ATAGI – the government’s immunisation experts – want to see safety data from the US before giving the green light for Aussie kids aged 5-11yo to receive the Pfizer vaccine against COVID. The US last week granted emergency use authorisation for the age group, and trial data has found the vaccine was safe and effective. But with Australia hitting high adult vaxx rates (and a woop woop to NSW for reaching 90% yesterday…), the view is to wait and see how it goes in the US – including looking at whether there is any risk of rare complications. ”The timing isn’t clear, but it would probably be at least December, possibly January before we might start administering vaccines to younger kids,” said ATAGI co-chair Professor Allen Cheng. Between January and the end of last month, 7,000 young kids caught COVID, 244 were hospitalised, and none died.