Extraordinary vaccine advice backflip as EVERYONE in Sydney aged over 18 is told to 'strongly consider' getting the AstraZeneca jab

Sydneysiders over the age of 18 have been told to 'strongly consider' getting the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine by Australia's top immunisation advisory body. 

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation on Saturday night said it was changing its advice in response to Sydney's surging cluster of coronavirus cases - which grew by another 163 infections overnight. 

ATAGI said it was also advising Australians living in areas with coronavirus outbreaks to shorten the time between their first and second doses to four to eight weeks instead of the usual 12.

'All individuals aged 18 years and above in Greater Sydney, including adults under 60 years of age, should strongly consider getting vaccinated with any available vaccine including Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca,' the group said in a statement. 

'ATAGI reaffirms our previous advice that in a large outbreak, the benefits of the Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca are greater than the risk of rare side effects for all age groups.'  

Sydneysiders aged 18 and above have now been recommended to get the AstraZeneca vaccine as cases continue to soar in the city

While the Pfizer vaccine is the preferred vaccine for Australians under 60, the advisory group says due to Sydney's latest outbreak and the lack of Pfizer supplies, it was important that all adults 'strongly consider' getting the alternative jab. 

The group noted this was due to the current Delta strain of the virus that is circulating in Sydney being more 'severe' in younger people than previous strains. 

'The proportion of people less than 60 years requiring hospitalisation appears to be higher than was reported in outbreaks with the original SARS-CoV-2 strain,' ATAGI said.

'This reinforces the benefit of protection with any available vaccine.'

The Pfizer vaccine had been recommended for younger people due to the risk of the extremely rare but potentially fatal blood clotting disorder linked to the AstraZeneca shot. 

While the Pfizer vaccine is the preferred vaccine for Australians under 60, the advisory group says due to Sydney's latest outbreak and the lack of Pfizer supplies, it was important that all adults 'strongly consider' getting the alternative jab (pictured vaccination hub in Sydney)

Anyone over the age of 18 could already access the vaccine as long as they provided 'informed consent'.

It's estimated around 40,000 Australians have had the AstraZeneca jab under the age of 40 since June 28 when it was announced those wanting to the shot could ask their GPs.

Meanwhile around 15 per cent of the total population has been fully vaccinated altogether. 

The change in health advice comes after it was revealed another 50,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from the national 'emergency stockpile' would be delivered to Sydney to help combat the spread of the virus.

The federal government will send the extra Pfizer vaccine doses to NSW on top of the 150,000 already sent after a plea for help from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

The Commonwealth will send the vials from a national stockpile after other states and territories rebuffed the NSW government's plea for more vaccines on Friday.

Frustration had risen among Australians at the Federal Government's handling of the slow vaccine rollout prompting Prime Minister Scott Morrison to issue an apology on Thursday

What are the chances of getting a blood clot? 

Number of people who get blood clots after AstraZeneca per 100,000 people: 

18-29 years: 1.9 

30-39 years: 1.6 

40-49 years: 5.0 

50-59 years: 2.7

60-69 years: 1.4

70-79 years: 1.8

80+ years: 1.9

Overall: 2.3 (0.0023%) 

Only three per cent of people who get the clots die

Source: ATAGI 

Frustration had risen among Australians at the Federal Government's handling of the agonisingly slow vaccine rollout.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed the issue this week and apologised for the millions still yet to receive the jab.

'I'm sorry that we haven't been able to achieve the marks that we had hoped for at the beginning of this year. Of course I am,' he said on Thursday.

'But what's more important is that we're totally focused on ensuring that we've been turning this around.

'I take responsibility for the things that haven't gone as well as we'd have liked and I take responsibility for the things that have worked as well.

'No country gets everything right, no Prime Minister gets everything right as well. So, my job is to keep getting on with the job.'

Earlier this week the Therapeutic Goods Administration said a 44-year-old man from Tasmania and a 48-year-old woman from Victoria had died after taking their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. 

In total there have been six deaths out of the 6million doses of the AstraZeneca jab administered in Australia since the Covid-19 vaccine rollout began, according to the TGA. 

Average Australians are more likely to die from catching Covid-19 than from a blood clot after taking the AstraZeneca vaccine, data has revealed.  

Australians are more likely to die from catching Covid-19 than from a blood clot after taking the AstraZeneca vaccine, data has revealed but many are still holding out for a Pfizer vaccine (pictured woman receives Pfizer vaccine in Sydney)