The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[jakeseven7]

More importantly they are also permitting it at their hubs without a GP referral (only for over 40s)

Wow that’s huge news, must have missed that.

 

[justinbrett]

A little bit annoying but the Belmont Hub is coming at the cost of John Hunter - so even though I was booked in for John Hunter it's now been moved to Belmont.

For those unfamiliar with Newcastle Belmont is on the very south end of the "Greater Newcastle" metro area, much less convenient than the John Hunter hospital which is smack bang in the geographic centre of Newcastle - not to mention Belmont is further from Maitland / Port Stephens / Hunter Valley etc.

I'm guessing they wanted the hub to also serve the Central Coast but that can't happen at the moment due to the lockdown.

 

[Lynda2475]

I think most people are missing the point of the ad, I think it's to get people to stay home and comply with the lockdown. The vaccine is secondary.

But the stay home message doesn't come through strongly in that ad. They need ads that focus on stopping the spread.

Post automatically merged: Jul 12, 2021

also serve the Central Coast but that can't happen at the moment due to the lockdown

Actually it can as leaving to get vaccinated is a permitted reason to leave the hosue and travel more than 10km.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Info from NSW Health:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1414393347888664576

 

[Lynda2475]

If they want it they have to go to a GP that is not new. No encouragement for all under 40s to go and get AZ, only if they do wish to get AZ to go see a GP.

 

[justinbrett]

Actually it can as leaving to get vaccinated is a permitted reason to leave the hosue and travel more than 10km.

Is it a permitted reason to leave Greater Sydney though? And will they proactively move GS resident's bookings to Gosford?

I imagine the hub is the last place NSW Health want GS residents mixing with Novocastrians.

 

[Lynda2475]

More importantly they are also permitting it at their hubs without a GP referral (only for over 40s)

You have to wonder why any would bother, given 40-59s can get Pfizer and be fully vaccinated within 22 days. No benefit to switching to a longer process.

Every 50-59 i knew who hadn't started the AZ process when the advice changed, cancelled their AZ bookings and booked Pfizer instead.

 

[justinbrett]

You have to wonder why any would bother, given 40-59s can get Pfizer and be fully vaccinated within 22 days. No benefit to switching to a longer process.

I'm booked in but I used another login to see if there was an earlier Pfizer appointment, and nothing for 3 months.

However, I assume they are limiting vaccines outside of GS so more can go to Sydney, which is fair enough.

 

[Lynda2475]

will they proactively move GS resident's bookings to Gosford

That would make sense to do.

But I believe medical treatment does allow you leave, especially in emergency.

 

[mviy]

Exactly. If you can't get your first Pfizer shot for over about 2 months or over about a month if willing to take second AZ shot after 6 weeks you'll be fully vaccinated sooner going with AZ. Plenty of incentive to get AZ.

 

[justinbrett]

That would make sense to do.

But I believe medical treatment does allow you leave, especially in emergency.

As luck would have it I nearly booked mine at Gosford as the appointment was earlier - had I done that I would have had to isolate after the jab for 14 days (and more likely would have been forced to cancel it).

 

[Lynda2475]

However, I assume they are limiting vaccines outside of GS so more can go to Sydney, which is fair enough.

Well 7000 new appointments at the new CBD hub come online later today for next week.

I just looked and there are a couple of appointments at St Vincent's and RPA this month.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

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If they want it they have to go to a GP that is not new. No encouragement for all under 40s to go and get AZ, only if they do wish to get AZ to go see a GP.

No encouragement at all for under 40s? You do have a peculiar interpretation. Quite clearly NSW Health is.

However NSW Health is concentrating on the over 40's at present and that will limit how many under 40's can over the next month get vaccinated as NSW simply does not have enough vaccinators and is still prioritising the over 40s. Though adding the pharmacies will help to get more vaccines in arms.. So that capacity limit limits how strongly NSW Health can push the under 40's at present when they still have so many over 40's to vaccinate.

If not due the false risk premise of before of concentrating too much on individual risk, rather than community risk, there would be many more Australians vaccinated right now including the under 40s.

You have to wonder why any would bother, given 40-59s can get Pfizer and be fully vaccinated within 22 days. No benefit to switching to a longer process.

Well those concerned with more Australians gaining protected more quickly do not have to wonder.

