Australians aged under 40 can now choose to get the AstraZeneca COVID-19 jab.

Speaking after a national cabinet meeting yesterday, Scott Morrison announced no-fault indemnity for GPs who give AstraZeneca vaccines, providing legal protection for doctors in the event vaccination causes injury, death or loss of income for patients.

While advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends AstraZeneca only be used for over-60s, that’s a preference, not a rule.

President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Karen Price, said the indemnity scheme means GPs can confidently start having conversations with younger people who want the vaccine.

“We welcome the changes, it allows us to have a conversation with those under 60s who wish to discuss their vaccine choices,” she told 6PR’s Oliver Peterson.

“We have to go through a proper consent process.

“This gives some degree of a safety net around the indemnity issue, but it doesn’t change the risks and benefits and we have to go through that with that individual.

“There has been a lot of changes and it requires long conversations in our consulting room.”

Press PLAY below to hear Dr Price’s thoughts on no-fault indemnity scheme and AstraZeneca

(Photo: Alliance/ Getty Images)