The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[jrfsp]

With many people getting the minimal interval of 3 weeks between doses, will Pfizer protection fade faster in Australia than counties like the UK that had a 8-12 week interval?

I understand why its being done but considering the UK was having case number far exceeding our own and still decided 12 weeks was better.

 

[mviy]

With many people getting the minimal interval of 3 weeks between doses, will Pfizer protection fade faster in Australia than counties like the UK that had a 8-12 week interval?

I understand why its being done but considering the UK was having case number far exceeding our own and still decided 12 weeks was better.

Hopefully boosters will just be one dose, not the two needed for the primary vaccination.

Considering there was very limited supply of Pfizer early in the rollout we should be able to easily manage to do boosters as required with a low volume towards the end of this year scaling up to a larger volume next year.

The TGA and ATAGI can look at data from overseas when examining a booster program and how it will work.

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

Hopefully boosters will just be one dose, not the two needed for the primary vaccination.

Considering there was very limited supply of Pfizer early in the rollout we should be able to easily manage to do boosters as required with a low volume towards the end of this year scaling up to a larger volume next year.

The TGA and ATAGI can look at data from overseas when examining a booster program and how it will work.

from what i have seen i think the boosters will be moderna but thats from places that arent so against mixing. I think part of that match only message has been to stop people moving off AZ once they took one though. hopefully it'll fall off after the initial rounds are done.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Interesting. I think Moderna is only available through pharmacies in SA and has been for a few weeks now to any who want them.

That is/was meant to be the plan.

Unfortunately the Commonwealth In Vic continues to have rolled out approving GP's and Pharmacies at a snails pace.

So we now have the very sad situation in Victoria that the Commonwealth has now allocated more Moderna than it has approved Primary Care locations to vaccinate. This is despite the Commonwealth being in charge of both allocating doses, and administering the Primary Care Channel. So what it should have been capable to have been vaccinating now with, it is not.

Moreso as it is important at present to vaccinate more in suburbs with high case rates, which is the opposite of where the Commonwealth was predominately approving sites.

So with Moderna vaccinations being not able to be achieved by the Commonwealth at a rapid enough rate through its own channel 30K previously and now 88K, this coming weekend, of Moderna has been shifted to the State Channel to be injected as they have the capability to do so.

I believe Moderna being delivered via the State Channel is just a short-term measure while Commonwealth continues to build capacity.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Hopefully boosters will just be one dose, not the two needed for the primary vaccination.

Considering there was very limited supply of Pfizer early in the rollout we should be able to easily manage to do boosters as required with a low volume towards the end of this year scaling up to a larger volume next year.

The TGA and ATAGI can look at data from overseas when examining a booster program and how it will work.

With the confirmed orders of both Pfizer and Moderna for 2022 there should be more than ample doses to boost with either or both. So they will have options.

With Moderna the 2022 order was originally specifically mentioned to be for boosters.

So having enough supply for boosters is the least thing I am concerned about at present in terms of vaccination programs.

 

[ethernet]

Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to be made available for over 60s from tomorrow

Australians over 60 will be able to choose AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna doses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 from tomorrow.

www.abc.net.au

Obviously NSW and Vic's freedom cracks, and uncontrollable outbreaks, combined with rusted-on mindsets, plus supply - overall it makes sense. However as may 55-59yo's know they get nothing for being enforced AZ quotas. Most importantly, have inferior illness protection when we hit 80%. Plus have to foot the bill for boosters for those who got rushed Pfizer barely 3 weeks apart (see Israel dilemma).
Pity he is not politically aware of neglected aged care shots, or those in the 45-59 age groups who have a loved one in storage. I hear nothing of those who won panel contacts, not being fined for non-performance, or being removed from future tenders. I take it, they still pocket the same money? I know one who studied months to get an aged care certificate she she could get Pfizer.

He needs to give AZ some appreciation. I suggest having booster priority, say 3 weeks before their next overseas flight would be a good idea. And pay for 59 yo senior citizen cards where they had AZ has they hit 60.

