Atagi haven’t changed their advice, it was always in favour of AZ if risk of infection is higher. It’s just the relative risk profile that’s changed. It’s Atagis job to be cautious.
However as a result of the extreme shortage of mRNA vaccines in Australia, Australians are tired of being treated as second class citizens of the world in this pandemic, so despite the low risk associated with AZ, most want the best vaccine, not just because of blood clot risk.
The optics of most leaders, athletes, wealthy getting Pfizer even when they weren’t eligible certainly doesn’t help.
But in reality most don’t realise it’s a first world problem - many countries in the world don’t have enough of any vaccine. AZ is certainly better than no vaccine in high out break areas, which is what Atagi advice is. Perhaps Aus should send all its AZ to disadvantaged countries if Brad Hazzard and everyone else doesn’t want it in Aus. That would be even more neighbourly in a global pandemic.
