The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[drron]

Plus Israel also agreed to supply the medical data of all those who had their vaccine to Pfizer. I doubt many of those saying we should have been like Israel would like their medical data handed to Pfizer.

 

[Lynda2475]

I doubt many of those saying we should have been like Israel would like their medical data handed to Pfizer

That wasn't a factor on the speed of rollout once they had the vaccines, only on them to be able to source them.

My point is about how efficiently the doses we actually received (as opposed to have ordered) are being used and imo ours aren't because we are sticking with a old plan by continuing to use Pfizer in aged care when they could switch to AZ freeing up Pfizer doses for under 50s workers in 1A and 1B that are more directly exposed to covid cases.

Also, on Q&A last night it was pointed out that Pfizer approached Australia last July, but we dragged our feet and didn't commit to any orders with them until Nov, we were banking way too much on AZ because of CSL was onshore (and cheaper).

 

[jakeseven7]

Doesn't really matter know as all the vaccines that Australia has in bulk, AZ and Pfizer are both linked now to clotting events.

So people are just going to have to accept the minuscule risk and get it, or don't and risk getting covid when we open up the borders.

 

[Toula92122]

I don't think thousands of athletes getting vaccinated is going to make a material impact on the speed of a rollout where several times that are vaccinated each week.

I fully expect that certainly by the time we get to 2B (if not before) that professional athletes in general may well get priority e.g. footy players, cricketers, netball players etc. The financial impact of any disruption to professional sport is significant.

I don't see any reason why sports people of any ilk should be able to jump the queue. Who cares if professional sports comes to an end, I know I don't. So what if they lose their livelihood because a big part of the population seems ok with others not being able to earn an income. As for the Olympics, yet another waste of taxpayer funds and don't believe they should be queue jumping either. Of course they will all be allowed to get back into Oz despite limits on incoming passengers.

 

[mviy]

Everyone has different opinions on what is important to them. To me getting myself vaccinated and being allowed to travel overseas where I want to go and to come home when I want to (even if I need to do hotel quarantine) is my number 1 priority with the vaccine rollout, but to the government I'm in 2B and thus near the bottom of their priorities to get the vaccine.

Those making decisions have to decide what's in the best interests of the country as a whole. A range of factors go into those decisions and some decisions are going to disappoint some and please others.

 

[NM]

That wasn't a factor on the speed of rollout once they had the vaccines, only on them to be able to source them.

It was a major factor in the availability of the vaccine for Israel.

 

[Lynda2475]

It was a major factor in the availability of the vaccine for Israel.

Yes but you are missing the point.

Two things lead to efficient vaccination:
1. The speed at which you can acquire the vaccine ( aka sourcing).
2. The pace at which you administer the vaccines you have received (the delivery/roll-out)

Israel (and many other countries) not shown on the chart have outperformed us on both points 1 and 2.

Some of the fulfilment delays are out of our control but we were slow to decide where to diversify.

However, having an efficient distribution plan, people and syringes to administer the shots and clear communications was foreseeable and entirely within Australia's control.

My main gripe is that we have a lot of vaccine already here not yet put into arms,

 

[Lynda2475]

We fact checked Scott Morrison's claim Australia was outperforming other countries with its vaccination rollout. Here's what we found

The Prime Minister defends the Government's record, claiming Australia outperformed Germany, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan at the same stage of their vaccination rollouts. RMIT ABC Fact Check puts Mr Morrison's assertions to the test.

www.abc.net.au

The above supports the cherry picking of comparisons and also agrees are misleading.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I am not interested in sport and don’t watch the Olympics. I also feel frontline workers deserve protection ahead of sportspeople. However it would be quite an interesting and useful piece of information to send off a fully vaccinated group of around 1,000 people into what looks like being a fairly problematic environment and see how many come back with Covid and how infectious they are.

 

[RooFlyer]

Sure it was - no agreement to hand over data, no supply. No agreement - a very slow roll-out.

 

[jonboixxx]

This is another graph I like. It has the 37 OECD countries plus others, on a log scale.

As best I can see, it is not misleading, not too selective, non Govt-conspiratorial, non-partisan, non-controversial, ABC fact-check friendly, Israel-inclusive and vegan.

For me it shows;
1. A similar curve to most of the comparative countries, from our later, safer start date.
2. If countries continue to track at a similar rate, a lot will be considering opening international borders at a similar time.

 

[RAM]

I don't think thousands of athletes getting vaccinated is going to make a material impact on the speed of a rollout where several times that are vaccinated each week.