 

[drron]

That is/was meant to be the plan.

Unfortunately the Commonwealth In Vic continues to have rolled out approving GP's and Pharmacies at a snails pace.

So we now have the very sad situation in Victoria that the Commonwealth has now allocated more Moderna than it has approved Primary Care locations to vaccinate. This is despite the Commonwealth being in charge of both allocating doses, and administering the Primary Care Channel. So what it should have been capable to have been vaccinating now with, it is not.

Moreso as it is important at present to vaccinate more in suburbs with high case rates, which is the opposite of where the Commonwealth was predominately approving sites.

So with Moderna vaccinations being not able to be achieved by the Commonwealth at a rapid enough rate through its own channel 30K previously and now 88K, this coming weekend, of Moderna has been shifted to the State Channel to be injected as they have the capability to do so.

I believe Moderna being delivered via the State Channel is just a short-term measure while Commonwealth continues to build capacity.

So what is the problem in Victoria with the GP channels and Pharmacies.The pharmac_ Guild and AMA are strongly in favour of their members vaccinating.As far as I am aware no other State is having that problem.So just why is it a problem in Victoria.I can't see it just as a Commonwealth government problem.

 

[Pushka]

Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to be made available for over 60s from tomorrow

Australians over 60 will be able to choose AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna doses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 from tomorrow.

www.abc.net.au

Obviously NSW and Vic's freedom cracks, and uncontrollable outbreaks, combined with rusted-on mindsets, plus supply - overall it makes sense. However as may 55-59yo's know they get nothing for being enforced AZ quotas. Most importantly, have inferior illness protection when we hit 80%. Plus have to foot the bill for boosters for those who got rushed Pfizer barely 3 weeks apart (see Israel dilemma).
Pity he is not politically aware of neglected aged care shots, or those in the 45-59 age groups who have a loved one in storage. I hear nothing of those who won panel contacts, not being fined for non-performance, or being removed from future tenders. I take it, they still pocket the same money? I know one who studied months to get an aged care certificate she she could get Pfizer.

He needs to be giving AZ some appreciation. I suggest having booster priority, say 3 weeks before their next overseas flight would be a good idea. And pay for 59 yo senior citizen cards where they had AZ has they hit 60.

Well, other states have done this a few weeks ago so not sure what Hunt had to do with it.

 

[OZDUCK]

I am not fully over the details but there are reports in the local morning paper that the Commonwealth has so far only approved 400 GP's out of the 700 who routinely deliver vaccinations to be able to give Covid vaccines. On the face of it this seems to be the same state of affairs that lovetravellingoz outlined.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So what is the problem in Victoria with the GP channels and Pharmacies.The pharmac_ Guild and AMA are strongly in favour of their members vaccinating.As far as I am aware no other State is having that problem.So just why is it a problem in Victoria.

It is not just the case in Victoria in terms of GP's and Pharmacists.

NSW has the highest ratio, then Qld.

The other jurisdictions including Victoria are all much lower.



I think that the problem is more noticeable in Vic at present as Moderna is meant to be through Pharmacists and the rollout of Pharmacists in Vic has been even slower than the rollout in GPs. So with Moderna meant to only be delivered through Phramcists, then any bottleneck there becomes obvious.

There is also most likely more demand than in the other jurisdications apart from NSW and ACT due the current state surge, and secondly specific to Pharmacies that in the main Vic that the many added only been added over the last week, and more over the coming fortnight.

Though again, having more open earlier would probably have led to more AZ having been used as not everyone want to get vaccinated at a state hub. To offset this the Vic Channel has been making more and more use of pop-ups located locally at schools, religious sites, council buildings etc.

I can't see it just as a Commonwealth government problem.

Good question. The Commonwealth administers this channel and tend to say little.

The original plan by the Commonwealth was meant to be 25% of vaccinations via the Jurisdiction Chanel and 75 % Primary Channel.
Most jurisdictions are not near this.

