The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[JB expat]

If we're serious about herd immunity it must be ~80%. With possible varying criteria for certain age groups.

Those hoping for like 60% want it only so they can take their selfish, sorry personal OS travel plans.

We need a useful not convenient target & to hit it to be relatively safe, that is afterall the crux of the vaccination circus.

Agree with your definition of herd immunity. What I don't agree with is being held hostage by those who delay or avoid vaccination.

My OS plans (to visit my overseas elderly parents) are currently non-existent. I fully understand why this is the case right now when there just isn't sufficient vaccine supply - I don't like it, but I understand it. HOWEVER, when there is sufficient supply + sufficient time (2 months) post full supply, I - the overseas intended traveler - am no longer the selfish one, rather, it is those who don't want to get vaccinated when they otherwise have no valid medical reason not to be vaccinated who are the selfish. If after this time there is still less than 80% herd immunity - let those who have made the choice to remain unvaccinated take responsibility for the consequences of their decisions.

 

[MooTime]

Agree with your definition of herd immunity. What I don't agree with is being held hostage by those who delay or avoid vaccination.

My OS plans (to visit my overseas elderly parents) are currently non-existent. I fully understand why this is the case right now when there just isn't sufficient vaccine supply - I don't like it, but I understand it. HOWEVER, when there is sufficient supply + sufficient time (2 months) post full supply, I - the overseas intended traveler - am no longer the selfish one, rather, it is those who don't want to get vaccinated when they otherwise have no valid medical reason not to be vaccinated who are the selfish. If after this time there is still less than 80% herd immunity - let those who have made the choice to remain unvaccinated take responsibility for the consequences of their decisions.

Well stated.
Cheers.

 

[mviy]

I don't think it is selfish to want to go overseas to see Australian family now and home quarantine on return if fully vaccinated now. Almost all the vulnerable have already had plenty of time to be vaccinated and if you test negative before departure and are fully vaccinated and have come from a country with high vaccination rates you pose minimal risk to the community.

I'm in 2B, so in the last phase of the adult rollout and will be fully vaccinated late September. My hope is to go to the UK by Christmas for 4-6 weeks and then return back to Melbourne for home quarantine. There's no reason the rollout shouldn't be at a point to allow people to reunite with loved ones before the end of the year when even those in 2B will have had the best part of 6 months to go and get vaccinated by then.

We have to start accepting some risk.

 

[Pushka]

I don't think it is selfish to want to go overseas to see Australian family now and home quarantine on return if fully vaccinated now. Almost all the vulnerable have already had plenty of time to be vaccinated and if you test negative before departure and are fully vaccinated and have come from a country with high vaccination rates you pose minimal risk to the community.

I'm in 2B, so in the last phase of the adult rollout and will be fully vaccinated late September. My hope is to go to the UK by Christmas for 4-6 weeks and then return back to Melbourne for home quarantine. There's no reason the rollout shouldn't be at a point to allow people to reunite with loved ones before the end of the year when even those in 2B will have had the best part of 6 months to go and get vaccinated by then.

We have to start accepting some risk.

I would be ecstatic if my DIL and her son and my son can have a Christmas in UK this year. It does mean all my kids will be overseas this Christmas. I hope you all get your dreams. All of my family will be fully vaccinated by end of August.

 

[kyle]

I don’t think it’s quite as bad as made out. They’re charging people who don’t have Medicare for a consult. If an Australian citizen went, the consult would be bulk billed. Still doesn’t sit right, but I don’t think it’s quite the scam being made out.

The story talks about the woman without Medicare but the notice says the charges are for new patients with Medicare

 

[drron]

The story talks about the woman without Medicare but the notice says the charges are for new patients with Medicare

Though the notice does say the vaccine is free.So technically not doing anything illegal.
The problem is the pricing is a rip off.
Item 5040.Schedule fee -87.40.Their charge -250.00
Item 5020. SF -51.50. fee -100.00
Item 23. SF -39.10. fee -80.00
Item 36. SF -75.75. fee -225.00

And just to put a personal perspective on it If I was still in Private practice as a Consultant Physician the first time I would see a patient for 30-60 minutes the schedule fee is 159.35.
And when I was in practice I charged the common fee and pensioners were bulk billed.

What is likely to happen is that Medicare will go through their books with a fine tooth comb.Most of those items come with a time that must be spent with the patient.So if it is 20 minutes it means a maximum of 3 patients per hour or 24 per 8 hour day.So if for example the doctor did work 8 hours but billed 30 patients they would be in deep do do.

 

[mviy]

There are a number of relevant stories on tomorrow's Front Pages. Here is just some of them:

The Australian: "Astra vaccine? We'll give it a shot"

The Age: "Leaders seek fine balance of economy, jab targets"

The Courier Mail: "Jab every 6 months"

The Canberra Times: "'Ambitious' tax target needed: Grattan"

The Advertiser mentions there is a story on Page 6 "The Numbers Needed to Vax Our Nation to Freedom"

 

[mviy]

Well I am ecstatic - 201,470 vaccinations in one day!

