The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[Pushka]

Didn’t NSW Premier, NSW CHO and NSW Health Minister jump the queue for Astra Zeneca today?

Yes but I understand why.

Yes. Odd that someone did not complain. The main outrage is that Hazzard also got chocolates!

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Though on a more serious note, politicians are elected to lead by example. So good on them. I just hope that Hazzard left some chocolates for us late comers!

I reckon a Haighs chocolate would go down well in SA. Have no issue in lead politicians lining up first.

 

[Pushka]

Is ABC correct in saying that NSW has already proceeded to 1b vaccinations?
“Healthcare workers rolled up their sleeves to receive the first jabs of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital Vaccination Hub this morning.
The Hornsby Vaccination Hub is one the latest hospitals set up to provide vaccinations to people as part of phase 1b of the vaccine rollout.”

 

[DC3]

... Though on a more serious note, politicians are elected to lead by example ...

Well, glass half full there I guess.

 

[drron]

Well it is all very well criticising the Government for the slow roll out of vaccines but there are several factors beyond it's control.
For example the supply of the vaccine from AZ was one of the first 2 contracts.The other was for the UQ vaccine which fell over.
The AZ contract was the initial buying of 3.8 million doses to be delivered in the first 2 months of 2021 with local manufacture to kick in from March.

Vaccine experts 'surprised' over Government's 'optimistic' COVID-19 rollout timeline

As the Government announces when it expects a COVID-19 vaccine will be available to Australians, experts warn we still do not know enough to rely on the estimate.

www.abc.net.au

The initial contract for the Pfizer vaccine was for 10 million doses to be delivered by December 2021.That is npw hoped to be 80000 doses per week or only 3.6 million doses by the end of 2021 unless Pfizer can ramp up production.

Australia’s COVID vaccine rollout schedule: Pfizer, AstraZeneca jabs getting closer

The first Australians to receive the Pfizer jab will be those who ‘need protection the most’.

7news.com.au

Australian Covid vaccines rollout: everything you need to know

Inoculations will soon begin across the country, but who will get which vaccine and when? Here’s what we know so far

www.theguardian.com

Fortunately the Novavax vaccine is scheduled to begin distribution in the first half of this year.

 

[jakeseven7]

Yes. Odd that someone did not complain. The main outrage is that Hazzard also got chocolates!






Though on a more serious note, politicians are elected to lead by example. So good on them. I just hope that Hazzard left some chocolates for us late comers!

Yes, hand out some refined sugar and fats to our obese nation probably from a mass produced multinational confectionery maker.

I'll take some fruit or something myself....

 

[dajop]

The slow roll out of the vaccine is nothing short of an international embarrassment of the highest order.

Internationally very few people are watching, or caring about what Australia is doing, so I'd hardly say it's an international embarrassment. Australia earned a lot of respect by the way in which the virus was controlled in the first place. All they see is a country doesn't have the urgent compelling human health need to have rolled the vaccine at "warp speed", unlike just about everywhere else, but have started doing it. Hardly an embarrassment!

A slew of countries where the virus hasn't gone completely out of control are in a similar state, like NZ, Japan and even South Korea isn't hugely different to Australia compared to US, UK, or even Europe.

 

[DC3]

Yes but I understand why ...

I’m pleased that someone does.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Extract from today's Vic daily DHHS Report:

Plans are progressing for a high-volume vaccination centre located within the former Ford factory in Geelong to be managed by Barwon Health. The commencement date of this site and others will depend on vaccine supply and priority groups assigned by the Commonwealth.

Department of Health and Human Services Victoria | Coronavirus update for Victoria - 10 March 2021

Victoria has recorded no new cases of coronavirus since yesterday.

www.dhhs.vic.gov.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Vic Vaccinations continue to accelerate.

3,992 in a day for the highest daily not yet not just in Vic, but in any jurisdiction.

 

[OZDUCK]

The Federal Govt. "has blamed uncertainty around local production and international supply issues as the government appears set to miss its stated vaccine rollout targets."

Government walks back COVID-19 vaccination rollout targets, blames production and supply issues

The head of the Department of Health blames uncertainty around local production and international supply issues as the government appears set to miss its stated vaccine rollout targets.

www.abc.net.au

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Vic Vaccinations continue to accelerate.

3,992 in a day for the highest daily not yet not just in Vic, but in any jurisdiction.

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While it’s not a competition, I’d be surprised that either NSW or Federal is not more currently.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Government walks back COVID-19 vaccination rollout targets, blames production and supply issues

The head of the Department of Health blames uncertainty around local production and international supply issues as the government appears set to miss its stated vaccine rollout targets.

www.abc.net.au

 

[jb747]

Though on a more serious note, politicians are elected to lead by example. So good on them. I just hope that Hazzard left some chocolates for us late comers!

Perhaps it's leading by example, though I doubt that it would make one anti vaxxer change their mind.