Yes the Pharmacists wanted to start vaccinating long ago in Vic. Many are chains are work in multiple states.
The Commonwealth approves and administers them. So more Pharmacists should have been easy.

The Commonwealth also decides which GP/Pharmacists get what amount of doses per location. The Vic Gov had requested they focus on the LGA's with highest cases and lowest vaccination rates. Prior to this the Commonwealth had focussed more on suburbs with an older age demographic ( this tends to be more affluent suburbs and the regions, and is one reason why the regions have a higher vaccination rate

In August Frewen stated that they were pausing adding more primary care locations in Vic so that they could concentrate on adding more in Sydney. And yes while Sydney did have a case surge it already had a well established GP Channel, and along with Qld a growing pharmac_ Channel. Vic was of the big 3 states the last to get Pharmacists added.

As you are a doctor you probably would have a better insight that myself as to why the the Commonwealth did not add more GP's more quickly in Victoria as well in the other jurisdictions besides NSW and QLD, and if there are any state specific reasons why more GP's were not approved. If there was some regional issue causing a problem, then the Commonwealth really needed to get on top of whatever the issues were and overcome them.

With my parent's doctor, he was not approved to quite late in the timeline for GPs. When I became due my GP was not approved and so I booked into a GP (A GPRC) that was. My GP practice wanted to be approved, but were not early on.

Recently the Vic Gov has announced grants to GPs and Pharmacists in the hotspots that can be used to pay staff or to rent extra premises to assist in speeding up the Primary Care Channel.



In the Commonwealth Aged Care and Disability Chanel today the doses delivered were +3,026 in NSW and +827 in Vic
987,921 is the running national total. Back in June doses in this channel were pro-rata by jurisdiction. Whereas today it is 464,237 in Victoria and 180,692 in Vic. That is a pretty massive swing over two months from prorata distribution to a massive imbalance.

 

[drron]

Well I know that in Tas and SA pharmacies are already dispensing Moderna so what is the difference with Vic pharmacies.The pharmac_ Guild is chomping at the bit.

Do the Commonwealth jabs to indigenous people come under the disablity numbers.If so the reason for more jabs is probably that in NSW there is a real push on to vaccinate the indigenous population.As I have related before a friend is a nurse working through the Commonwealth on vaccinations.She has already been in Broken hill a few weeks and will be there until at least Christmas vaccinating the indigenous population.It will probably include some resident in SA but closer to Broken Hill than Adelaide.

 

[Lynda2475]

Interesting. I think Moderna is only available through pharmacies in SA and has been for a few weeks now to any who want them.

To my knowledge Victoria is the only state to be given Moderna doses for state hubs. The distribution plan published by the feds had no Moderna going to any other channel other than Pharmacies.

Certain people here attacked me months ago when I said that state hubs should also get a Moderna allocation, given their reach and popularity. Funny they seem them to have gone quiet now (because they live in the state that gets special Moderna access).

FYI most who have had Pfizer in NSW have had doses 3 weeks apart, the stretching to 6 weeks never happened in GP channel and only temporarily at some hubs, there has been lots of ability to bring forward second dose back to 3 weeks.

If you have had zero doses the fastest way to full vaccination in NSW remains Pfizer (3 weeks) then Moderna at 4 weeks, then AZ which can be as short as 4 weeks, but is 6 -8 weeks for most.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Youngest daughter is just back from getting her second AZ dose at Sandown Racecourse (A state hub) and she confirmed that Moderna is on offer there today along with Pfizer and AZ. It is in a small separate building.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

To my knowledge Victoria is the only state to be given Moderna doses for state hubs. The distribution plan published by the feds had no Moderna going to any other channel other than Pharmacies.

You seem to think that the need to have done this a good thing.

This is only being done temporarily due to the Commonwealth bungling their rollout.

As stated already there is only temporary access in Victoria at a very small number of State Hubs and Pops ups to deliver Moderna due the Commonwealth not managing its channel well enough.

