The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[lovetravellingoz]

After today's meeting I'm feeling more confident that more progress is being made and that at last the media seems to be onboard.

The key problem though is timely supply, then vaccine hesitancy and yes poor and sometimes contradictory communications. The delivery part I was always quite confident about.

Not using AZ at a higher level has just slowed it down more than it should have as well.

 

[mviy]

"Jab that starts the Nation" - The Herald Sun projects that herd immunity is reachable on Melbourne Cup Day in November.

 

[oznflfan]

"Jab that starts the Nation" - The Herald Sun projects that herd immunity is reachable on Melbourne Cup Day in November.

in who's dreams?

 

[ethernet]

Cost of rollout delays getting critical because of the way people think.
Take AZ now , and 2nd shot +12 weeks OR
Do nothing, because Pifzer hits the shops in September is the question.
So every day that passes from now on gives Joe Average a reason to 'ride it out/do nothing'. Maybe this is why hard delivery schedules are being suppressed. It is also probable that something else is needed for 12yo and up. This mucks up needed doses and percentages.

People vote with their feet(Old GP saying). People hear what they want to hear. Mrna vaccines are due to ramp up in September - well they better IF there is to be an October election and someone wants to take credit for this happy coincidence at the ballot box.

So to get AZ into arms, I think promotions will have to occur. At least Joe B has a target of 70%, but with the variants, scary cat Australia will probably go for 80%, yet Israel and Canada takeup is tanking below 70%, with the more popular soap-powder/product.

What we do need, is to alter that 80% vaccinated picture to '80% have have been offered the shot' , and then be open up, like the UK. I do not want to see the brakes applied because 35% failed to take action, and oh, we need to offer them 2nd, 3rd... final call rubbish.

 

[ethernet]

I have first hand knowledge as a parent of Sydney boarders.
I am not here to split hairs with you.
What we all need to be mindful of is that through no fault of their own, a bunch of 17/18 year old boarder boys who are under enormous pressure at the end of their schooling have been thrust into the media spotlight. Prior to this they had been dealing with enormous personal tragedy in their community. I doubt any of the media covering this know that.

A mistake was made by NSW health.
They have admitted the same.
It’s time to move on.

The number is a negligible, relative to the number of shots wasted, because uncaring souls do not have a stand-by list. Or is it because it is preferable to waste, than get into trouble for giving to random bystanders? A headline like 100,000 Pfizer shots tipped down the sink would be better.

 

[MooTime]

Cost of rollout delays getting critical because of the way people think.
Take AZ now , and 2nd shot +12 weeks OR
Do nothing, because Pifzer hits the shops in September is the question.
So every day that passes from now on gives Joe Average a reason to 'ride it out/do nothing'. Maybe this is why hard delivery schedules are being suppressed. It is also probable that something else is needed for 12yo and up. This mucks up needed doses and percentages.

People vote with their feet(Old GP saying). People hear what they want to hear. Mrna vaccines are due to ramp up in September - well they better IF there is to be an October election and someone wants to take credit for this happy coincidence at the ballot box.

So to get AZ into arms, I think promotions will have to occur. At least Joe B has a target of 70%, but with the variants, scary cat Australia will probably go for 80%, yet Israel and Canada takeup is tanking below 70%, with the more popular soap-powder/product.

What we do need, is to alter that 80% vaccinated picture to '80% have have been offered the shot' , and then be open up, like the UK. I do not want to see the brakes applied because 35% failed to take action, and oh, we need to offer them 2nd, 3rd... final call rubbish.

So you don't want herd immunity, you just want everybody to be offered a shot & then open up....(more of the it's all about me syndrome). That's a real incentive for ppl to get vaxd. No matter if you do or not cos will open up anyway.

What I've read is true herd immunity is more like above 90%, fat chance we'll ever get there or even very very few countries will.
That's why covid will never be gone I believe. Too many, ah who cares we'll just live with it like the flu.
Interesting future.

