Former deputy chief health officer Dr Nick Coatsworth has offered clarity to concerned parents deciding whether or not vaccinate their children. He has said the guidelines around Covid-19 vaccines for children should be reviewed.
In Australia, Covid vaccines are recommended for everyone over the age of five but in Europe the advice is vastly different.
The United Kingdom is no longer providing vaccines to children between ages 5 and 11, while Sweden is not recommending the vaccine for teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17.
Denmark has gone to another extreme and stopped giving the vaccine to anyone under the age of 50.
Dr Coatsworth told radio station 2GB that Australia should consider reviewing its policy.
“Those countries are no longer making it available to otherwise healthy kids,” he said.
“If other countries that we trust are reviewing their advice … then we must review that advice as well.”
He explained that for children, the benefit of vaccination is basically non-existent.
“If you’re a healthy child or adolescent, the benefit of the Covid vaccine just isn’t there,” Dr Coatsworth said.
“It doesn’t stop you getting the illness, and Covid itself isn’t going to kill you in that age group.”
Dr Coatsworth wanted to assure Australian parents their decision whether or not to vaccinate their child is completely valid.
“Many parents have made that decision not to vaccinate their kids and that is a valid decision regardless of the recommendation,” he said.