The Australian government is planning to launch a population-wide COVID-19 vaccination booster program by 2022, pending approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the country’s medicine and therapeutics regulator. The news of the plan comes as Australia reached the 70 percent vaccination milestone on Wednesday, which will move the nation closer to “phase B” of the national reopening roadmap, with more freedoms released. The TGA and Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) are preparing advice on booster shots for the general population, with around 500,000 immunocompromised people having already started receiving boosters. Health Minister Greg Hunt said he believes the general population can start receiving COVID-19 boosters later this year. “Would I like to see it commence this year and do I expect it to commence this year? Yes, and yes,” Hunt told reporters in Canberra. People in the aged care sector are expected to start receiving boosters from …