The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[Pushka]

Just to share how it works in benevolent dictatorships (Singapore), registered interest in appointment about a week ago. Received an invite to make an appointment today, clicked on the link and filled in a form and then made my appointment at the nearby community centre for 8 April. and second 3 weeks later (Pfizer it would seem, the other one being used here is Moderna, which has 28 day interval). My partner did same (we're both around 50yo +/-). The process took about 2 minutes. High density populations, and a technology oriented government seem to make things a bit easier. Although for 60+ they've been sending out letters, and allowing phone appointments, but will be all electronic for younger generations.

Meanwhile back in regional Victoria, my 75 yo mother is not quite there yet with appointment has rung several clinics etc, her GP maybe getting it during April and taking appointments then.

Singapore just gets it right, so many times. We have to cater for so many influences here in Australia, normally a good thing but never when there is a critical crisis.

 

[dajop]

Singapore just gets it right, so many times. We have to cater for so many influences here in Australia, normally a good thing but never when there is a critical crisis.

With an economy dependent on international movement of freight, air traffic and people, they have invested significantly to make it work relatively smoothly, the imperative isn't quite so strong in Australia. I also suspect it is just more difficult when there are lots more protections for privacy (like in Australia), here having a national identity number number drives efficiencies in all dealings with the government.

 

[Must...Fly!]

The fact that her practice is not partaking in the vaccine roll out in my eyes is a positive.
Surely since this is a national effort and we have set up Government run Covid clinics why on earth couldn't they have been used as vaccination centres.Wouldn't take too much effort.

They are being used? I thought the respiratory clinics were transitioning in to immunisation clinics.

 

[drron]

Thoughover the years there have been prices Singaporeans have paid that Australians we balked at.I remember our first trip to Singapore when we went with a couple that did medicine with me.It was the early 70s.He was an ABC-Chinese but didn't speak a word of Chinese.We went to the Causeway and saw drug sniffing dogs for the first time and we started taking photos.I was hidden from the view of the Singaporean soldiers whoo approahed my friend with guns drawn only to apologise when I went to his side.
Later in the Singapore General Hospital we were again taking photos of the utter shambles.He was required to delete his photos.I wasn't

 

[dajop]

Thoughover the years there have been prices Singaporeans have paid that Australians we balked at.

Yes agree. But I'd say millenial (and younger) Singaporeans also balk at these as well!

 

[rogerkambah]

Bit O/T but I balked at a recent quote of $5000 to have a 20x7 mm (including margins) skin lesion removed just above my eyebrow. As the procedure was to take an hour the rate was around $50 a minute (although a fair bit of that was actually getting a biopsy done) .
Bit of negotiation and its down to $500 out of pocket after the medicare and healthfund payments.

 

[Flying mermaid]

They are being used? I thought the respiratory clinics were transitioning in to immunisation clinics.

They are in Canberra. The respiratory centre in Gunghalin is where Ms FM is getting her vaccination tomorrow. They now have 3 vaccine clinics and I had a look at the next appointments and they appear to be running every 10 minutes from 8am to 5pm.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Shouldn't we be averaging (at least) 100k jabs a day at a minimum if CSL has a goal of making 1 million units per week and getting to a target of where the Government want to be towards the end of the year?

I still stand by my previous comment that the current roll out is to slow.

 

[jakeseven7]

Shouldn't we be averaging (at least) 100k jabs a day at a minimum if CSL has a goal of making 1 million units per week and getting to a target of where the Government want to be towards the end of the year?

I still stand by my previous comment that the current roll out is to slow.

Local production hasn’t hit the clinics yet.
Only about 20 % of clinics actually have got vaccine to administer right now and the ones who do are only operating at 20% capacity.
Once the local vaccine actually hits the clinics there will be a massive jump in numbers per day.

 

[OZDUCK]

While I am not a fan of the Federal Government to be fair this article on the ABC site does show the sort of supply problems they have been dealing with.

"But Australia's Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly told the ABC the AstraZeneca supplies weren't keeping up with expectations.
"We've had blockages from Europe over this period," he said.
"We expected 3.8 million doses [but] we've received 700,000 and so that is a huge gap."

Europe is furious with the UK over vaccine supplies. So why is Australia being punished?

Europe and the UK are locked in a dispute over COVID-19 vaccine supplies, yet so far Australia remains the only country to have faced an export ban on an expected shipment of AstraZeneca doses.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drron]

Shouldn't we be averaging (at least) 100k jabs a day at a minimum if CSL has a goal of making 1 million units per week and getting to a target of where the Government want to be towards the end of the year?

I still stand by my previous comment that the current roll out is to slow.

They have only released 232000 doses this week so on your reckoning we should be doing 37000 doses a day. But starting tomorrow.

 

[jakeseven7]

Australia passes 500,000 vaccinations

 

[jb747]

Australia passes 500,000 vaccinations

All politicians?

 

[jakeseven7]

All politicians?

I don't believe they have all been done, no

 

[Oneworldplus2]

From a ABC article, the EU has already sent 1 million dose here.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-27/why-is-australia-caught-up-in-europe-uk-vaccine-battle/100032986

The European Union says it has already exported a million vaccine doses to Australia.

That figure is made up of 300,000 Pfizer doses and 700,000 AstraZeneca jabs.

 

[Flying mermaid]

From a ABC article, the EU has already sent 1 million dose here.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-27/why-is-australia-caught-up-in-europe-uk-vaccine-battle/100032986

Which is why we have managed 500,000 vaccinations before the local made vaccine hits the arms. They seem to keep around 50% + in reserve. (Second jabs etc). I don’t believe it all came in one hit - it’s been dribbling in over the last 6 weeks.

Mid April is when we are likely to hit big vaccination levels as the local vaccine should be being used from this week, with more GPs being added each week. My GP doesn’t start until 12 April

 

[Flying mermaid]

Interesting to read about the soft launch in Melbourne for the state-run mass vaccination clinics. Might make a habit of changing my walking route and cruising past toward the end of the day. Who knows, maybe they will just want to pull people off the street instead of throwing any leftover doses in the bin (at least I would hope they would have a way of distributing leftovers instead of disposal)

Ms FM’s 30 year old and very fit and healthy husband just scored a left over jab because he had accompanied her to her vaccination. So it can happen!

 

[Pushka]

Ms FM’s 30 year old and very fit and healthy husband just scored a left over jab because he had accompanied her to her vaccination. So it can happen!

That's fantastic! And great to see the efficiencies.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Ms FM’s 30 year old and very fit and healthy husband just scored a left over jab because he had accompanied her to her vaccination. So it can happen!

That's great news! I'll be 30 in a few weeks - maybe it's the lucky number

The COVID vaccination hub at MCEC has been very quiet - a few people around, but it is certainly not busy. Have spotted the odd police officer walk in and out, so perhaps they are not taking many appointments. Lots of security guards though.

 

[Pushka]

That's great news! I'll be 30 in a few weeks - maybe it's the lucky number

The COVID vaccination hub at MCEC has been very quiet - a few people around, but it is certainly not busy. Have spotted the odd police officer walk in and out, so perhaps they are not taking many appointments. Lots of security guards though.

Maybe worth an Enquiry if they have left over doses to call?