21:36
Parliament House has been closed to the public after a staffer for Greens leader Adam Bandt reportedly tested positive for Covid-19.
Bandt and the staffer were in Canberra for sitting week last week. The staffer tested positive for Covid-19 upon returning to Melbourne.
A spokesperson for Bandt told ABC News that the Greens leader has “been tested and is isolating until he receives a result. He is fully vaccinated and not symptomatic”.
The spokesperson added that other members of Bandt’s team have tested negative for Covid-19.
21:24
Good morning
It’s Justine Landis-Hanley here, bringing you the blog today, Sunday 5 December 2021.
Let’s dive straight into some breaking news:
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has provisionally approved Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11.
The government will begin rolling out the vaccine to the approximately 2.3 million children in this age group from 10 January 2022, the federal health minister, Greg Hunt, said in a statement this morning.
The decision is subject to final considerations and recommendations from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (Atagi).
Children aged five to 11 will be given one-third of the dose approved for those aged 12 and over. Their vaccine dose will be clearly differentiated with an orange cap.
Updated