting the thumbs up from official vaccine experts ATAGI. The decision will see about 70,000 kids with health conditions and at higher risk of developing severe illness from COVID made eligible for their first jabs. It makes Oz one of the first countries to roll out the COVID vaccine to kids under 5yo, but ATAGI held off on recommending vaccination for the entire age group due to their lower risk of developing severe illness. On COVID more broadly, Health Minister Mark Butler says he’s hopeful that we’ve passed the peak of the winter COVID wave. And while we’re talking vaccines, health authorities have locked down some supply of the JYNNEOS smallpox vaccine to protect at-risk Aussies from monkeypox. It’s a safer/nicer vaccine than the one we have in our stockpile – it’s known as ACAM2000. #SquizShortcut