So we may not be far off a work week with a million doses. Here's hoping that happens sometime in early August.

 

[mviy]

NewsCorp is reporting more than 12,000 under 40s have had AZ this week in NSW. This number should continue to climb with the improved availability of AZ for this age group in NSW.

 

[jakeseven7]

NewsCorp is reporting more than 12,000 under 40s have had AZ this week in NSW. This number should continue to climb with the improved availability of AZ for this age group in NSW.

Finally we are seeing some common sense filter through.

Just found out we have a bunch of uni temps (9 of them) in Sydney who all went together and got AZ (aged 21-24)

 

[jb747]

Agree with your definition of herd immunity. What I don't agree with is being held hostage by those who delay or avoid vaccination.

Yes, but they don’t care what effect they have upon you, and remaining unvaccinated has no effect upon them (assuming they don’t actually come into contact with the bug). French style ‘passport’ to actually go to the shops, etc, will ultimately be a great idea. Who wants to be forced to mix with them anyway. It seems to me that we are either in this thing to beat it, or in it to prolong the agony. There’s no middle ground.

 

[Port Power]

Should have their Medicare provider number revoked.

$80 for a standard GP consult item 23 is a pretty normal fee around Australia. The item 36 (extended consult) is very expensive at over $200 and smacks of taking advantage. However, remember that overseas people such as on bridging and student visas who do not qualify for Medicare have to take out private health insurance. Such insurance rebates either the same amount as Medicare does or almost the whole fee charged, depending on cover chosen.

 

[Flying mermaid]

And the traffic controller guy at the testing centre in Melbourne wasn’t vaccinated according to ABC in spite of being classified as frontline. Really is time to make it compulsory in these areas, unless there is a medical reason and in that case maybe they need to be rotated to a safer job….

 

[jakeseven7]

And the traffic controller guy at the testing centre in Melbourne wasn’t vaccinated according to ABC in spite of being classified as frontline. Really is time to make it compulsory in these areas, unless there is a medical reason and in that case maybe they need to be rotated to a safer job….

Agreed its high time to stop f'ing around the edges on this.

1) Bin ATAGI involvement, period. Or just dilute their involvement to nothing (technically they are not even required to be listened to - it was an cough-covering exercise from the Feds which has backfired on all of us in an earth shattering way). The TGA approving a product and confirming its indication is all we need.

2) A huge series of get vaccinated comms, from everyone, governments, councils, doctors, companies, celebs, sports people, influencers etc promoting vaccine uptake

3) Incentives rolled out - NOW. I don't care the vaccine is not accessible to all yet and people will whine its unfair. Tough. National and State Lotteries to start now right now, Bonuses and VIP benefits, discounts from companies now now now.

4) Start flagging real disincentives 'coming soon'. No movies, no sports events, no music festivals, no theatre etc from date X.

5) Give legal protection to employers to mandate vaccination (For those medically able) for their employees e.g. airlines, retail, medical facilities etc

 

[burmans]

Well I am ecstatic - 201,470 vaccinations in one day!

Finally the sort of numbers we really need and looks like it will remain high (in NSW at least).

 

[openseat]

So CHO Young has changed her tune at the QLD presser this morning. "Please avail yourself of the AstraZeneca vaccine. There is plenty available"

 

[burmans]

95% is high - nice to get to and we can hope but it shouldn’t delay opening up.

We all know that some sort of carrot/stick is coming. The fact that they can't roll it out now because too many people can't vaccinate doesn't mean they won't, maybe when we get above 50% we'll hear something.

Depending on the incentive 95% may not be unrealistic. Check out the stats for the UK, they are very close to this level.

 

[mviy]

Anyone 18+ can go and get vaccinated now, especially in NSW where you can get AZ from pharmacies and state hubs if 18+. So now is the time to start rewarding those who have had at least one dose with some benefits (not as much as we'd like now, but they need to start).

 

[astrosly]

So CHO Young has changed her tune at the QLD presser this morning. "Please avail yourself of the AstraZeneca vaccine. There is plenty available"

Not really, only addressing those 60+
(from ABC COVID live updates)

" And please, anyone who is 60 years of age or older, are you the most at-risk group.

"We know that you're the group that if you get infected, you do have a high risk of getting severe disease and potentially dying, so please, if you have not been vaccinated, the vast majority have, which is excellent, but if you haven't been, please go and see your GP, go to one of the pharmacies, one of the vaccine clinics, and avail yourself as soon as possible of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is available. We have plenty."

 

[Lynda2475]

Qld sharing breakdown of vaccinations by type - hope we see this for all states.

Not much AZ utilised in Qld (16% of the Pfizer) unsurprisingly given their CHOs warnings against it