The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[Seat0B]

That is perfectly understandable. But I have to believe that we can travel next year. I've got my sons wedding to go to! By hook or by hook. I cannot give up that thought.

I hope so too - that you get to the wedding, I mean!

 

[RooFlyer]

20 M doses is OK, not delivered until Q4 not so OK (or should I say 'promised' to deliver, given we now know promised to deliver doesn't mean actually delivered).

So I guess you are a”glass half empty “ type of person?

Edit: Apologies, this and the next post come over a bit sharp. But one can take a more relaxed view of the big picture.

 

[RooFlyer]

If, as increasingly looks likely, overseas countries get to full vaccination and start to open up for travel while we don’t there will be plenty of unhappy people out there.

Well, I guess all those unhappy people are going to have to suck their thumbs and stamp their feet. Poor pets. Hundreds of thousands of people dead around the world, millions sick to very sick as well and people here are gonna be delayed travelling for a few more months. Ah, shucks.

I like globetrotting as much as anyone on AFF. But in the midst of the global deadly pandemic I’m just happy to be in a society where there’s no Covid transmission in the community and my life is except for overseas travel is pretty much as it always has been. Look on the bright side of things.

 

[RooFlyer]

Outcome - GP's phone lines jammed by people seeking a booking & getting angry/upset when they finally get answered only to be told perhaps in the the 3rd week of May...

Or so you say. Contrast with the accounts here on AFF where eligible folk are getting bookings and getting their vaccinations. My GP isn’t doing vaccination so I got one in a nearby clinic and it’s happening tomorrow. Very easy,

One of the biggest critics of the vaccination program here on AFF was one of the 1st to report getting the vaccination along with their spouse I believe. Reality vs the media beat-up ( largely).

 

[jonboixxx]

Outcome - GP's phone lines jammed by people seeking a booking & getting angry/upset when they finally get answered only to be told perhaps in the the 3rd week of May...

I'm sure GP's and people will get over it. Meanwhile 81,366 yesterday, which I think is a solid effort in the early weeks of rollout. Total 1M+ and counting.

 

[drron]

And @RAM I am keeping my booking to get the AZ vaccine.
Again you really do not understand the way the world of Medicine works.It is totally untrue that the Government put 100% of orders into the UQ vaccine.It may have been the first announced but the Government was working with AZ well before that announcement.They actually helped finance a Phase 1 trial of the AZ vaccine.The results were published in August 2020.
Besides the UQ vaccine apparently is a very effective vaccine.The problem is that they used a little bit of the HIV virus incorporated into it.This caused those vaccinated to test positive to HIV.They did not have HIV but you just can't have huge numbers of people having false positive HIV tests.It would make the diagnosis of HIV extremely difficult.

The problem with the HIT type clotting with the AZ vaccine is very unfortunate and I doubt could have been predicted.It doesn't make it a bad vaccine.
And just remember Pfizer and Moderna have had the side effect of anaphylaxis which also can be fatal.
On top of that the HIT clotting with the AZ vaccine is not more dangerous than that sort of clots that can occur with other drugs.It is more dangerous than common venous clotting which can also be caused by drugs along with other factors.But young women on the OC pill have developed these dangerous type clots.I still remember diagnosing a 21 year old woman with CVST.She was on the OC pill and otherwise totally healthy.This happened in 1972

Also remember how I gave a link here about the problems of the Dengue vaccine.The fatal side effects didn't become obvious for 3 years after it received it's initial authority for use.All the other vaccines still can't be said to be without dangerousc side effects which is why they have only been given Provisional authority for use.

 

[jonboixxx]

If, as increasingly looks likely, overseas countries get to full vaccination and start to open up for travel while we don’t there will be plenty of unhappy people out there.

Are you assuming we will be allowed to leave the country just because Australia and other countries are fully vaccinated? We can't even keep an internal border open over a couple of cases; it will be a long time before our favourite countries will be at zero or single digit cases. The evidence is that large sections of our compatriots love closed borders and the protections that has afforded. Vaccination, although crucial, is not the panacea for travel; you may have to exit via New Zealand which I believe will soon be possible.

 

[Lynda2475]

Just been chatting with a friend in the US who had her second Moderna jab yesterday whilst visiting her family interstate. She had a delayed allergic reaction a few hours later and ended up back at hospital for an adrenaline shot, and then sent home again. She was still glad she had got the shot because of the situation there.

Interestingly she said many in Georgia (where she is right now, as opposed to California where she normally resides) saying the J&J vaccine causes blood clots. J&J is similar type of vaccine to AZ isnt it? Has it also has cases or are people confusing the negative press around AZ?

 

[TheRealTMA]

So I guess you are a”glass half empty “ type of person?

Edit: Apologies, this and the next post come over a bit sharp. But one can take a more relaxed view of the big picture.

Na, Probably the OP is from Marketing as well.

(no offensive comments meant for the OP.)

 

[RooFlyer]

Na, Probably the OP is from Marketing as well.

(no offensive comments meant for the OP.)

As opposed to the respondent?

 

[jonboixxx]

Centralized hubs can easily be designed to have the right storage, right staffing levels, plenty of space etc. The states are already moving to this model before the Pfizer announcement because it makes much more sense.

Qld Health couldn't even have their COVID facing clinical staff vaccinated in a timely manner and only then issued a retrospective mandate to cover. And we all know about virtually every other state's missteps in the last 12 months. I do not share your optimism that hubs are a definitive answer. As you say, obviously more vaccinations need to be administered than ever before and a mixed approach will get us to the finish line.

 

[TheRealTMA]

As opposed to the respondent?

YMSTBICNPC !