Neither of these people are high risk, and yet my 91 year old mother seems no closer to getting a dose. Perhaps the example that they could set is one of waiting in line. Perhaps sadly, I don't see politicians as being the sort of front line people who should be protected. Quite the opposite. They should be the absolute last in the queue, which might give them some incentive to make it shorter.

 

[Toula92122]

Government walks back COVID-19 vaccination rollout targets, blames production and supply issues

The head of the Department of Health blames uncertainty around local production and international supply issues as the government appears set to miss its stated vaccine rollout targets.

www.abc.net.au

So finally the government have admitted that they were misleading over when vaccinations would be completed though Blind Freddy could see the original deadline would not be met. Oh well not to worry, just throw on another sporting event and it will all be right. I guess their only motivation to hasten it along is they will need it to be complete so we won't have the same argument over hosting the Oz Open Tennis in 2022.

 

[Pushka]

So finally the government have admitted that they were misleading over when vaccinations would be completed though Blind Freddy could see the original deadline would not be met. Oh well not to worry, just throw on another sporting event and it will all be right. I guess their only motivation to hasten it along is they will need it to be complete so we won't have the same argument over hosting the Oz Open Tennis in 2022.

I think the October date was when the 12 week gap hadn't been factored in. But maybe it would be more palatable and well, honest, if they blamed that and not supply. There seem to be secret supplies of both vaccines arriving now. And SA received more than double what they asked for of AZ.

 

[Toula92122]

Given the mysterious supplies magically appearing one would have to figure there is something going on that us peasants are not going to be privy to because you know we are just not capable of processing deep thoughts. If there is now a 12 week gap on the AZ shouldn't that mean more first doses to go around? The seeming deliberate slow roll out is just frustrating.

 

[Pushka]

Given the mysterious supplies magically appearing one would have to figure there is something going on that us peasants are not going to be privy to because you know we are just not capable of processing deep thoughts. If there is now a 12 week gap on the AZ shouldn't that mean more first doses to go around? The deemingly deliberate slow roll out is just frustrating.

There are more doses now. I suspect that Italy relented and asked to remain quiet or maybe even UK supplied them just because - well brexit let them

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The Sunshine Hospital's dedicated 10,000 per week vaccination centre also commenced this week. Like the similar facility also commenced at the Austin Hospital this week it might take a week or two to get the throughput up. Though it also depends on supply.

 

[Batterytraveller]

Is this where I come and whinge about what a cough job the Federal goverment is doing? I'm starting to wonder why we have a federation at all, The cabinet are off sick with a severe dose of not wanting to front the media. The whole pandemic the heavy lifting has been done by the states and now the vaccine rollout is starting to look like a gold embossed cough-up which, unfortunately we could all see coming from last year. They bought late, they only bought 3 vaccines, one of which didn't work, so we're very lucky we have two that do. We've go no Moderna or Johnson and Johnson coming, Sinovac and Sinopharm are not likely to be even offered. I'd have a go a Sputnik at this point if it helped things go faster.

Yesterday was so disappointing, rather than any action trying to fix things (eg. by trying to belatedly buy another vaccine) we just got a shrug of the shoulders and have a cheap flight to Broome, why don't you.

It's almost worth trying to break out of Oz to go back to the UK where people my age (early 40s) are getting their first shots.

 

[mviy]

The cabinet are off sick with a severe dose of not wanting to front the media.

Greg Hunt has an infection. I don't think it's reasonable to expect him to front the media whilst he is sick.

The whole pandemic the heavy lifting has been done by the states

That's a matter of opinion. The majority of the spending has been done by the Federal government which would indicate that they're doing the bulk of the heavy lifting.

They bought late, they only bought 3 vaccines, one of which didn't work, so we're very lucky we have two that do. We've go no Moderna or Johnson and Johnson coming, Sinovac and Sinopharm are not likely to be even offered. I'd have a go a Sputnik at this point if it helped things go faster.

They have to balance a range of different considerations. If we bought too many vaccines we'd be committed to purchasing millions of doses that would ultimately go unused or have to be donated. There's not a bottomless pit of money. The debt that the government takes on will eventually have to be paid back.

The Novavax vaccine is a potential option for booster shots if those are needed down the track.

Yesterday was so disappointing, rather than any action trying to fix things (eg. by trying to belatedly buy another vaccine) we just got a shrug of the shoulders and have a cheap flight to Broome, why don't you.

It's still early days in the vaccine rollout. I'm sure they're looking at what they can do to speed up the roll out, learn from mistakes etc.

Buying another vaccine may not be practical at this point. If we buy one now we may not get it delivered for months (especially if the EU holds up shipments) and those administering it would require fresh training for it, there would be considerations as to whether a facility has the capacity to give different patients multiple different vaccines or needs to specialise to just giving one etc.

Later this month the CSL manufactured doses will start to become available.