The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[Lynda2475]

Easier to read version of the decision tweets:

Thread by @peripatetical on Thread Reader App

@peripatetical: OK, has been a long week but will try to explain the ATAGI statement published tonight health.gov.au/news/atagi-sta… Like with all medical treatments, when we have a choice we need to consider the ri...…

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[Pushka]

Well I for one am happy that I have got my first jab. And the fact it is AZ is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned. The only advantage Pfizer has for me is that it is done and dusted in 3 weeks, not 12.

In my job and leisure time I have the potential to be exposed to all sorts of nasties. So I will take any vaccine I can get. Such a small risk of a clot barely raises an eyebrow for me.

I am reminded of when I first went for my various travel vaccines - yellow fever and the like: The doctor was putting little stickers all over my yellow vaccination record card. I asked what I would win if I filled in every square. His deadpan response: “You won’t die!”

I just felt a great sense of relief as a small step towards normality. Agree re the time gap. Too easy for people to drift away in between.

Post automatically merged: Apr 9, 2021

Those most at risk - front liners etc, have Pfizer, all good. About 3.5 million more of these are already on order. Not enough, sure, but will cover many more of those most at risk.

The next at risk - the seniors and older people with underlying medical conditions can safely get AZ, - all good.

Those at much lesser risk of getting seriously ill with COVID - under 50s, may have to wait a little longer OR, taking the risks as they are measured and in comparison with equivalent or greater medical and other risks they accept every day, they can opt for AZ.

The sky isn't falling, folks, nor is there some sinister gov'mint conspiracy to ... well, I don't know what the conspiracy could possibly be. Like most conspiracy theories, the rationale is not readily apparent.

As for waiting longer - there is little or no covid in the community in Australia AND if you think you are going to be able to safely travel overseas this year (other than a few bubble countries), I reckon you are dreaming, and not only from insurance and government (ours or theirs) travel restrictions points of view. Just be thankful that we are in one of the safest countries on earth.

Oh - just a thought. I wonder where those who were complaining that the roll-out was all too slow are at? Can you imagine the howls if the government had super rushed the roll-out (if there was suppy, which there hasn't been), gave everyone the AZ and then announced this? Wah! They didn't do enough research! Wah! Our health is at risk!

Honestly - would not have made any difference if we’d gone faster. Risk is so very minuscule.

 

[Lynda2475]

Those most at risk - front liners etc, have Pfizer, all good.

The main challenge here is getting these most at risk done in a timely manner, by diverting quite a bit of the Pfizer to aged care facilities (who should really get AZ) we have seen gaps and delays with those who are more directly exposed to Covid risk (i.e. health care workers treating Covid patients) getting their 2 Pfizer shots.

I cite the case I advised last week of a ICU nurse I know who works with Covid patients at Concord Hospital ( 99.9% of which are overseas arrivals) who has been given her first Pfizer dose in last week of March but was not offered an appointment for her second shot until September ( grosly outside the 3 week window)!!

It appears the appointments aren't being properly managed, she knows fire fighters and cops who have no dealings with covid positive people who have been given earlier appointments because 1B started before 1A was completed. Now this would have been ok if 1B only started with AZ not by using Pfizer doses which should have gone to 1a workers first.

But I otherwise mostly agree with your post.

I personally will be waiting for Pfizer rather than risking AZ because we don't have community cases here, and like you I don't believe travel to the places I want to go to will be an options until all adults have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. I wont travel internationally until affordable insurance will cover me for Covid interruptions and illness,

 

[burmans]

Nice curve forming there.

Improving definitely but you would have to think yesterday’s news would put a bit of a brake on that for a while.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Improving definitely but you would have to think yesterday’s news would put a bit of a brake on that for a while.

Plenty of over 50s still to go but they might need to open it to 2A sooner than planned.....

 

[jonboixxx]

I am curious as to the criticisms of the rollout. Let's face it, if the whole country was vaccinated by the end of the year, we still would not be travelling OS as we know it. If the government is making decisions, under pressure, on the basis of risk of say 5 per million, what do you think their "medically advised" decision will be on allowing global travel, which will be much more "risky" for a long time?
I talk to so many people that believe the vaccine is a panacea for return to normal, who don't understand efficacy or effectiveness of vaccination. Yes, you may still catch COVID but in a group of vaccinated there is an up to 90% (Pfizer) reduction in disease cases. Risk is by definition, relative.

 

[jonboixxx]

Improving definitely but you would have to think yesterday’s news would put a bit of a brake on that for a while.

Yes it will for a bit, until supply policy is reworked. Fortunately, we have time on our side as no-one is going anywhere (except NZ) for a long time while many of our favourite places are still zooming up the morbidity and mortality charts. Time will provide us a great spectator seat to vaccine effectiveness (cf efficacy) as it rolls out OS while we chip away at the problems affecting our rollout.

