ATAGI Targeted Review 2021: the national COVID-19 vaccination program

Abstract

The overarching goal of the Australian coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program has been to protect all people in Australia from the harm caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. This review reflects on the role of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) in the national COVID-19 vaccination program, in terms of the initial programmatic and clinical recommendations in the evolving context of evidence relating to the disease and vaccines, epidemiology, and the program rollout. To fulfil the obligation to provide evidence-based advice to the Minister for Health and Aged Care on the safe, effective and equitable use of COVID-19 vaccines, ATAGI has worked closely with other agencies and committees such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the Communicable Diseases Network Australia. ATAGI recommendations have sought to optimise the use of the available vaccine doses in achieving the objectives of preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19 while addressing any emerging safety signals following program commencement on 22 February 2021. As of mid-November 2021, the use of COVID-19 vaccines in children aged 5 to 11 years was being considered by the TGA and ATAGI; and emerging evidence, in areas such as use of heterologous vaccine schedules and co-administration with other vaccines, was under review. Despite unprecedented challenges which the delivery of mass COVID-19 vaccination presented to health systems globally, in Australia much was achieved in 2021 with over 90% coverage for primary doses in the vaccine-eligible population. Evaluation, using high quality data and assessment methods, of vaccination program outcomes—such as coverage, vaccine effectiveness and impact—is key to determine whether program objectives have been achieved and where gaps remain. Reflecting on the lessons learned so far would help further improve the national COVID-19 vaccination program and would also benefit programs for other routine vaccines and planning for future pandemics.