The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[Must...Fly!]

The government should have engaged CSL earlier to start producing vaccines back in November/December.

That's exactly what they did........

CSL today confirmed it will commence manufacturing the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca AZD1222 COVID-19 vaccine candidate at its advanced manufacturing facility in Broadmeadows, Victoria, on Monday 9th November.

Global Newsroom | CSL

www.csl.com

 

[Oneworldplus2]

How's the UK with Astra so far ahead? Millions vaccinated, here, a joke.

Sure, it's from there, but couldn't CSL got a starter earlier? CSL is planning on 1 million units per week, when/if the next real pandemic hits, that's not good enough for survival.

I'm sure national security (military or medical branch) will be investing in better technology because we are a bit behind.

I'm willing to get the jab now, but will probably have to wait until October....

 

[mviy]

The government is giving money to help fund a newer and better facility but that will take years to get ready. These things don’t happen overnight. Perhaps that could get sped up a bit if there’s enough motivation to do so.

 

[Pushka]

The government should have engaged CSL earlier to start producing vaccines back in November/December.

They did. It takes more that a few minutes to bake it.

 

[mviy]

The fact is that in different levels of government we could have been better prepared.

Reliance on faxes and manually entering in information from them for contact trading in Victoria for instance.

The risk of a pandemic wasn’t taken as seriously as it is now and governments have taken and are taking steps to address that. Some changes are quick and others take a lot more time.

A newer, better facility for vaccine production is one that will take a long time to get ready. In the meantime we have to make the best of the facility that already exists.

 

[RooFlyer]

The government should have engaged CSL earlier to start producing vaccines back in November/December.

As others have pointed out, they did.

Sure, it's from there, but couldn't CSL got a starter earlier? CSL is planning on 1 million units per week, when/if the next real pandemic hits, that's not good enough for survival.

UK = origin of the vaccine; you have to develop and operate a production line to do the phase 1, 2 and then 3 trials. If these had failed, then no more. Here we had to negotiate a contract and a licence then build production facility from scratch, which they did, even before it was approved for use here. Then to make it. You are going to shove the product into millions of people's arms. Do you think you just whip that up in a few days? Even beyond the production ramp-up, there was testing of the CSL product etc etc.

Moan all you like, but there is no COVID emergency here, people aren't dying or getting very sick in the tens of thousands like overseas. Face it, Australia has one of the best COVID experiences of any country in the world - even with all the angst that's been experienced. Throwing rocks from the cheap seats is still therapeutic, I guess.

 

[Pushka]

Surely this is a misquote by news.com.au.

Aussie driver copped 148 demerit points

NSW Police were left gobsmacked after pulling over a driver in Sydney only to discover his shocking list of driving offences.

www.news.com.au

"Mr Frydenberg wouldn't say exactly when local production of of the AstraZeneca vaccine would begin, but said it was a very important part in getting the jab to all Australians who want it."

I thought CSL were releasing theirs next Monday?

 

[Flying mermaid]

Could Australia have done better - probably - in hindsight I am sure there were many things where our preparation and execution could have been improved. Same could be said for the rollout. However in comparison to other first world countries we are amazing! So few infections, so few deaths.

My daughter returned recently from a year in London and she couldn’t believe how normal and risk free it is here.

I prefer a slow start to the rollout and then ramping up once they are sure any little kinks are ironed out. We are only going to be a few months behind the quickest of the countries and way ahead of Europe.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Surely this is a misquote by news.com.au.

Aussie driver copped 148 demerit points

NSW Police were left gobsmacked after pulling over a driver in Sydney only to discover his shocking list of driving offences.

www.news.com.au

"Mr Frydenberg wouldn't say exactly when local production of of the AstraZeneca vaccine would begin, but said it was a very important part in getting the jab to all Australians who want it."

I thought CSL were releasing theirs next Monday?

So I saw a snippet from Hunt this morning. TGA has to give the authority to start producing the vaccine and they haven’t as yet. So that is probably the holdup. While I am sure the government could over ride that and do some sort of emergency approval, I would prefer to see TGA do all its checks (as it did with the vaccine authorisation) and then give CSL the go ahead. if it takes a week longer so what - at least we know all the checks have taken place to ensure what is being produced is safe.

This would probably explain why some clinics have it and some don’t. Those who are being supplied out of vaccine sourced overseas can go ahead, those who need to get Australian produced vaccine are still waiting. It will happen......

 

[drron]

Found another reason why we might get the Novavax vaccine on time.We have brownie points with them.

