The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[drron]

Though in early Novemberr there were too few eggs to fill anyone's basket.
The 10 million Pfizer doses we ordered then if looked at on a population basis was more than the firm orders the USA and EU had-each had 100 million Pfizer doses as firm orders for populations ~ 350 million and ~ 450 million respectively.
And 4 baskets for 25 million people isn't bad in comparison to the 6 baskets both the USA and the EU had for their much larger populations.
The UQ,Novavax and AZ were all baskets that could have vaccinated every Australian.

But the facts don't support some peoples needs.

PS despite someone continuing to say Novavax is in trials when in fact it has completed trials.The problem with Novavax is that there are delays in manufacturing because there are shortages in ingredients and equiment to manufacture the vaccine.

 

[Lynda2475]

The UQ,Novavax and AZ were all baskets that could have vaccinated every Australian.

And yet the one we are actually relying on most Pfizer was the lowest volume ordered. Which gives credence to my point that a big reason the feds originally under ordered Pfizer was a cost decision which we are now paying dearly for.

UQ fell over and Novavax is taking a really long time to become a reality (and still may not).

We need more Pfizer and ore Moderna.

 

[mviy]

As I have said before if Pfizer agreed to double supply to say 2 million per week from the beginning of August I’m sure the Feds would order more of that today. The key thing that the Feds would want at this point from Pfizer or Moderna to order more of the existing vaccine or more of the booster is to significantly bring forward delivery of already ordered vaccines. If they order more without that commitment they lose their leverage.

 

[drron]

Maybe we also need less people criticising AZ.

People are underestimating the risk of covid.The delta strain has a much higher R0 than the alpha strain which means it can take off exponentially which we are seeing in the case numbers in many countries where it has become the predominant variant.
A graph showing the possible difference in case numbers in alpha or delta outbreaks


From the risk perspective I've not heard of 1 shot of vaccine causing 16 deaths.

Jaipur: Lightning strike kills 16 taking selfies in India

The incident happened when tourists were at a popular fort in the northern city of Jaipur.

www.bbc.com

 

[RAM]

Astra Zeneca were very moral and ethical and committed to not making a profit out of the pandemic.

Simple Rule: NEVER believe a drug company's claims.

AZ, like all large drug companies, has a long history of bribery, corruption and falsifying information. Just like Pfizer.

Pick any drug company, and search "Drug co corruption". Welcome to the multi-hundred billion dollar world of pharmaceuticals.

Lack of transparency over vaccine trials, secretive contracts and…

New research finds results from fewer than half of COVID-19 vaccines trials and just 7% of contracts published

www.transparency.org

Extremely moral & ethical - not. This example is not just the price they are charging South Africa but the average over around 37 countries described as 'upper-middle income'. A 25% mark-up. Even more interesting is that the bulk of these doses were to come from AZ's lowest cost production bases.

Claiming not to make a profit is meaningless. The definition of 'profit' is crucial.

In cases, such as the AZ claim above, no profit = covering all production cost, research cost (including all capitalised costs stretching back to year 1 which may have been 36 years ago since research into coronaviruses began), corporate overhead, corporate liability provision, etc etc.

What goes into corporate overhead, or corporate liability provision = whatever they want.

Or in other words, as much of a profit as they can wring out of it.

This article is worth reading to get an idea of how incestuous the relationship between drug companies & Govt panels is.

Science | AAAS

www.sciencemag.org

"in 2010, AstraZeneca paid the government $520 million to settle lawsuits involving alleged improprieties in the company's clinical trials"

Towards the end of the article is a graphic showing the money flows for one item - count the different drug companies involved (including AZ & Pfizer).

 

[RAM]

All very well in hindsight. At the time Astra Zeneca cost a fraction of Pfizer and we could manufacture it onshore making us independent of crises in other countries. I can see why they went that way.

Unfortunately that is what the Fed Govt may like you to remember that timeline now but that is not what happened.

CSL was fully booked up to produce the UQ vaccine which is why Australia was to receive the European produced AZ starting in March 2021.

The Fed Govt backed the 1930's tech vaccine (both UQ & AZ is grown in eggs) solely until the concerns about it started to surface in late 2020. Only then (Nov 2020) was the first discussion about 'when can we get some' began. Prior to that the Govt had not confirmed they wished to purchase any Pfizer.

The Federal Govt claimed otherwise & Pfizer issued a media release rejecting the Fed Govt's claims. Shortly after that Scott Morrison false claim then a contract was entered into.