Once the Commonwealth gets its act together Moderna will go back to just being through the intended channel of Pharmacies.

The certification to vaccinate is not universal. Monash Health had some staff certified to do Moderna and this is one reason why they can deliver it.

Much of the Moderna that will go through the state channel actually will be delivered by local pop ups. Local also being the advantahe that Pharmacies have.

Certain people here attacked me months ago when I said that state hubs should also get a Moderna allocation, given their reach and popularity. Funny they seem them to have gone quiet now (because they live in the state that gets special Moderna access).

Special access? So a delay in vaccinating people is now somehow special?

The alternative was to leave it sitting in fridges.

88,000 doses being delivered a fortnight later than they should have is not what I would think of as "special" access, but it is better than waiting yet another fortnight, on top of the fortnight already wasted, for the Commonwealth to have delivered them into arms which was the alternative to not shifting them across to the state hubs .

I would 100% prefer to not have a pharmac_ Moderna delivery problem, and to not have needed Moderna to be given through the state channel.


NSW has enjoyed the great advantage of having a vast number of GP's and now Pharmacists approved and able to vaccinate both with Pfizer and AZ. This has been very beneficial with some demographics and cultural groups in particular. Plus with the elderly. I just wish the Commonwealth had prorata delivered the same number of GPs and Pharmacies in Victoria. That would then be a more efficient vaccination system.

You get a better coverage when you have all channels up and running adequately. I look forward greatly to the Commonwealth having adequate coverage in the Primary Care Channel and in the Commonwealth being able to deliver Moderna.

 

[jakeseven7]

Breaking: Australia set to announce national ‘no jab, no pay’ law for all health workers​

Australia is set to announce new “no jab, no pay” rules for all health workers in a move that is set to inflame tensions with anti-vaxxers.

The Prime Minister will discuss the issue at Friday’s national cabinet amid calls for a national approach to the controversial ban on unvaccinated workers.

News.com.au understands the new national definition will include public hospitals, ambulance services, private hospitals, GPs, private nurse offices and consulting offices.

Even pharmacies and private pathology centres will be covered by the new requirements that all health workers are vaccinated.

The rules will also apply to student nurses and doctors on work experience placements and Defence Department health services.

More to come.

Australia to announce ‘no jab, no pay’ rules

Australia is set to announce new “no jab, no pay” rules for all health workers in a move that is set to inflame tensions with anti-vaxxers.

www.news.com.au

 

[Lynda2475]

Special access? So a delay in vaccinating people is now somehow special?

Vic residents can access Moderna at State Hubs, so that is special access that no other jurisdiction has the ability to utilise, everyone else has to hunt down a participating pharmac_. Making it easier to get a preferred vaccine is hardly a delay, its actually faster because a better option of hub is vailable.

Plus with the elderly.

LoL the elderly have been eligible for a shot since March and most were jabbed before Pharmacies even came onboard as a delivery channel. Now you are just making things up.

Pharmacies have never been a key channel for the elderly.

 

[mviy]

90.1% of 65-69 have had their first dose. Every age group 65-69 and up except 95+ has gone past 90%. 95+ is at 89.3% and still climbing.

40-44 has reached 80% first dose. Every age group 40-44 and up has reached 80% first dose except 45-49 (78%).

VIC reached 80% first dose for 16+ on yesterday's numbers released today.

VIC should go past 50% fully vaccinated for 16+ and 90% first dose for 50+ when today's numbers are released tomorrow.

50.43% of 12-15 year olds in NSW have had their first dose and 43% in VIC.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

LoL the elderly have been eligible for a shot since March and most were jabbed before Pharmacies even came onboard as a delivery channel. Now you are just making things up.

Which of the following points on why some of the elderly have been waiting to get vaccinated have I made up?

1/ There are people over 60 who have been waiting for access to mRNA vaccines. People who succumbed to the fearmongering over AZ peddled by some.

