The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[Princess Fiona]

Just to clear up any misinformation or misunderstanding about waiting for Pfizer as you will be fully vaccinated quicker.

The current ATGI advice on outbreaks is
AZ second dose 4-8 weeks after first
Pfizer 3-6 weeks after first.

So anyone in Greater Sydney right now or Newie or wherever else the next outbreak might be should get jabbed right now with whatever of these two is available to them and they have consented to.

Anything else is madness and holding up the end of lockdowns.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I noticed a slight change in SA Health vaccine update announced today in that after consultation with a practitioner onsite, that AZ would be available to all at the Hubs. Previously this required a GP visit and letter and have heard some very disturbing reports of GPs refusing to do this because of liability.

Also heard of a GP who was telling people not to get a second AZ as the second one only conferred an additional 5%. The person who told me this was going to have the GP reported.

That's a strange one, since GPs get indemnity.....but not sure of the specific of indemnity (does it cover pro-AZ now, and/or postpone til Pfizer advice???)

Post automatically merged: Aug 12, 2021

Just to clear up any misinformation or misunderstanding about waiting for Pfizer as you will be fully vaccinated quicker.

The current ATGI advice on outbreaks is
AZ second dose 4-8 weeks after first
Pfizer 3-6 weeks after first.

So anyone in Greater Sydney right now or Newie or wherever else the next outbreak might be should get jabbed right now with whatever of these two is available to them and they have consented to.

Anything else is madness and holding up the end of lockdowns.

Not elsewhere in Australia without an outbreak, right?

Because I think people on this thread recently (this week?) have reported instances of the GP advice to wait for Pfizer in Qld and ACT.....

 

[Pushka]

That's a strange one, since GPs get indemnity.....but not sure of the specific of indemnity (does it cover pro-AZ now, and/or postpone til Pfizer advice???)

Post automatically merged: Aug 12, 2021

Not elsewhere in Australia without an outbreak, right?

Their story is that the indemnity was never 'tabled' or some such thing.

 

[burmans]

Clearly those who didn’t have their first dose who are 18+ back in July chose not to be vaccinated as soon as they could. I had my first dose in early July and that was about a week after I and all the rest of the 18+ population that hadn’t been eligible became eligible. Even not rushing first dose having it by mid July was easily doable for those who really wanted it. Those not fully vaccinated sometime in October either have rare reasons not to take AZ or procrastinated.

We can all attempt to rewrite history but back in May the recommendation was against taking AZ and even in July the messaging was mixed to say the least. It was really only late July the message changed from "consider vaccination" to just "get vaccinated" even in NSW which had the most urgent need. So yes, people did procrastinate but to put all the blame for them for that seems to ignore the context.

Interesting to see you have changed your messaging from end September to October, I would tend to agree that end October or shortly after may be doable if we keep supply and vaccination up at least to get to the 80% threshold.

 

[mviy]

I checked the place I got my vaccines at, when I got it in May there were multiple options available that day or next. Now I used the app that looks across site, first available is in 6 days where I went and for some locations not until end September. So clearly AZ is in much more demand than previously.

But in NSW you're now recommended to have your second AZ dose as soon as 4 weeks after the first. So even now for those who have procrastinated and not even made a booking there is clearly plenty of time to get fully vaccinated by the end of October with AZ in NSW.

Were you recently trying to convince/argue the point that people taking Astra Zeneca now would open up Pfizer shots for others and overall Australia would get to 80% 2-shots quicker?

I think it's up to people to choose what medical treatment they take. If they choose to not get the vaccine that's available to them when they have the opportunity to do so those of us who have got vaccinated when we could shouldn't be made to wait forever. When almost everyone who wants to be vaccinated has had opportunity to do so by the end of October we should be able to set a date in December to learn to live with the virus and let fully vaccinated people travel again and do home quarantine so families can reunite in time for Christmas. I don't have to agree with the government's policy of 80% to recognise that seeing they have set those lofty targets it is in the national interest to hit them as soon as possible.

Now the shoe is on the other foot, you look at your individual circumstance and then say overall that its their problem if they didn't get the shot. Clearly ignoring the supply issue that currently exists overall in Australia.

The AZ supply is not the issue. Those who went out and booked to get AZ as soon as eligible will have had plenty of time to get fully vaccinated even with the full 12 weeks by sometime in October. In NSW where AZ supplies are getting used fast there's a recommended 4 week gap between first and 2nd dose so still plenty of time to be fully vaccinated by the end of October for those who have procrastinated.

 

[Princess Fiona]

That's a strange one, since GPs get indemnity.....but not sure of the specific of indemnity (does it cover pro-AZ now, and/or postpone til Pfizer advice???)

Post automatically merged: Aug 12, 2021

Not elsewhere in Australia without an outbreak, right?

Because I think people on this thread recently (this week?) have reported instances of the GP advice to wait for Pfizer in Qld and ACT.....

Correct. But 2 weeks ago we had zero cases in the Hunter and now we have 77 as of 8pm last night.
I’m sure those people who took whatever vaccine was available are glad.
Nobody knows where the next outbreak might be.

 

[mviy]

Interesting to see you have changed your messaging from end September to October, I would tend to agree that end October or shortly after may be doable if we keep supply and vaccination up at least to get to the 80% threshold.

Well end of October is being generous to those who procrastinated a bit. We need to learn to live with this thing and I think that should be before Christmas not next year.

I booked in for AZ as soon as I could at my local GP. I could have had it sooner if I had shopped around going to a different GP.

 

[bcworld]

In NSW where AZ supplies are getting used fast there's a recommended 4 week gap between first and 2nd dose so still plenty of time to be fully vaccinated by the end of October for those who have procrastinated.