I fully expect that certainly by the time we get to 2B (if not before) that professional athletes in general may well get priority e.g. footy players, cricketers, netball players etc. The financial impact of any disruption to professional sport is significant.

If that were only the case.

With first hand knowledge of the AOC & its 'modus operandi' - there are typically 3 to 4 non-athletes for every athlete. Some are indeed coaches, physios, sports med etc but the majority are the 'snouts in trough brigade'.

If you ever come across the book by two UK investigative journalists "Lords of the Rings: Money, corruption, politics" (I think those were the three issues highlighted) - BUY it. Virtually nothing has changed since then (as keeps getting revealed every so often).

For example at Sydney 2000, of the 1,600 (I think it was the capacity) seats for Table Tennis (who knew so popular) - 1,586 were reserved for every period for IOC 'snouts' & 14 open to the public lottery. None of those 1.586 were for coaches, physios etc - all for the snouts. Coaches etc were only allowed access to the change rooms.

However given that the Fed Govt has around 500,000 Pfizer doses available for injection but not yet injected before this weeks 130K dose batch - it would only make a difference if the two private sector companies running the Aged & Disability Care rollout actually got their act in order. As of early last week on 35% of Aged care residents had received their 1st dose & under 20% their second. Virtually zero workers.

These were ALL to be vaccinated by Week 6 according to both Hunt & Scomo. That was the Friday before the 35% figure was reached.

There has been no delay in Pfizer deliveries - regular as a Singapore Airlines' weekly A350 flight into Sydney.

 

[RAM]

View attachment 245177

Sure it was - no agreement to hand over data, no supply. No agreement - a very slow roll-out.

NZ did not agree to hand over the data and from start to finish their negotiations took a little over a week from start to finish it was reported. Some weeks before Australia dealt with Pfizer. That's why NZ is receiving their doses at 3x the proportion of the contracted volume vs Australia.

A bit like the issue with AZ and the UK vs EU dose supply.

NZ have adopted a very different rollout method vs Australia - not outsourced & put army in charge of logistics of rollout & some security (escorting vaccine transportation). No private sector out-sourcing

Phase 1 - CV facing Border & Managed Quarantine workers (of all types - medical, police, army, hotel staff, security staff etc) - started Feb 19th with 25 DoH staff injecting each other under supervision for training & they then went on to train over another 800 in the next two weeks meanwhile going to workplaces for border & MQ workers to do on-site vaccinations.

Phase 2 - all household contacts, close family of phase 1 (due to start around March 13th (I think it was), started earlier on March 9th. Established mass sites in area(s) where most of families/household contacts living (predominently South Auckland close to Mangere Airport).

Phase 3 - Rest of Border & health & emergency services etc staff....

Issues they've faced - less than 1% refusals but of those (last declared at 31 I think) worked for one firm providing security at one MQ hotel. Ardern, when alerted, provided an ultimatum. Not seen any update since then.

 

[jonboixxx]

That's why NZ is receiving their doses at 3x the proportion of the contracted volume vs Australia.

I hadn't been following NZ. Is there a reason why their rollout is so slow?

 

[RooFlyer]

I hadn't been following NZ. Is there a reason why their rollout is so slow?

According to @RAM :

NZ have adopted a very different rollout method vs Australia - not outsourced & put army in charge of logistics of rollout & some security (escorting vaccine transportation). No private sector out-sourcing

 

[jonboixxx]

According to @RAM :

To be honest, who has the time?

 

[DC3]

... looks like all the athletes going off to the Olympics and their support staff will be jumping the queue ...

Yes. More queue jumpers.

 

[DC3]

... However it would be quite an interesting and useful piece of information to send off a fully vaccinated group of around 1,000 people into what looks like being a fairly problematic environment and see how many come back with Covid and how infectious they are.

Another batch of guinea pigs for our leaders to watch.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Another batch of guinea pigs for our leaders to watch.

Well if they are going to go there may as well be something useful come out of it......

 

[Princess Fiona]

The TGA has issued a statement tonight that the third Australian case is likely linked to the AZ vaccine. TGA
The patient received the vaccine just prior to the govt changing the recommendations to not give AZ to under 50s.

There is more public scrutiny on this rollout than any other aspect of medical treatments/ vaccines/ procedures which may cause harm.
My condolences to the family of the woman who died. I hope that we can move forward as a nation to restore public confidence in our program and have as many of us safely vaccinated as possible.