Now this has been granted yes you will find people over 60 now at both Pharmacies and GPs in the Primary Care Channel booking in or walking in to get Moderna or Pfizer depending on whether it is a pharmac_ or GP.

Mr Hunt said he understands there may be about 300,000 older Australians who were waiting to be vaccinated due to hesitancy over receiving the AstraZeneca jab.​

Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to be made available for over 60s from tomorrow

Australians over 60 will be able to choose AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna doses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 from tomorrow.

www.abc.net.au

2/ In the main hotspots of Melbourne (as well as say indigenous communities in various locations within Australia) there are elderly people often with language difficulties and/or or various cultural/religious or economic reasons who would not go to large state hubs, or travel to other suburbs for vaccinations. The recent pop-ups have helped, but what is still most needed are local GPs and Pharmacists which in Melbourne unfortunately the Commonwealth Channel has only but recently started to approve in any significant way in their local suburb.

Language barriers are also a reason and many elderly (and indeed younger as well) people who cannot speak, english, or cannot speak it well are much more likely to get vaccinated when the pharmacist, nurse, doctor is from the same ethnic or religious cohort.



Getting as many people as possible vaccinated is not just about people being eligible to get vaccinated. It is also about equitable and culturally appropriate access. Local access is a key part of this. Vaccination rates have greatly increased in the main hotspots suburbs of Melbourne over the last month as all of these factors are being addressed. If the Primary Care Channel had also been ramped up in these hotspots the rates achieved would have been higher again. The hotspots suburbs of Sydney have also clearly shown this approach is what is required, and moreso as unlike in Melbourne the Commonwealth ramped up the Primary Care Channel in those suburbs.

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My patients in Melbourne tell me how they caught Covid, and the reasons leave me sad and frustrated​

Dr Kate Gregorevic, who is a doctor at a Melbourne hospital​

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The impact of poverty on health has always been obvious to me, now maybe it will be obvious to everyone else​

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When I do my ward round on my patients with Covid, I don’t ask them why they aren’t vaccinated. I don’t ask them how they caught Covid. My role is to provide caring, compassionate non-judgmental care. But sometimes people tell me unprompted and the reasons leave me feeling sad and frustrated for the inequality in our health system.​

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Many of my patients don’t speak much English, and since I am monolingual, we rely on phone calls with family members to help us communicate. We always ask how everyone else in the household is. One patient told me they live with seven people and all have Covid. In our hospital, there are multiple families with more than one person who has been admitted.​

All my patients are eligible for the vaccine – some have been eligible for months. The majority have had no doses, with few having had one dose. They are not anti-vaxxers. Many want to know how long after they recover until they can get vaccinated. Some already had made a vaccine appointment which did not come in time. The reasons for not getting vaccinated are varied, but all are upsetting. Some tell me they had conflicting information from healthcare practitioners, some tell me that they thought it was OK to wait. Some people are homeless.​

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For people who speak a language other than English, have low literacy and irregular shift work, the barriers to vaccination have been insurmountable. A policy that does not account for barriers to healthcare is a form of discrimination. So many people in hospital with Covid are from non-English speaking backgrounds, and this is a tragic failure of accessible health advice.​

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My patients in Melbourne tell me how they caught Covid, and the reasons leave me sad and frustrated | Kate Gregorevic

The impact of poverty on health has always been obvious to me, now maybe it will be obvious to everyone else

www.theguardian.com

 

[Oneworldplus2]

With many people getting the minimal interval of 3 weeks between doses, will Pfizer protection fade faster in Australia than counties like the UK that had a 8-12 week interval?

From what l've read/heard, the longer you wait between jabs, the more effective the vaccination is.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

More on the vaccination differences between LGAs in Victoria.

Stark divide: disadvantaged areas of Victoria have worst Covid vaccination rates | Victoria | The Guardian

Age, disadvantage and reduced access are mixing together in lower socio-economic areas to create a perfect Covid coughtail

amp.theguardian.com