The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[Pushka]

Talking with neighbour tonight. He has Lupus, and APS as do I and which is contraindicated for AZ. His rheumatologist has stated he must have Pfizer. I'd already had my first AZ when that advice came out so after seeking expert advice (@drron et all) I had the second AZ. He doesn't know how to get Pfizer, I suggested some tips. But then he said his wife who is likely 68 only wants Pfizer too. She had no health issues. I muttered something like, now that I won't help with.

 

[RAM]

When everyone who is eligible gets a vaccine. Look at Friday’s figures - way down on Monday to Thursday and it’s like that every week. No idea why but my guess is people don’t want their weekends disrupted by potential side effects. We need to get over that and get vaccinated as fast as possible instead of listening to social media cough or agonising about minuscule side effects

Or is it that the paper work is not processed before POETS day take effect with the admin staff?

 

[Flying mermaid]

Or is it that the paper work is not processed before POETS day take effect with the admin staff?

It’s possible of course, although I would hope we haven’t got someone there with an abacus processing the paperwork, but that it’s keyed into a computer…..

EDIT when I had my first vaccination everything was being handled electronically

 

[RAM]

It’s possible of course, although I would hope we haven’t got someone there with an abacus processing the paperwork, but that it’s keyed into a computer…..

EDIT when I had my first vaccination everything was being handled electronically

It would be nice to hear from an AFFers who know in their areas across the country how the different venues in each state are actually doing it.

You may have seen that the Federal controlled rollout for Aged & Disability Care facilities was not being compiled (electronically or not) anywhere Australia-wide until this was revealed under questioning at the special hearings a couple of months back for the Aged Care Royal Commission. Changed shortly after.

For some of the other venues the figures were (may well have changed since this was mentioned) being compiled manually every few days.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Does given on Sunday 27th June:

 

[Lynda2475]

More interesting is if you look at the dosage utilisation rate you see that GP channel has the lowest utilisaton at 74%. This 24% below the state run hubs in NSW at 98%.

We need to get more Pfizer to the state hubs who can administer it super fast before sending doses to GPs who are less efficient and therefore slowing use (currently sitting on over 2 million unused AZ doses).





We also need to force publication of dose wastage. How many doses are being thrown out due to there being insufficient customers at the GP practice? How many vials are expiring without being used at all?

 

[RooFlyer]

ABC radio 'Drive' show today had a spokesman from the Aust Medical Assoc (AMZ) on the vaccine roll-out in Tas.

Blah blah blah. Then a question from a listener "We've heard that its 12 weeks between AZ doses. Norman Swan says 8 weeks is OK. Which is right?"

Reply was that 12 weeks is the reccommended time, max efficacy with that spacing etc etc. All going according to script until he concluded very close words to: "But Norman Swan is a great guy, so if he says 8 weeks, maybe that's the go." And left it at that.

FFS! Talk about mixed messaging. I'm going to get in touch with the AMA and suggest they not let him near a microphone again.

[Point of the post is to point out mixed messaging from an 'expert' - not whether 8 Vs 12 weeks is OK.]

 

[RAM]

More interesting is if you look at the dosage utilisation rate you see that GP channel has the lowest utilisaton at 74%. This 24% below the state run hubs in NSW at 98%.

We need to get more Pfizer to the state hubs who can administer it super fast before sending doses to GPs who are less efficient and therefore slowing use (currently sitting on over 2 million unused AZ doses).


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We also need to force publication of dose wastage. How many doses are being thrown out due to there being insufficient customers at the GP practice? How many vials are expiring without being used at all?

If you look at the note about 'dose utilisation':
".. and a small % wastage in line with the international standards..."

Look at:

• NSW row. Doses administered / doses available = 790k / 899k = 88% vs 98% in table
• 'Jurisdiction delivered total' row. = 3,088k / 3,826k = 81% vs 91% in table.
• 'Total' row = 7,375k / 10,330k = 71% vs 81% in table.

So it appears that 10% may be the "small % wastage" added, or around 1 million doses to date. Perhaps if a few Affers email various journalists highlighting this possible issue.

But that then implies that the figure in the "Available - administered" column is meaningless as it seems to count doses that have been wasted.

If NSW had utilised 98% of available doses then the number left over unutilised would be just 18K not 108k.

Torturing the numbers again?

 

[Lynda2475]

Torturing the numbers again?

