The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[drron]

And considering GP practices in the UK were used considerably in what so far is amongst the most successful vaccine campaigns in a large democracy.By the way they also set up vaccine hubs in churches and mosques.Might be a reasonable idea in Sydney and Melbourne as well.

 

[Princess Fiona]

And considering GP practices in the UK were used considerably in what so far is amongst the most successful vaccine campaigns in a large democracy.By the way they also set up vaccine hubs in churches and mosques.Might be a reasonable idea in Sydney and Melbourne as well.

NSW has done vaccinations in Mosques
Western Sydney Covid Vaccination

 

[jb747]

Feeling relieved that my babies are 30 and 34 so that I don’t have to make that decision. I am so very grateful to all trial participants, of whatever age, for stepping up and literally taking it for the team. True selflessness.

Why is there a trial? Isn’t this being widely used overseas?

 

[mviy]

Why is there a trial? Isn’t this being widely used overseas?

There is a trial for using the vaccine on young kids not yet approved to use the vaccine.

There are also trials for having a 3rd booster of the existing vaccine and a new version better targeted at the newer variants, I think. We know the original vaccine is safe and effective in adults, but knowing when boosters (or even if) they are needed if something that needs a trial to figure out so that any boosters can be rolled out in a safe way and hopefully delivered before protection drops off to a level where there is serious risk of hospitalisation and death.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Why is there a trial? Isn’t this being widely used overseas?

No, not for Under 12's.

Under 12's are not yet in mainstream vaccination programs as the current vaccines were developed for "adult" bodies. Moderna and Pfizer are for example in the process of developing vaccines for this younger cohort. The trials would be part of that process.

 

[Lynda2475]

LOL, so you still maintain that they are wasted doses despite the definitions

There have been news reports of expired AZ being binned, unused. But you keep denying the numbers.

State hubs have the higher utilisation, they are also solidly booked out everyday (because its where those of working age mostly want to go), yet you can still get same day GP and pharmac_ appointments for AZ, as whilst usage has increased is still not what most want.

If state hubs swutch to mrna only (cease az and start moderna) we will hit targets faster due to scale.

Post automatically merged: Aug 9, 2021

Pharmacies are very convenient for many people

And inconvenient for many others, so should not have exclusive access, especially given sucess of the state hubs.

 

[mviy]

And inconvenient for many others, so should not have exclusive access, especially given sucess of the state hubs.

For those who want state hubs there is AZ or Pfizer.

 

[Must...Fly!]

And inconvenient for many others, so should not have exclusive access, especially given sucess of the state hubs.

There is no way known you could make an argument that getting to a pharmac_ is inconvenient for many Australians. I can tell you as a round the clock shift worker it is a lot easier to get to a pharmac_ for anything than it was to try and get a suitable appointment time at a state hub here in Victoria for Pfizer.


Oh and my employer arranged for two separate visits of healthcare to administer flu vaccine in the workplace but I was on night shift both times and therefore couldn't attend either session. Instead I was given a voucher for my choice of pharmac_ chain to have it done at the expense of my employer.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

And inconvenient for many others, so should not have exclusive access,

If exclusive access is bad (and I agree it is) why are you arguing that state hubs be used exclusively?

The only person arguing exclusive access is you, for state hubs.

Fortunately the powers that be understand that it is better and more efficient to have multiple distribution channels. That way individuals whose circumstances vary can select the channel that works best for them.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

There have been news reports of expired AZ being binned, unused.

Yes doses have been wasted including Pfizer.

However your whole argument has been that GPs and Pharmacies cannot efficiently vaccinate people. You claimed that GP's were wasting vaccine. They can and with flu vaccines they have long proven to do it very well.

But you keep denying the numbers.

It is very hard to deny numbers that have not been published. But yes I refute your numbers as you continually confuse utilisation rate for a wastage number.

If you actually can produce a number for wastage then we could have a meaningful discussion.


Now the hysteria over AZ has dissipated utilisation rate is increasing in the channels that have largely distributed it.

 

[Matt_01]

There have been news reports of expired AZ being binned, unused. But you keep denying the numbers.

Why would you care, you seem to have have spent the past 12 months bagging AZ, arguing with properly qualified Dr's. You have your drug of choice so just let us get on with our lives.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

NSW for the last working day (Friday).

• State Hubs - 26,152 doses
• GPs and Pharmacies - 62,546 doses
• Commonwealth (Age care etc) - 801 doses

Now in Nov nationally they want to do 19 million does.
NSW is 32% of the population = So prorata that is 6 million doses.
So say on working days that is about 250,000 doses per day


So that means NSW has to treble what they are doing now come Nov. You are not going to achieve that by only using the State Channel.

Whereas we know that both the GP Channel and the pharmac_ Channel can easy ramp up well beyond their current throughput. They each year deliver a range of vaccines. And some GP's are already boosting their capacity by operating RC.s

If you want a vaccination disaster in NSW, then only use State Hubs for Vaccinations. Luckily that is not going to be the case.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

NSW for the last working day (Friday).

• State Hubs - 26,152 doses
• GPs and Pharmacies - 62,546 doses
• Commonwealth (Age care etc) - 801 doses

Now in Nov nationally they want to do 19 million does.
NSW is 32% of the population = So prorata that is 6 million doses.
So say on working days that is about 250,000 doses per day


So that means NSW has to treble what they are doing now come Nov. You are not going to achieve that by only using the State Channel.

Whereas we know that both the GP Channel and the pharmac_ Channel can easy ramp up well beyond their current throughput. They each year deliver a range of vaccines. And some GP's are already boosting their capacity by operating RC.s

If you want a vaccination disaster in NSW, then only use State Hubs for Vaccinations. Luckily that is not going to be the case.