It means more people get vaccinated more quickly.

That in turn will help more of those who are not yet vaccinated, either due that they cannot (health and /or availability) or because they do not want to also gain some increased protection.

For example there is still not vaccine for the under 16's. Their risk is reduced by more people over 16 getting vaccinated.

The fact is here and now is that not all 40-59s can get Pfizer now. The quickest way to get more Australians up to two vaccinations doses is to have a mix of AZ and Pfizer including within this age group.

 

[Lynda2475]

You do have a peculiar interpretation.

No you clearly don't understand what want and wish mean, those words are about personal choice, not government direction.

From SMH: "Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the AstraZeneca vaccine would now be available to anyone over 40 who wants it but warned people to "consider your own risk".

So that capacity limit limits how strong NSW Health can push the under 40's when they still have so many over 40's to vaccinate.

No Gladys was clear this morning supply is what is limiting roll-out, the mass hubs have workforce capacity to give more doses, but they don't have the Pfizer doses to give to under 40s yet.

It means more people get vaccinated more quickly

That may be true for under 40s who risk AZ, but not so for 40-49s who can get fully vaccinated with Pfizer in less time.

The quickest you can be fully vaccinated with AZ is 6 weeks (and that will give lower protection than 12) vs 22 days for Pfizer. There are still some Pfizer appointments available this month, with more appointments being released in CBD later today (for next week onwards) due to extra doses.

 

[mviy]

No you clearly don't understand what want and wish mean, those words are about personal choice, not government direction.

They would not be bringing up AZ repeatedly for under 40s if they were not encouraging people to explore that option and to take it. They are respecting that it is personal choice as to whether to take it or not.

No Gladys was clear this morning supply is what is limiting roll-out, the mass hubs have workforce capacity to give more doses, but they don't have the Pfizer doses to give to under 40s yet..

So you are acknowledging that there is limited supply of Pfizer

That may be true for under 40s who risk AZ, but not so for 40-49s who can get fully vaccinated with Pfizer in less time.

You are ignoring that there is not sufficient supply to give everyone in the 40-59 age group that wants it Pfizer now. Once you account for that, many will be able to get fully vaccinated sooner if they take AZ.

The quickest you can be fully vaccinated with AZ is 6 weeks (and that will give lower protection than 12) vs 22 days for Pfizer. There are still some Pfizer appointments available this month, with more appointments being released in CBD later today (for next week onwards) due to extra doses.

AZ is much more readily available than Pfizer. The appointments for Pfizer being released are nowhere near enough to do everyone that has not yet got vaccinated in the 40-59 age group plus others eligible for Pfizer now.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

That may be true for under 40s who risk AZ, but not so for 40-49s who can get fully vaccinated with Pfizer in less time.

What part of demand exceeding supply for Pfizer do you not appreciate?

What other reason other than to get more people vaccinated now, would NSW have in removing the requirement to see a GP the 40-49s at this point in time?

It is because there simply is not enough Pfizer available in Australia now to achieve what you keep wrongly asserting.

 

[Lynda2475]

So you are acknowledging that there is limited supply of Pfizer

Have never said any different.

You are ignoring that there is not sufficient supply to give everyone in the 40-59 age group that wants it Pfizer now. Once you account for that, many will be able to get fully vaccinated sooner if they take AZ.

You do realize they are boosting Pfizer in Sydney from Monday across new mass vac centres.

The reason it is not open to under 40s yet is to ensure sufficient doses for 40-49. There are still open appointments, you would be stupid to not take an available Pfizer appointment but choose a slower AZ path to full vaccination.

 

[mviy]

They need more Pfizer supplies at the local GPs. If I was in a city with a bad outbreak I’d much rather go to my local GP near where I live than to a mass vaccination centre with people from all over the city.

Pfizer supply is constrained making AZ a great option for under 40s, but also for 40-59 year olds that can’t get Pfizer appointments.

 

[justinbrett]

Greg Hunt has read out a statement from Pfizer saying the reports about Kevin Rudd influencing the distribution is incorrect.

 

[Lynda2475]

I’d much rather go to my local GP near where I live than to a mass vaccination centre with people from all over the city

And others would argue they'd rather not sit in a waiting room with sick people (and it appears from recent exposure listing likley Covid positives), than wait in the open air at mass vax clinic.