Atm Waiting in line at Melbourne conv centre for Pfizer, prob 200ppl in line, all booked for 830am.
The few AZ get taken straight to front of line.

 

[oznflfan]

So you don't want herd immunity, you just want everybody to be offered a shot & then open up....(more of the it's all about me syndrome). That's a real incentive for ppl to get vaxd. No matter if you do or not cos will open up anyway.

What I've read is true herd immunity is more like above 90%, fat chance we'll ever get there or even very very few countries will.
That's why covid will never be gone I believe. Too many, ah who cares we'll just live with it like the flu.
Interesting future.

Atm Waiting in line at Melbourne conv centre for Pfizer, prob 200ppl in line, all booked for 830am.
The few AZ get taken straight to front of line.

That's exactly what I and many others want. What other option is there, pretty please with sugar on top, increasing payment increments by $50 each week to anti-jabbers or the lazy to finally coerce them? Stay shut forever, offering and opening a small big stick.

 

[Pushka]

"Jab that starts the Nation" - The Herald Sun projects that herd immunity is reachable on Melbourne Cup Day in November.

Heard this today in Adelaide too.

 

[RAM]

At NSW briefing this morning Gladys began back tracking on when 'herd immunity'.

She had been saying when there have been 10 million doses applied.

Today she said that 10 million doses would only be near 80% of the adult population, and under 62% of the total NSW population which is not close to herd immunity. All relies on getting enough vaccines which "we've been asking for some months now."

Also several other changes in the tone or content. Second day that it is 'everybody's responsibility before we end lockdown'.

Definitely nothing to do with the State Govt & lockdown light.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

In terms of vaccinations Gladys today was also encouraging younger people to talk with a GP about being vaccinated with AZ, which in my opinion was good to hear.



The reason for not using AZ more widely than we as a nation could have were the small number of adverse events verses risk from catching Covid 19, though as per what Princess Fiona posted that risk in the modelling was actually higher than what some in the public perceived.

The sentiment seemed to be that vaccinations could wait, and that it was safe to wait. Whether that be waiting for Pfizer, or just delaying getting vaccinated at all.

In NSW now there are 40 people in hospital due to being infected with Covid 19, 11 people in ICU , and 3 on ventilators. (Yes some were evidently vaccinated)




We are transitioning to Pfizer/Moderna/Novavax, but by still using AZ more widely now we can achieve a better community outcome more quickly.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well after Tuesday's record high vaccinations dropped yesterday to 139,133.

However oddly while the Feds reported 6,571 doses in Victoria through the State Clinics, Victoria reported it as 15,875





So perhaps there was some form of correction to the numbers going on?

If so, then 139,133 may not be the actual number of doses given yesterday.

 

[MooTime]

Yep slow to lockdown & then only lockdown-lite, hmm, different tact may have produced different result.

pity a certain poster here thinks only NSW has multi-cultural residents & within 5kmf each other. I guess all kinds of theories out there.

On my mornings 2nd pfizer venture, I did note some clear under 40's in the AZ line/waiting area.....was very few though. Good on them I thought.

 

[dajop]

Meanwhile politicians can't help being themselves, and the media can't help being the media manufacturing controversy (article linked below) ...

One minister puts it bluntly: “We will never get there. We should be aiming for the majority of adults. So 50 per cent, nothing higher.”

If all the aim for is 50% of adults to be vaccinated, Australia is simply aiming for mediocrity. Putting out numbers like 50% is not going to help the efforts to encourage more people to be vaccinated. Words have an effect. It's pathetic. Imagine if next time there's a bushfire, in aiming to protect everyone's houses "We will never get there. We should be aiming to project the majority of our houses. So 50 per cent, nothing higher".

Yes, the country or state probably won't get to 80%, and perhaps the private target for "return to normal" will be lower than this (and the fire service is never going to save everyone's house) but to not even bother trying is just poor.

