From 10 January 2022 in Australia, and from 17 January 2022 in New Zealand, all children from five years of age are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. The approval of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in children aged from 5 to 16 years has been made following careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy.

COVID-19 vaccines available in Australia and New Zealand are safe for people with allergies, including children:

• There is no evidence that people with allergic conditions such as asthma, hay fever (allergic rhinitis), food allergy or insect sting allergy are at any greater risk of vaccine allergy compared to the general population.
• Unlike some other vaccines, there is no food, gelatin or latex in the COVID-19 vaccines that are currently available, and they are not grown in eggs.
• If a person has had an allergic reaction to another vaccine, this does not mean that they will also be allergic to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Further information is available at https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/ascia-covid-19-vaccination-faq 

Vaccination is an important way to reduce the risk of developing infectious diseases which can easily spread. This includes COVID-19, which is caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Immunity occurs after the vaccine stimulates a person’s immune system to make antibodies (immunoglobulins) and COVID-19 specific T cells, to help protect the body from future infections. This means that if a person is vaccinated, they will be less likely to get COVID-19. Even if a person does get infected, it is likely to be a milder illness.

This news item was issued on 12 January 2022 by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand.