Australia’s vaccination program will open up to everyone aged over 16 from August 30.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said cabinet had agreed to expand the national rollout to all people aged between 16 and 39.
Mr Morrison said official advice on vaccinating children aged over 12 was “imminent”.
The vaccines have already been offered to people over 16 who have underlying medical conditions.
People aged 16 to 39 living in 12 Sydney virus hot spots were on Thursday given priority access to 530,000 Pfizer doses.
Meanwhile, an Oxford University study has found protection from either of the two most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines against the Delta variant of the coronavirus weakens within three months.
Highlighting the increased risk of contagion from the now prevalent Delta variant, the study also showed that those who get infected despite being fully vaccinated tend to have a viral load similar to the unvaccinated with an infection.
The survey underscores concerns by scientists that the Delta variant can infect fully vaccinated people at a greater rate than previous lineages, and that the vaccinated could more easily transmit it.
AAP
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