80: the number that’s losing Gladys Berejiklian friends in her own ministry

The Premier’s unilaterally declared target - 80 per cent of adults fully vaccinated before we can return to normal - has angered some of her colleagues.

www.theage.com.au

 

[mviy]

Well, personally I think at the latest once about 50% of adults are vaccinated and you have plentiful supply to vaccinate the rest a date should be set to open up . That should provide an incentive to some of the remainder to go out and get the jab.

 

[Lynda2475]

Gladys today was also encouraging

Its not like she was recommending younger people get AZ, she was simply explaining that if they were considering it go talk to their GP (which is what is required). You have taken the messaging out of context to support your pro AZ agenda.

 

[Chalkie]

Canada takeup is tanking below 70%, with the more popular soap-powder/product.

As someone who lives here, I'm not sure I'd describe the Canadian situation as "tanking".

78% of 12+ eligibles (68% total population, but under 12s can't "takeup") in Canada have had D1, and D1 is still inching up by about a percentage point each week now.
44% of 12+ eligibles (38% total population, but under 12s can't "takeup") in Canada have had D2, and that is rocketing up by about 8 percentage points per week.

The Canadian Federal government is aiming for 85% 12+ eligibles (which will be 75% of the total population, including under 12s who can't "takeup") by September, but it currently looks like the target will be hit in August some time. The provincial governments and health authorities are acutely aware that the last 10% or so will be the hardest, and are employing granular strategies to reach unvaccinated populations, some gimmickry (lotteries) and some taking the vaccines to the people, with 24 hour clinics and beachside clinics (in BC this week for example).

Polling in March/April in Canada suggested that the anti-vax or vax hesitant so as to be equivalent to anti-vax was about 15%, which suggests that for the time being the most likely ceiling is the Federal government target.

 

[Lynda2475]

Pity a certain poster here doesn't understand that a one size fits all recycling of another states policy wont guarantee better outcomes.

Well after Tuesday's record high vaccinations dropped yesterday to 139,133

The vaccination numbers are constrained by poor supply of Pfizer. We shouldn't expect to see day on day growth, because we simply dont yet have the supply of vaccine to ongoing support growth.

This week, instead of doses being concentrated in mass vac centres, a good portion has now been redirected to distributed GPs providing more channels but no more available doses.

Your not going to see rapid growth until Pfizer and Moderna start flowing more freely.

 

[Lynda2475]

Looks like a 3rd AZ death, from the SMH Blog:

Third death linked to COVID vaccine

Australia’s medical regulator is monitoring reports of immune thrombocytopenia after a 61-year-old woman died after developing the condition following vaccination.

In its weekly vaccine safety report, the Therapeutic Goods Administration said an external vaccine safety investigation group concluded the West Australian woman’s severe case of immune thrombocytopenia was likely linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

It’s the third death in Australia linked to a COVID-19 vaccination. Two women died after developing the rare thrombosis with thrombocytopenia clotting disorder linked to the AstraZeneca jab.

Seven new likely cases of that clotting disorder were assessed in the last week. Three, in a 59-year-old woman and a 59-year-old man from Victoria and a 72-year-old woman from South Australia were confirmed, while four others were deemed probable cases.

 

[mviy]

That is sad news. All three of those deaths so far are women. So considering younger men and teenage boys are the ones more at risk of Pfizer complications it seems that AZ is a great choice for under 40 men and AZ is the only vaccine available to most people under 40 at this time in Australia.

 

[Chalkie]

And from the TGA weekly report, apropos mRNA vaccine administration:

"To 4 July 2021, the TGA has received 38 cases of suspected myocarditis or pericarditis – 13 reports were in men and 25 were in women. Of the men, five were aged 17–23 years, while the others were aged 41–72 years. The women were aged 22–65 years old with the most aged in their 20s and 30s.

...

The TGA is currently working with Pfizer to add a warning statement to the Product Information and include myocarditis and pericarditis as an adverse event..."

There is no such thing as a unicorn vaccine, as this demonstrates: Comparison of CVT rates. The TGA still considers AZ to be a safe and effective vaccine. Marketing approval would be withdrawn if the TGA considered that not to be the case.