Is someone who has 2 doses of AZ 4 weeks apart considered to be fully vaccinated? Or are they required to have a 3rd dose x weeks later for that to be the case? Or even boosted with something else.

 

[mviy]

Is someone who has 2 doses of AZ 4 weeks apart considered to be fully vaccinated?

Yes

Or are they required to have a 3rd dose x weeks later for that to be the case? Or even boosted with something else.

They are likely to need a booster shot (probably not AZ, but could be if we still have supplies of it) sooner than they otherwise would have. Probably of Pfizer or Moderna, but that's still probably not till there's more than sufficient supplies available for everyone in the country to get vaccinated even those who are anti-vax and will refuse to have it.

Someone who takes AZ 4 weeks apart is still going to be much better protected than someone who has only had one dose.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Is someone who has 2 doses of AZ 4 weeks apart considered to be fully vaccinated? Or are they required to have a 3rd dose x weeks later for that to be the case? Or even boosted with something else.

At this stage everyone is going to have boosters anyway.

 

[mviy]

Having the second AZ after 4 weeks is less effective than having it after 12 so it'd mean a booster would likely be needed sooner than otherwise.

I can't see the government offering boosters before there's more than enough supplies for all unvaccinated adults to get vaccinated unless we have a massive outbreak in fully vaccinated elderly ending up in ICU or even dying.

Naturally you'd expect 1A to get prioritised for boosters like they were for the first two doses.

 

[JB expat]

Sometimes people wish to walk their own path. Was talking with someone at the local coffee shop about the annoyance of lockdowns, the impact its having on me/us, lost family time etc.

And how I see the only way out of it as vaccination, however they (50+) were not interested in vaccination due to the unknown long term effects of receiving the vaccine. I pointed out that I was fully vaccinated and still alive and kicking, but it made no difference - without more/absolute certainty of no long term effects they were not going to be vaccinated. Fair enough, up to them - personal choice.

Coffees were ready, and I headed on my way, leaving them to light up a fresh cigarette.

Sometimes you just can't make it up.

Wow. I would have had trouble biting my tongue. The thing is, they are not walking their own path - they are blocking the path for the rest of us to move beyond this.

The irony of the cigarette would have put me over the top. You should have asked if the vial of AZ came with a gory photo, would they take it - you know, knowing the long term impact and all.

 

[bcworld]

At this stage everyone is going to have boosters anyway.

Of course, but I am just wondering if this is something for which there is a specific timeline for 4 week AZ'ers.

Just thinking back to when Dr Chant first raised the 4 week thing in the press conference I'm fairly sure a 3rd shot was mentioned.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

We can all attempt to rewrite history but back in May the recommendation was against taking AZ and even in July the messaging was mixed to say the least. It was really only late July the message changed from "consider vaccination" to just "get vaccinated" even in NSW which had the most urgent need. So yes, people did procrastinate but to put all the blame for them for that seems to ignore the context.

Interesting to see you have changed your messaging from end September to October, I would tend to agree that end October or shortly after may be doable if we keep supply and vaccination up at least to get to the 80% threshold.

The extension is so friends who have Pfizer appointments in late September are not victim blamed. (I have no idea if this is factually true)

 

[Must...Fly!]

Wow. I would have had trouble biting my tongue. The thing is, they are not walking their own path - they are blocking the path for the rest of us to move beyond this.

The irony of the cigarette would have put me over the top. You should have asked if the vial of AZ came with a gory photo, would they take it - you know, knowing the long term impact and all.

No point. These people have their beliefs and that is fine. It is up to the courage of government to ensure these people don't impact the rest of us.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Of course, but I am just wondering if this is something for which there is a specific timeline for 4 week AZ'ers.

Just thinking back to when Dr Chant first raised the 4 week thing in the press conference I'm fairly sure a 3rd shot was mentioned.

She did but from memory it was more along the lines of everyone is going to need boosters, rather than there would be a near term booster for people having their AZ shot quicker.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Is someone who has 2 doses of AZ 4 weeks apart considered to be fully vaccinated? Or are they required to have a 3rd dose x weeks later for that to be the case? Or even boosted with something else.

This article gives more info

The UK shortened the time between AZ jabs. Here are the pros and cons for Australia

Could we cut the time between the first and second dose of AstraZeneca from 12 weeks to eight weeks? We look at the pros and cons of getting the shot early.

www.abc.net.au

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

No point. These people have their beliefs and that is fine. It is up to the courage of government to ensure these people don't impact the rest of us.

I think that's called the 80/20 rule.

 

[MooTime]

Well end of October is being generous to those who procrastinated a bit. We need to learn to live with this thing and I think that should be before Christmas not next year.

I booked in for AZ as soon as I could at my local GP. I could have had it sooner if I had shopped around going to a different GP.

I'm quite sure everybody here knows full well, like 100 times overs from you repeating it every single day without fail that you've had the vac as soon as you were eligible, from your GP, your under 40yo, 2B & everybody has had their chance to get their first jab at this point yada yada.

Let's be honest, you only had the jab so gives you a chance to fly O/S in Dec to UK to see your loved ones. No other reason. Or to repeat it everyday on AFF.

It's not happening bud, no international flying, except NZ in 2021.

Many don't care for O/S flying in immediate future so urgency for the jab just not there.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I'm quite sure everybody here knows full well, like 100 times overs from you repeating it every single day without fail that you've had the vac as soon as you were eligible, from your GP, your under 40yo, 2B & everybody has had their chance to get their first jab at this point yada yada.

Let's be honest, you only had the jab so gives you a chance to fly O/S in Dec to UK to see your loved ones. No other reason. Or to repeat it everyday on AFF.

It's not happening bud, no international flying, except NZ in 2021.

Many don't care for O/S flying in immediate future so urgency for the jab just not there.

For some things - Delta is not a gamechanger.........