The maths you question is consistent for all rows - so my point that GPs are sitting on considerably larger % of unused doses stands. The states are getting through larger % of their allocation.

Mass vaccination hubs are a winner, we need more of them.

There is zero excuse for not providing full data, Medicare has the details of doses given, where they were given, the demographics of the recipients. A small number of recipients wouldn't have a Medicare card but that data should still be able to be captured on the forms you fill in when booking. GPs using manual booking forms are supposed to re-enter the data plus scan the manual form.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Apparently one of the things to come out of today’s meeting will be that vaccination is compulsory for aged care workers. I hope so!

 

[Lynda2475]

Apparently one of the things to come out of today’s meeting will be that vaccination is compulsory for aged care workers. I hope so!

Needs to be compulsory for Aged care workers, HQ workers, Airport Workers, any arrival drivers (permanent or contract) and hospital staff working on Covid wards or in the ER.

 

[mviy]

These high risk categories also need to be able to walk-in to vaccine centres using a priority queue and get vaccinated without needing an appointment

 

[RAM]

Needs to be compulsory for Aged care workers, HQ workers, Airport Workers, any arrival drivers (permanent or contract) and hospital staff working on Covid wards or in the ER.

as well as all Australian based aircrew (international) immediately and domestic once all the forementioned groups are done.

Figures of only 1/3rd of Aged & Disability Care workers vaccinated to date is not good.

 

[Lynda2475]

These high risk categories also need to be able to walk-in to vaccine centres using a priority queue and get vaccinated without needing an appointment

Disagree. Its important to validate that people are actually eligible and to make sure there is ample vaccine available - the best way to do this is via an appointment.

If a there are a stack of unexpected Pfizer walk-ups then people with appointments could miss out on a dose. This is one reason why many in Vic are having to wait longer than the recommended 3 weeks for their second dose.

There are mechanisms already which ensure these people get priority appointments for example a certain portion of appointments are reserved at each site for workers each day (and at Olympic Park this includes Saturday appointments which are only available to workers and their families). They should have no issue getting an appointment (and in fact have had months to do so, before categories opened to others). But if there is further demand, then states need to make more appointments available for these workers (and adjust non priority bookings in the order they booked) not switch to walk ups which make supply uncertain.

Walk-ups may be fine for AZ, but these workers are eligible for Pfizer which needs to be tracked carefully.

 

[mviy]

If a there are a stack of unexpected Pfizer walk-ups then people with appointments could miss out on a dose. This is one reason why many in Vic are having to wait longer than the recommended 3 weeks for their second dose.

Prioritise these people over first doses and walk-ins not second ones. Yes they can book an appointment but if people have chosen not to we need to make it as easy as possible for them to get vaccinated.

 

[Flying mermaid]

These high risk categories also need to be able to walk-in to vaccine centres using a priority queue and get vaccinated without needing an appointment

So PM just said if under 40s want AZ then go and talk to your GP and get it……

 

[mviy]

I am under 40 and I think I'll give my local GP a call tomorrow. I am close by so could get there quickly if they have any spare.

 

[Pushka]

I am under 40 and I think I'll give my local GP a call tomorrow. I am close by so could get there quickly if they have any spare.

Let us know how you go. for you.

 

[drron]

ABC radio 'Drive' show today had a spokesman from the Aust Medical Assoc (AMZ) on the vaccine roll-out in Tas.

Blah blah blah. Then a question from a listener "We've heard that its 12 weeks between AZ doses. Norman Swan says 8 weeks is OK. Which is right?"

Reply was that 12 weeks is the reccommended time, max efficacy with that spacing etc etc. All going according to script until he concluded very close words to: "But Norman Swan is a great guy, so if he says 8 weeks, maybe that's the go." And left it at that.

FFS! Talk about mixed messaging. I'm going to get in touch with the AMA and suggest they not let him near a microphone again.

[Point of the post is to point out mixed messaging from an 'expert' - not whether 8 Vs 12 weeks is OK.]

The real world studies in the UK and Canada give the optimum time between AZ doses as 8-12 weeks but should be 12 weeks if over 80.

For Pfizer they recommend 4-8 weeks for the second dose but again if over 80 a 12 week interval is much better with antibody levels with a 12 week interval for them are up to 3.5 times greater than with the 3 week interval.

As with nearly everything in Medicine things are not black and white and are rarely applicable to everyone.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So PM just said if under 40s want AZ then go and talk to your GP and get it……

Yes good news. People should have the freedom to choose.