As new COVID-19 wave looms, under-30s still can’t access fourth vaccine

Infectious diseases physician Dr Paul Griffin, from the University of Queensland, said giving people the option to choose whether to have a fourth dose would be helpful.

“Having the option there for people to make their own determination would only be a good thing,” he said.

“The thing with younger people is that their actual risk of severe disease is less, but it’s not zero. And younger people certainly are responsible for the bulk of transmission.”

“In the context of the messaging around a possible next wave and having a proportion of the community who are responsible for a significant amount of transmission, it seems a little incongruous to me,” he said of the ATAGI’s cautious approach to expanding the fourth dose to those under 30.

According to the ​Australian Immunisation Register, nearly 5 million Australians aged over 16 have received four doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as of October 27. The 15-30 age group comprises around 4.8 million people, almost all of whom have had at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

For many people under 30 working in industries where work cannot be done from home, there are fears of waning immunity from their last vaccine dose and the possibility of losing out on work because of infection.

Erin Lewis, 27, works in hospitality and has been infected with COVID-19 twice. The first time, she “definitely” caught it at her workplace in Richmond, along with the entire staff on shift at the time.

She said she was frustrated with the apparent lack of concern from the government for younger people and workers in public-facing industries.

“I work in an industry where I come into contact with a lot of people, but because I’m a casual employee, I have no access to sick leave,” she said. “I have a higher chance of getting it [COVID-19] – I have caught it twice already – and I don’t have access to the pandemic payments.”

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The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment was a lump sum paid out to those required to isolate as a result of a COVID-19 infection or testing requirements. The scheme ended on October 14 when almost all isolation and quarantine requirements were dropped across the country.

“I feel like I’m in this gap in society where I’m more likely to get it, but I am without the support structures if I do get it because I don’t have sick leave,” Lewis said.

If the ATAGI expanded the fourth dose to under-30s, she said: “I would go get vaccinated [with the fourth dose] tomorrow.”

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