Sunday 26 June 2022 09:51 AM Dan Andrews says health professionals face 'huge dilemma' over a fourth Covid ... trends now Dan Andrews laments 'huge dilemma' facing top doctors about giving millions of Australians a fourth shot of the Covid vaccine Daniel Andrews says health professionals face a dilemma over a fourth vaccine ATAGI is deciding whether to delay a fourth shot as a new vaccine emerges The premier has pushed for a fourth dose to be mandated for health workers By Jesse Hyland For Daily Mail Australia Published: 09:43 BST, 26 June 2022 | Updated: 09:43 BST, 26 June 2022 Viewcomments Daniel Andrews says a 'real dilemma' faces top doctors over whether to delay a fourth Covid vaccine dose for health workers and the general public. The Victorian premier has pushed for a fourth shot to be mandated for health staff to reduce the potential spread of Omicron in the sector. But Australia's expert immunisation panel may be delaying their recommendation to give citizens a fourth dose until a new vaccine that targets Omicron sub-variants becomes available. Daniel Andrews (left) says a 'real dilemma' faces Australia's vaccine advisory over whether to delay a fourth Covid vaccine dose in the hopes a new vaccine is around the corner Omicron sub-variants, such as BA. 4 and BA. 5, are now the dominant variants in Australia. These new strains have also raised concern about the increased likelihood of reinfection. The Labor leader addressed the predicament that's now in the hands of health professionals in a press conference on Sunday. 'There's this real dilemma at the moment,' Daniel Andrews said. 'Do we maybe go to a fourth dose for our health workers – which is something I've pushed for, something I've spoken to the PM about – or maybe do we wait a little while because there might be an even better vaccine that's even more effective?' Professor Allen Cheng, who is the former chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, echoed the same sentiment earlier this week. 'The alternatives are that maybe there will be a better variant vaccine and if we just wait a few months longer we will have access to that in Australia,' he said to The Age. ATAGI is currently waiting on Moderna's clinical data on their Omicron-containing bivalent booster. Pictured: Australian nurse administers a Covid booster shot The vaccine advisory panel is currently waiting on Moderna's clinical data on their Omicron-containing bivalent booster. Currently the ATAGI panel had not updated its recommendation about the fourth Covid booster, stating that three doses provided sufficient ongoing protection for healthy Australians under the age of 65. A fourth Covid dose is available to anyone aged over 65, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders over 50 and Australians under 64 who are immunocompromised. Australians who have had Covid and are eligible for a fourth dose are recommended to wait three months after their infection ends before having their next shot. Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility