The official statement we got from uni (which is based on government info) was that, given the current state of COVID in Australia, the risks of adverse effects from the vaccine outweighed the risks of COVID for that demographic. Know students definitely had their vaccination appointments cancelled, and a couple of hospitals (eg Alfred) suspended vaccinations altogether.
If we were to have community transmission I’m sure the advice would chance, but for now it’s definitely wait and see.
I was under the impression we were never going to have enough Pfizer for all health care workers? (though could be wrong)
Definitely been some logistical problems one way or another.
The recommendation is that the over 50 year olds are clear to be vaccinated. Like all vaccinations the doctor/nurse explains any side effects. Those under 50 can still have the vaccination if they understand and accept the risks. Therefore doses need to be available from now on for the remainder of 1b and 2a when it comes due which is about 12m people (25m doses) if all those in those 2 groups receive the vaccine (which they won’t, IMO)
I don’t think you’ll see many more under 50 from 1b getting vaccinated with AZ (at least not in the short term).
All the medical groups eg Physiotherapy Australia have emailed their members relaying the info from the gov which states that the Pfizer vaccine is preferable to AZ.
Great Info. I count 15 batches of AZ. The optimal yield/batch of the CSL product is about 300k doses. For the purpose of the discussion let’s say 250 - 300k doses per batch x 15 lots = 3.75m - 4.5m doses.
At the current rate of vaccination how long will it take to exhaust this stock. I assume we will exhaust our stock on the first doses because in 12 weeks time new stock will be available for the second jab.
Scomo/Hunt we need more large capacity vaccination centres.
1a / 1b by end of year? Or is it mid-year? What a farking debacle.
Importation hick-ups and side-effect risks cannot be used as an excuse for failing to vaccinate the over 50s in 1a and 1b as the locally produced AZ vaccine is recommended.
'Mr Morrison stood by plans to vaccinate the two priority groups – 678,000 in Phase 1a and 6.2 million people in Phase 1b – by the end of the year. The first phase includes quarantine workers, health workers and aged care residents and staff. Phase 1b includes all Australians aged over 70.
“Our immediate priority remains the vaccination of our most vulnerable in those phases 1a and 1b and we should be able to complete this by mid-year as planned and using existing supplies of AstraZeneca because they are over the age of 50 in most cases, and the Pfizer vaccines we have available for that task,” Mr Morrison said.’
“But that will depend heavily on whether the states’ mass vaccination programs can achieve that in about a 12-week period, and that will be a big task”
National Cabinet to take over the function of the vaccination roll out , Cabinet confidentiality conditions could translate to less transparency, blame can then be selectively cast on individual States, some awarded gold standard.
Been there and done that with HQ.
Seems contradictory Mr Morrison stood by plans to vaccinate the two priority groups – 678,000 in Phase 1a and 6.2 million people in Phase 1b – by the end of the year.
Our immediate priority remains the vaccination of our most vulnerable in those phases 1a and 1b and we should be able to complete this by mid-year as planned
It’s really clear what ScoMo’s plan has been all along.
Let the states do all the unpopular stuff (HQ, restrictions, masks etc etc) so he can make sure they get the blame.
Then after it’s all over, he swans in with the vaccine, saving everyone and taking all the credit, right before an election.
Now it’s clear that he’s farked the rollout (not securing enough varied supply, and not setting up mass centres as every other country did), and that people are p/ssed off about it, he moves to Plan B - shift that to the states too so they can take (or share in) the blame again.
Seems like the end of the year for 1A and 1B is a journalist statement. The quote is to get 1B done by mid year, however the 12 week timeframe between first and second dose of AZ would make it impossible to get 1B wrapped up by then.
I took my AZ first dose over two weeks ago, but the second dose is scheduled in early June. And I was lucky to get in before under 50’s started getting denied (effective) access to the AZ vaccine.
I don’t see it as a disaster, but want better communication, transparency and accountability from the Commonwealth.
A NSW Health bureaucrat was hung out to dry in the Ruby Princess, the Coate Inquiry found DHHS wanting in HQ, heads rolled at senior bureaucrat and Ministerial level, DHHS restructured, HQ transformed. Following a Tasmanian Inquiry, reforms were implemented.
Nothing changes at Commonwealth level, the Halton review did not find the Commonwealth wanting, sprayed gold standards around, no action taken on the proposal for the Commonwealth to develop surge capacity in HQ.
Morrison, Hunt, Murphy and Halton do not inspire trust or confidence. At least they have not corrupted ATAGI or TGA processes and have listened to the appointed experts in those areas.
And at State level the CHOs and their teams have performed remarkably well without cutting their cloth to suit their political masters. Ditto for Kelly and Kidd.
Reports of vaccine hesitancy rising in the states, a bit of a concern given that only mid 30’s% have received their first dose, but now vaccine appointments are going unfilled. US supply of COVID vaccines expected to exceed domestic demand shortly.
Morrison finally yielding on Max vaccination centres. HOW could they not be better than just sending small amounts of supply to thousands of locations? He always gets dragged kicking and screaming into common sense. Problem is in modern partisan politics is, if the other side has a good idea you just can’t admit it and adopt it
To be fair, I really don’t think this government could organise a piiss-up at the pub with a wallet full of fifties.
That the roll-out of vaccines became a cluster shouldn’t surprise anyone really…
Reportedly, the extra Pfizer supplies secured won’t be delivered until the last quarter of this year - so max vax sites the only way to get it to all the under 50s not covered by Phases 1a and 1b this calendar year.
Also reportedly, State sites will not be operational before June.
I think the general media discussion around COVID has been compromised.
In the first few months, the media in general was pretty good. It tried to inform and show what was happening elsewhere around the world with COVID. Then it flipped. Media companies realised they could get quite a bit of viewership / clicks just by mentioning COVID (especially when the Vic outbreak was occurring). I felt it was as intense as the 2013 saga.
I didn’t see the same thing occurring with SA’s outbreak, or WA, or NSW, or QLD but maybe I wasn’t exposed to the info.
I feel the media have realised that the vaccine is just an easy extension of the COVID viewership / clicks so they are helping feed the news cycle and keep it going as long as possible.
We had a death from COVID. Just a few days ago. And it barely got the exposure because of other ‘media interests’. I’m not saying we had to know the individual’s name but a bit more than just a footnote on the back end of a report on vaccine rollout as a ‘this on the day of a COVID death in QLD. Over to you Rob’ would have been a good benchmark.
It’s a pity that the majority of reporting is compromised by needing ad revenue or being ‘popular’ by receiving follows or likes.