I don't understand part of your analysis

NSW should be about 6m jabs by end of August - well that's the NSW Premier's meagre target.

There are only 6.56m 16+ eligible in NSW (so maximum 13m jab), so notionally 7 million more jabs outstanding if NSW got to 100%.

Even if NSW authorities lift some restrictions come end of August and consequently there is some drop in demand, but I would not expect it to drop to 1 million total for both September and October, especially if Australia is swimming in Pfizer and Astra Zeneca in these months. So not even sure 6 million would be needed in November.

* Yes, need to add 12-15 Pfizer to the equation, but I'm leaving that to a school-based program.

 

[Seat0B]

Why is there a trial? Isn’t this being widely used overseas?

I don’t think it has been approved for the 6 month to 12 year age group anywhere as yet.

 

[Lynda2475]

The only person arguing exclusive access is you, for state hubs

No, its been published that only pharmacies are getting Moderna, a poor decision that will limit access to mrna vaccines for many that could get it via a hub, which has been the most efficient and popular channel for mrna to date.

Then, we will all need boosters in 6 months, pharamcies will not be able to accomdate everyone, and frankly id prefer needles be given by a nurse not a pharmacist.

Hubs and workplace programs will be needed for boosters, we need almost double the amount of people to get covid boosters each year as regulalry get the flu vax to stay at 80%. The trade off for shortened AZ duration (4÷8 weeks) is the need for even earlier boosters.

Pharmacies dont exclusively give any other vaccinations, so shouodnt be the only way to get moderna.

You wrongly assumes that hubs are running at full capacity, when Hazard et al have been clear the constraint is limited Pfizer supply. They can give more mrna doses if they had the supply.

From September (when we have millions of Pfizer and Moderna) state hubs should be all mrna, focussing on 18-59s, we need workers vaccinated to open up and mrna is the fatest route with 21 days for Pfizer and 28 days for Moderna.

School programs will do the 16-17s and GPs and Pharmacies can do AZ, only receiving excess mrna after the hubs and schools have what they need.

 

[mviy]

Getting the vaccine hubs to do three different vaccines at once is probably a bit much. We have plenty of AZ and we need to use as much of it as we can.

People can already get Pfizer at state hubs and the Pfizer supply will increase soon dealing with the supply problem there.

Having Moderna at pharmacies not just AZ is a good thing.

Come October/November it could be that AZ is mainly only given for 2nd doses for those who have already had a first AZ dose, with Pfizer or Moderna for first doses.

If we are to open up we need to at some point start offering mRNA vaccines to the elderly who have been scared off AZ by the anti-vax brigade. Whilst the target is 80% of the 16+ it would be good to see a much higher proportion than that of the elderly fully vaccinated considering they make up the vast majority of the vulnerable population that is most at risk.

 

[Must...Fly!]

No, its been published that only pharmacies are getting Moderna, a poor decision that will limit access to mrna vaccines for many that could get it via a hub, which has been the most efficient and popular channel for mrna to date.

I wonder why state hubs have been the most popular channel for mrna vaccines to date? Got me stumped.

Then, we will all need boosters in 6 months, pharamcies will not be able to accomdate everyone, and frankly id prefer needles be given by a nurse not a pharmacist.

Ah, another misplaced view of the capabilities of healthcare workers. Pharmacists are perfectly trained and capable of delivering vaccinations and are among the most experienced at doing so in fact due to the volume they deliver!

The rest of the post contains similarly debateable or questionable content, in my view.

 

[Lynda2475]

Getting the vaccine hubs to do three different vaccines at once is probably a bit much.

Hence they stop giving AZ and revert to being mrna only. They started out as mrna only, AZ is available at RCs and GPs and Pharmacies - same day appointments available.

AZ will be phased out before the end of the year.

We are unlikley to see large numbers of people still getting a first dose of AZ come September. Once mrna is readily available no reason to start the slower AZ route, when Pfizer and Moderna see you fully vaccinated within a month.

AZ given in Sept and Oct should be the tail end of second doses.

 

[mviy]

Hence they stop giving AZ and revert to being mrna only. They started out as mrna only, AZ is available at RCs and GPs and Pharmacies - same day appointments available.

AZ will be phased out before the end of the year.

We are unlikley to see large numbers of people still getting a first dose of AZ come September. Once mrna is readily available no reason to start the slower AZ route, when Pfizer and Moderna see you fully vaccinated within a month.

AZ given in Sept and Oct should be the tail end of second doses.

The Pfizer and Moderna increases will take time to flow through, so early in September at least there'll still be supply issues unless they can bring the supply forward. AZ taken in September with the full twelve weeks takes people to December. If people will be fully vaccinated before we are expected to hit 80%, then using AZ with the full 12 weeks there's no reason to stop giving it for first doses as long as supply issues for the other vaccines remain. One vaccine dose is much better than no vaccine dose.

AZ may still need to be offered at vaccination hubs through to the end of the year so people who had their first dose there can get AZ for their second at the same place.

The increased Pfizer supply will go to the max vaccination hubs and GPs and Moderna will go to the pharmacies.

 

[mviy]

Tomorrow's Front Page of The Australian: "Most Aussies are very keen to get on the jab" - "Only 11% of adult Australian voters say they will flatly refuse to get jabbed". The article goes on to say that if supply is maintained we should reach the 70% target in December.

The poll does indicate don't know at 3%, rather wait for Pfizer at 33% and already received one or two vaccines at 46%. So it may not cater for those that don't go back for the 2nd dose and suggests the anti-vax mud thrown against AZ is still sticking a bit and who knows what the "Don't know" will do. There is of course a margin for error with such polls as well.