Moderna becomes the second COVID-19 vaccine approved for Australian children

"Australia has an advance purchase agreement with Moderna to secure 25 million doses of the vaccine - 10 million this year and 15 million of booster vaccines in 2022, with the first doses arriving later this month," Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration's provisional approval was based on safety and efficacy, the minister added.

Advice is expected within the next week from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on how the Moderna product for 12- to 17-year-olds should be incorporated in the vaccine program.

"The approval was based on evidence of strong ability for these vaccines to raise just as good, if not stronger, immunological responses as it does in young adults and older groups," the TGA's John Skerritt told reporters on Saturday.

Moderna's vaccine has also received regulatory approval for use by 12- to 17-year-olds in the UK, Canada, the European Union and Switzerland.

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The recommended dose and dose interval is the same as that for adults - two full doses given 28 days apart.

The first doses of Moderna are due to be offered through community pharmacies and workplaces, health authorities confirmed.

Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, said more than 37 per cent of over 16s have had two vaccinations and 62 per cent have had one.

"There are 1.7 million more vaccines to go in the over-16 cohort until we have 70 per cent of the eligible population having received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 3.7 million until we have 80 per cent of people having received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine," Prof Kidd said.

Federal and state governments have discussed easing public health measures when vaccine coverage targets of 70 and 80 per cent are reached.

Australia on Friday announced a deal with the UK to provide four million doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

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The doses will arrive in Australia this month and be repaid later.

Prof Skerritt said 450,000 of the UK Pfizer doses are due to reach Australia on Sunday on two flights. The need for dry ice transportation means the doses "will come to Australia in rolling waves".

On current national vaccination rates, the deal will cover a fortnight of doses.

Pfizer is available for Australians aged 16-39 with bookings for 12- to 15-year- olds open from September 13.

NSW on Saturday reported a record-high daily case count of 1533, with 190 in Victoria, 32 in the ACT and one in Queensland.

"In the last seven days we have had more than 1.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered to people right across Australia," Prof Kidd said.

It means that more than 20 million doses have been administered across the nation.

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