"Australia’s clinical trial contribution

Australia has played a pivotal role in the clinical development program for NVX-CoV2373. Australian clinical researchers led the global Phase 1 clinical trial in August. This trial involved 131 Australians across two trial sites (Melbourne and Brisbane). In addition, approximately 690 Australians have participated in the Phase 2 arm of the clinical trial, which has been conducted across up to 40 sites in Australia and the U.S.


The planned global Phase 3 clinical programs evaluating NVX-CoV2373 will assess immunity, safety and COVID-19 disease prevention. The trials seek to recruit members of the community most vulnerable to COVID-19 – the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions as well as diverse racial and ethnic representation."
​

 

[Flying mermaid]

Just received a text from my GPs saying they will be receiving the vaccine from the 12th April and will have 50 doses per week. Now all I have to do is wait patiently for 2A to start

 

[Pushka]

So I saw a snippet from Hunt this morning. TGA has to give the authority to start producing the vaccine and they haven’t as yet. So that is probably the holdup. While I am sure the government could over ride that and do some sort of emergency approval, I would prefer to see TGA do all its checks (as it did with the vaccine authorisation) and then give CSL the go ahead. if it takes a week longer so what - at least we know all the checks have taken place to ensure what is being produced is safe.

This would probably explain why some clinics have it and some don’t. Those who are being supplied out of vaccine sourced overseas can go ahead, those who need to get Australian produced vaccine are still waiting. It will happen......

Ok. But I read also that production takes weeks. Perhaps it’s just a sign off for distribution.

 

[Anna]

I learned from some US relatives that the AstraZeneca vaccine hasn't been approved by the FDA (yet?). Their local rollout was Moderna. No side effects except slightly sore arms, and faster internet connection.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Found another reason why we might get the Novavax vaccine on time.We have brownie points with them.

"Australia’s clinical trial contribution

Australia has played a pivotal role in the clinical development program for NVX-CoV2373. Australian clinical researchers led the global Phase 1 clinical trial in August. This trial involved 131 Australians across two trial sites (Melbourne and Brisbane). In addition, approximately 690 Australians have participated in the Phase 2 arm of the clinical trial, which has been conducted across up to 40 sites in Australia and the U.S.


The planned global Phase 3 clinical programs evaluating NVX-CoV2373 will assess immunity, safety and COVID-19 disease prevention. The trials seek to recruit members of the community most vulnerable to COVID-19 – the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions as well as diverse racial and ethnic representation."
​

Probably another dumb question.

For those that participated in vaccine trials that ultimately were successful / approved, do they get a certification on their myHealth/Medicare as being now vaccinated? Or by irony do they get offered another vaccination?

 

[Anna]

I really hope that the clinics taking vaccination appointments actually have the vaccine stocks. It will be a debacle if they've taken appointments and then the vaccine doesn't arrive, either at all or in enough quantities.

 

[Pushka]

Probably another dumb question.

For those that participated in vaccine trials that ultimately were successful / approved, do they get a certification on their myHealth/Medicare as being now vaccinated? Or by irony do they get offered another vaccination?

In the US, trial participants were unlocked from the blind constraints so they knew whether or not to be vaccinated.

Post automatically merged: Mar 19, 2021

I really hope that the clinics taking vaccination appointments actually have the vaccine stocks. It will be a debacle if they've taken appointments and then the vaccine doesn't arrive, either at all or in enough quantities.
Sure has crossed my mind too.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Ok. But I read also that production takes weeks. Perhaps it’s just a sign off for distribution.

I think so - Hunt still seemed to think it will happen soon, so probably it is just the final sign off before distribution.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Post automatically merged: Mar 19, 2021

I really hope that the clinics taking vaccination appointments actually have the vaccine stocks. It will be a debacle if they've taken appointments and then the vaccine doesn't arrive, either at all or in enough quantities.
Sure has crossed my mind too.

In Canberra they aren’t taking appointments until mid April going on friends’ experiences, so I sort of feel confident if you have an appointment it is because they know they have supplies.....

 

[RooFlyer]

I really hope that the clinics taking vaccination appointments actually have the vaccine stocks. It will be a debacle if they've taken appointments and then the vaccine doesn't arrive, either at all or in enough quantities.

The four Tasmanian clinics I contacted all said that they weren’t taking bookings until they knew when the supplies would arrive, or when they HAD arrived.

 

[jase05]

Could never have guessed this would happen with DHL involved

Coronavirus vaccine doses wrongly delivered to Perth, delaying SA rollout

A shipment of Pfizer vaccine doses destined for South Australia is wrongly delivered to Western Australia, causing delays to the state's rollout.

www.abc.net.au