It was only once the UQ vaccine fell over that AZ could be manufactured locally which is why CSL has not met its contracted schedule of 1 million doses/week starting from late March.

Since late March they've only reached that level around 3 times due to 'process' issues. One of which was not having sufficient 'packaging machinery' capacity. Lack of planning, but this time not by the Govt. Due to subsequent events these production misses are now irrelevant.

 

[JB expat]

Maybe we also need less people criticising AZ.

People are underestimating the risk of covid.The delta strain has a much higher R0 than the alpha strain which means it can take off exponentially which we are seeing in the case numbers in many countries where it has become the predominant variant.
A graph showing the possible difference in case numbers in alpha or delta outbreaks


From the risk perspective I've not heard of 1 shot of vaccine causing 16 deaths.

Jaipur: Lightning strike kills 16 taking selfies in India

The incident happened when tourists were at a popular fort in the northern city of Jaipur.

www.bbc.com

Agree with this...but people tend to think "the odds of MY getting COVID are low" and make the decision based on this. The cities in the states where people saw COVID all around them have the highest vaccination rates in the USA. I compare it to the following: in 3rd world countries, mothers who see first hand what diseases can do to their children would do anything for vaccines that are freely available here in Aus - yet here (and in other first world countries) where people have very little first hand knowledge of such ravages, there are very large numbers of parents who make the decision not to vaccinate. Even the PM said we have the luxury of waiting to see how things unfold with the vaccine elsewhere - he failed to look up and take in the global situation but was only thinking "eh - not happening here, don't need to worry".

 

[mviy]

People are underestimating the risk of covid.The delta strain has a much higher R0 than the alpha strain which means it can take off exponentially which we are seeing in the case numbers in many countries where it has become the predominant variant.

I think it's the very low arrivals caps combined with state governments being quick to lockdown that people have been overconfident in the abilities of governments to deal with outbreaks quickly. With the current situation in NSW that view may be starting to change, but we will see.

Hopefully more people will go out and get vaccinated.

 

[RAM]

"Ethical drug companies" = oxymoron.

Marketing smart spin doctor drug companies = reality.

Seems Pfizer's marketing dept in Australia have not been nearly as successful with some AFFers as AZ's.

In January 2021, Pfizer and BioNTech offered to supply 50 million doses of COVID‑19 vaccine for health workers across Africa between March and the end of 2021, at a discounted price of US$10 per dose.[226]

South Africa has ordered 20 million doses.

BioNTech/Pfizer using non-owned facilities in Europe to speed up deliveries.
Australia is in the 'too hard' basket, or is it the "too unpredictable" basket?

Two additional manufacturing sites for BioNTech/Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine​

News 22/06/2021

EMA’s committee for human medicines (CHMP) has approved additional manufacturing sites for the production of Comirnaty, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer.
One site, located in Reinbek, Germany, is operated by Allergopharma GmbH & Co. KG. The other in Stein, Switzerland, is operated by Novartis Pharma. The sites will perform finished product manufacturing steps at different stages of the process.

 

[burmans]

well my basket named 2021.

Later in the year the basket will suit your narrative of all vac's must be IN the BASKET.

Other countries vaccinated faster than us because, man oh man, I've been thru this 3 times already.

Yeah, we don't have virus loose in the community, nothing to worry about here.

 

[TheRealTMA]

"Scott Morrison’s decision to blame the government’s immunisation advisers for delays in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout has been labelled “unfair” and “disappointing” by a recent member of the group."

‘Not time for blame game’: former Atagi representative says Morrison’s AstraZeneca comments ‘unfair’

Australia’s immunisation adviser says Covid vaccine rollout the responsibility of government

www.theguardian.com

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Vaccines injected yesterday 14th June was 162,662.

Of note in NSW yesterday was that the GP Channel (I don't think the Pharmacies are as of yet delivery significant numbers in NSW, but they will) did the heavy lifting there with 39,171 vaccinations vs 18,165 vaccinations at the State Hubs. So well done to the GPs!

 

[mviy]

Nice. Interestingly the numbers show that now 1 in 8 of the 16+ population have now had their second dose. Still way too low, but progress is being made.

 

[Lynda2475]

did the heavy lifting there with 39,171 vaccinations vs 18,165 vaccinations at the State Hubs.

They have been allocated more vaccine doses than the state hubs.

If more Pfizer doses were given to the state hubs their numbers could be much higher. You cant dispense what you haven't been given. Utilization is better in state hubs, therefore should be given more Pfizer.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

They have been allocated more vaccine doses than the state hubs.