 

[jonboixxx]

NSW has reportedly paused AZ vaccinations until informed consent advice has been updated.

 

[auriga]

The govt needs to get more Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, ASAP.

For me, even if Novavax is approved, I am not going to be confident about it. It has not been widely used anywhere, so who is to say they are not going to discover something. Definitely cannot be compared to Pfizer/Moderna vax.

Honestly ask yourself, if you are given the chance to freely choose any vaccine, which one will you pick?

 

[mviy]

I want to get Pfizer primarily because of the shorter wait between the first and second dose. The risks from the AZ vaccine are acceptable to me if it would make the difference between being able to travel or not.

 

[jonboixxx]

The govt needs to get more Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, ASAP.

For me, even if Novavax is approved, I am not going to be confident about it. It has not been widely used anywhere, so who is to say they are not going to discover something. Definitely cannot be compared to Pfizer/Moderna vax.

Honestly ask yourself, if you are given the chance to freely choose any vaccine, which one will you pick?

AZ, already had my first.

 

[RooFlyer]

The govt needs to get more Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, ASAP.

Done. See post below.

Honestly ask yourself, if you are given the chance to freely choose any vaccine, which one will you pick?

Honestly, I would choose the first available one that’s reasonably effective and safe for me. Like AZ, which is what’s going to happen tomorrow.

Just a question, though. Do you ( or others here) get the annual flu vaccine? Or any other vaccine, for that matter, If so, did you know the side-effects and risks of the vaccine you got? Did you choose to get a particular vaccine because you knew or suspected or has been told or heard a rumour that one was better than the other?

 

[desafinado74]

The entire vaccine rollout appears a shambles. The federal government should have under promised and over delivered. (The October deadline is now coming back to bite the Federal government)

Australia is falling so far behind other countries such as the US, UK, etc it is not funny at all. (I have friends in their mid 40s in these countries and Singapore etc and they have all received their jabs already )I am also still perplexed in why mass vaccination centres have never been used like many other countries.

And why isn't the government ordering the J&J vaccine ?
It only requires one shot and it does not need special storage facilities.

 

[Pushka]

Just announced more Pfizer orders but can’t see details yet.

 

[nickykim]

The next at risk - the seniors and older people with underlying medical conditions can safely get AZ, - all good.

...but is it actually safe for 60+ with underlying medical conditions? I am just 60 and participating in a drug trial for metastatic triple negative breast cancer at present. Each of the immunotherapy drugs I am receiving includes a warming regarding platelet related thrombosis as a rare side effect. I am uncomfortable adding to this risk until more specific information is available. I won’t have to make that decision immediately though. While my GP rang to say they now have AZ available, the supervising oncologist wants me to be immunised during a specific period of of the 21 day treatment cycle. So it is today or 30 April. Which gives me plenty of time to see what is going on and make an informed decision.

 

[RooFlyer]

The govt needs to get more Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, ASAP.

20 million extra doses ordered, bringing total of Pfizer to 40 million. All this year.

Is that ok?

 

[Flying mermaid]

NSW has reportedly paused AZ vaccinations until informed consent advice has been updated.

Just a temporary halt - ABC is reporting it has resumed.

they will have 40 million doses of Pfizer in Australia by the end of the year.

 

[RooFlyer]

..but is it actually safe for 60+ with underlying medical conditions?

The expert medical advice is in general yes. Those with underlying medical conditions have been advised to seek their GPs advice.

. Which gives me plenty of time to see what is going on and make an informed decision

Excellent,that’s just as it should be. In the absence of community transmission, the risk to you or me or anyone else is still very very low.

 

[jonboixxx]

The entire vaccine rollout has been a shambles. No wonder Scomo has been taking a beating in the polls. (Not to mention the ridiculous caps for expats and other international arrivals and refusal to allow home quarantine and expanding quarantine facilities) Scomo should have under promise and over deliver. (The October deadline is now coming back to bite the Federal government)

Australia is falling so far behind other countries such as the US, UK, etc it is not funny at all. (I have friends in their mid 40s in these countries and Singapore etc and they have all received their jabs already )I am also still perplexed in why mass vaccination centres have never been used like many other countries.

And why isn't the government ordering the J&J vaccine ?
It only requires one shot and it does not need special storage facilities.

What's the rush? No-one is going anywhere for a long time while numbers look like this;

Worldwide cases

132,975,564

Increase

557,147

Worldwide deaths

2,886,571

Increase

14,133

This is the comparison table that I am happy that Australia is languishing at the bottom of.
And the only COVID we have, is that which we are importing.
With the extra vaccine supply announced today, we may even have everyone done by the end of the year.

 

[Pushka]

With the extra vaccine supply announced today, we may even have everyone done by the end of the year.

The huge advantage of 3 weeks between vaccines.