Where can we buy your book? Or do AFFers get a freebie?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

This might help

​

 

[RooFlyer]

Where can we buy your book? Or do AFFers get a freebie?

Reply in the chit-chat thread

 

[jonboixxx]

J&J is similar type of vaccine to AZ isnt it?

Both DNA adenovirus types.

 

[burmans]

Are you assuming we will be allowed to leave the country just because Australia and other countries are fully vaccinated? We can't even keep an internal border open over a couple of cases; it will be a long time before our favourite countries will be at zero or single digit cases. The evidence is that large sections of our compatriots love closed borders and the protections that has afforded. Vaccination, although crucial, is not the panacea for travel; you may have to exit via New Zealand which I believe will soon be possible.

No, I assume the criteria for allowing people to leave will be similar to what has happened in NZ, which had nothing to do with vaccination rates. And not sure I agree with your assertion regarding other countries. The UK has gone from 1250 (7 day average) deaths a day to 31 proving mass vaccination can work (for a country previously regarded as a disaster zone). While the future is always hard to predict I think it’s not beyond the realms of doubt that they will be getting the levels down to very low levels.

As for people loving closed borders clearly that is contextual, Australians have loved many years loved to travel. While we are in an environment where other countries are enduring high levels of deaths of course the average Australian looks at that and wants the borders to stay closed, but this is unlikely to remain the case if countries which have high vaccination rates also show drastic reductions to zero or very low levels of cases. Too soon to tell but it certainly appears that’s where the two countries with the highest vaccination rates (Israel and the UK) are headed. Looking in the rear view mirror is not very helpful here, the actions of the past year have been very helpful but things are changing a lot faster in many countries than here.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

"Plenty of", personally I think it will be more like a few. Certainly not enough to make say an electoral difference. IMHO there will be very little pressure to travel overseas before 2023 based on the people I talk to both from our family, the local community and business contacts. People like myself who are desperately keen to travel for family reunion are not likely to be in large enough numbers to provide any real pressure, it will be the airlines, travel agents etc making the most noise.

I agree in the main (well certainly for all of 2021 anyway), my experience is that the AFF cohort is in the main vastly different to the general public, family, friends, business associates etc that I may discuss Covid 19 issues from time to time, where they are in the main quite ok with international border closures, and even interstate border closures.

Most seem quite ok for Australia remaining a Covid Island, and have no real intent to want to travel overseas for leisure purposes anytime soon.

Indeed with some you quickly discern that they think that I am a little bit mad for even raising the issue !

 

[Kimpos]

No, I assume the criteria for allowing people to leave will be similar to what has happened in NZ, which had nothing to do with vaccination rates. And not sure I agree with your assertion regarding other countries. The UK has gone from 1250 (7 day average) deaths a day to 31 proving mass vaccination can work (for a country previously regarded as a disaster zone). While the future is always hard to predict I think it’s not beyond the realms of doubt that they will be getting the levels down to very low levels.

As for people loving closed borders clearly that is contextual, Australians have loved many years loved to travel. While we are in an environment where other countries are enduring high levels of deaths of course the average Australian looks at that and wants the borders to stay closed, but this is unlikely to remain the case if countries which have high vaccination rates also show drastic reductions to zero or very low levels of cases. Too soon to tell but it certainly appears that’s where the two countries with the highest vaccination rates (Israel and the UK) are headed. Looking in the rear view mirror is not very helpful here, the actions of the past year have been very helpful but things are changing a lot faster in many countries than here.

Yes, noting that this is just a precursor and much more needs to change but it is at least forward motion:
People in England can start thinking about booking foreign holidays again this summer, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said.
Mr Shapps also said he was concerned about people who were separated from family members living overseas, saying it was "possibly even more pressing than the holiday issue".
He said families in the UK were "uniquely spread across the world", and the government wanted to make sure people were able to reunite.

 

[desafinado74]

I agree in the main (well certainly for all of 2021 anyway), my experience is that the AFF cohort is in the main vastly different to the general public, family, friends, business associates etc that I may discuss Covid 19 issues from time to time, where they are in the main quite ok with international border closures, and even interstate border closures.

Most seem quite ok for Australia remaining a Covid Island, and have no real intent to want to travel overseas for leisure purposes anytime soon.

Indeed with some you quickly discern that they think that I am a little bit mad for even raising the issue !

That is a pretty sad reflection of many Aussies. Even Alexander Downer hates the fact that many insular and narrow minded Aussies want Australia to be cut off from the rest of the world for an indefinite period. Not to mention the disgusting attitudes toward fellow Aussies who are stuck overseas.

Many of these ignorant folks think that people who want the international borders to re open just want to have a junket in Bali, Europe etc They don't realise that many Aussies here have relatives, close family members , and romantic partners overseas.

Personally, i suspect that the international borders will re open sometime next year. The longer the borders are closed the greater the pressure on the government being put by the business , tertiary and tourism groups. And the attitudes among Aussies here will slowly change when they see UK, USA, the rest of the world etc going back to normal life.

On a separate issue, when we are allowed to go to Singapore etc (Of course including NZ) What is there to stop Aussies from travelling to other countries such as Japan, USA , EU etc ? The local immigration officials will not stop us continuing our journeys.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Had Labor got in, we would probably be in the similar position because :

• The AZ issues (blood clots) didn't become apparent until recently
• There isn't enough Pfizer-BioNTech supply at the moment (worldwide)
• Moderna isn't sharing out of the USA yet (we don't have the technology to make RNA vaccines here yet)
• Johnson & Johnson only recently got approval in the USA
• Sputnik 5 and Sinovac, can they be trusted?

Haven't heard much about the Novavax vaccine, it's still in Phase 3 trails in the UK.

I must admit that early on, l was hoping for the University of QLD vaccine to come through