If more Pfizer doses were given to the state hubs their numbers could be much higher. You cant dispense what you haven't been given. Utilization is better in state hubs, therefore should be given more Pfizer.

View attachment 253093

So nationally that must be the case everywhere? = No.


If more Pfizer doses were given to the state hubs their numbers could be much higher.

Yes of course, monopolies distort things. The State Hubs higher utilisation is because they had a monopoly on Pfizer. Demand exceeded supply = high utilisation rate.

Did you not notice that now that Pfizer is going to the GP Channel that their numbers are going up?

You cant dispense what you haven't been given. Utilization is better in state hubs, therefore should be given more Pfizer.

So you agree then that higher utilisation at the state hubs was due to the Pfizer monopoly.

Now that the monopoly is gone, combined with the use of AZ vaccines being encouraged the GP Channel in NSW is doing fantastic work. Well actually they have done a great job throughout.


In NSW the GP Channel has been critical. 1,621,269 vs 1,112,596 from the State Channel.

PS: All channels are important. It will be even better when the pharmac_ Channel really cranks up too, along with other channels that are likely to be added.

 

[Lynda2475]

Did you not notice is now that Pfizer is going to the GP Channel as well that their numbers are going up

No, there have been no material change, Primary care still much lower than the state hubs.

So you agree then that higher utilisation at the state hubs was due the Pfizer monopoly.

Not at all. That's your tenuous at best conclusion, not mine. The hubs have better utilization because they have efficient systems and scale and no problems filling each booking (whereas can still get a booking at GP for Pfizer within 2 days because less convenient).

Doses going to the hubs has been reduced in order to supply GP channels, had that not occurred roll-out numbers would be even better.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well looking at the plan





much as you do not want it, non-State Hubs Channels are going to continue to be critically important, and most likely even more so than they currently are.

• GP's to be expanded up to 4400-5000 odd
• Pharmacies from September likely to also be doing Moderna Vaccinations.

Pharmacies to supply Moderna vax from September | AJP

Moderna is to be the vaccine supplied by community pharmacies in Stage 3 of the COVID vax program, the Health Minister reveals Speaking in Canberra on Monday, Health Minister Greg ...

ajp.com.au

 

[Lynda2475]

Well looking at the plan

Exactly my point, the commonwealth plan is slowing the roll-out because it is not giving enough Pfizer to the state hubs (whose performance was making them look bad), the hubs have spare capacity but not spare doses. Need to claw back Pfizer from GPs and give more to state hubs to get this done much faster.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Exactly my point, the commonwealth plan is slowing the roll-out because it is not giving enough Pfizer to the state hubs (whose performance was making them look bad),

You are the only person claiming their performance is bad, and that seems to be due to not understanding what the utilisation rate actually means.

Personally my view is that you are wrong.

the hubs have spare capacity but not spare doses. Need to claw back Pfizer from GPs and give more to state hubs to get this done much faster.

So with your plan they would need to build/commission a massive amount of new infrastructure, and massive numbers of extra staff, as what we have in state hubs now simply will not cope with the last quarter vaccination rate.

Whereas the current plan makes large use of already existing facilities and staff (though yes no doubt some expansion of staffing will be done, while also having some state hub expansion). Then look at geographic coverage. And GPs and Pharmacies are both well experienced and proven at delivery vaccinations. I prefer Lt Gen John Frewen’s Plan.

One very attractive reason to ramp up Pharmacies in the last quarter is that they will have completed their Flu Vaccination rollout, and so can neatly transition to CV Vaccines. So existing proven capacity all ready to go.

 

[Lynda2475]

You are the only person claiming their performance is bad, and that seems to be due to not understanding what the utilisation rate actually means.

No that again is just your opinion. The numbers don't lie, utilization from the primary care channel is the lowest of all channels in use by a long way.

Also several people I know who have booked through GPs for Pfizer in the last 2 weeks have had their appointments cancelled or pushed out because the GPs haven't managed their allocation correctly. Whereas this doesn't happen at the hubs, as they don't allocate a booking without confirming they have the vaccine dose available, don't preference people already on their books etc.

So with your plan they would need to build/commission a massive amount of new infrastructure, and massive numbers of extra staff,

No they have already done this, the existing hubs have spare capacity right now to give more Pfizer doses if they had the extra doses to give now; and 3 more hubs opening on Monday. If they had more Pfizer, they could stop giving AZ at hubs to go even faster.

Now is not the time to be giving GPs preferential Pfizer allocation especially not in any area with a hub.