Scott Morrison says he has made an explicit appeal to ATAGI to change its guidance on the AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine saying his job is not to “simply accept advice uncritically”.

The expert advisory group has been attacked by some doctors for excessive caution, warning the public’s fears around the safety of the viral-vector vaccine is verging on the hysterical.

Speaking yesterday, the Prime Minister told reporters: “[We are making] a constant appeal that the situation that Australia faces should be managed on the balance of risk, as ATAGI has said to me in the past.  

“When they made the decision to have a preference for those under the age of 60 to have the Pfizer vaccine, they said they made that decision on the balance of risk.