The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[Lynda2475]

There is actually quite a lot of available AZ for over 50s and more piling up every day - that is why National Cabinet proposed allowing anyone over 50 to get vaccine now, as better in arms than on a shelf. Just look online very easy to get a AZ appointment the same day.

The big difficulty is for those who need Pfizer.

 

[jakeseven7]

There is actually quite a lot of available AZ for over 50s and more piling up every day

Not in the right places, unfortunately - hence why they are bringing people in the fix the logistics and supply chain component.

We have huge GP clinics in vulnerable areas that are still on 50 a week! 50. Insane.

They go through that in approximately 10 minutes with the amount of doctors and nurses they have.

Ridiculous.

Meanwhile some of the respiratory clinics are swimming in it.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Not in the right places, unfortunately - hence why they are bringing people in the fix the logistics and supply chain component.

We have huge GP clinics in vulnerable areas that are still on 50 a week! 50. Insane.

They go through that in approximately 10 minutes with the amount of doctors and nurses they have.

Ridiculous.

Meanwhile some of the respiratory clinics are swimming in it.

Yes agree. As I said there are some locations who can inject more but are limited by the daily doses that they are currently receiving.

For example the Vic Gov has applied to the Feds to allow it to transfer some its current allocation for this fortnight to GP Clinics. This is to get it into more arms.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Just on the supply shortage to GP Clinics:

This pop-up mass vaccination clinic is ready to go. There's just one catch

A GP clinic in Melbourne set up a self-funded mass vaccination clinic in an empty retail space, next door. It was full on the first day, but now it's barely being used.

www.abc.net.au

Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout keeps GPs at the centre, but dose supply remains an issue​

​

Melbourne doctor Shea Wilcox estimates he could be vaccinating at least 200 people a day but, instead, the mass vaccination clinic he set up himself sits empty most of the time.

The Brunswick East GP has been battling hard to get his hands on enough AstraZeneca doses.

He has been receiving 100 doses a fortnight, a figure well short of both his estimated capacity and community demand.

"First of all, we ran through all our vaccines on the first day," he said.

"The demand is huge, however we cannot get the vaccine doses that we need."

Dr Wilcox said many GPs set up vaccination facilities some time ago, anticipating a major role in Australia's vaccination rollout only to find themselves hamstrung by dose supply.

"It's not a lack of people available to give a dose that's the issue," he said.

“There just doesn’t seem to be any vaccine dosages around. It’s frustrating”​

 

[jakeseven7]

Just on the supply shortage to GP Clinics:

This pop-up mass vaccination clinic is ready to go. There's just one catch

A GP clinic in Melbourne set up a self-funded mass vaccination clinic in an empty retail space, next door. It was full on the first day, but now it's barely being used.

www.abc.net.au

Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout keeps GPs at the centre, but dose supply remains an issue​

​

Melbourne doctor Shea Wilcox estimates he could be vaccinating at least 200 people a day but, instead, the mass vaccination clinic he set up himself sits empty most of the time.

The Brunswick East GP has been battling hard to get his hands on enough AstraZeneca doses.

He has been receiving 100 doses a fortnight, a figure well short of both his estimated capacity and community demand.

"First of all, we ran through all our vaccines on the first day," he said.

"The demand is huge, however we cannot get the vaccine doses that we need."

Dr Wilcox said many GPs set up vaccination facilities some time ago, anticipating a major role in Australia's vaccination rollout only to find themselves hamstrung by dose supply.

One of our large GP clinic tenders has the capacity to do 600-900+ a day (with extended hours) and they are on 50 a week.

It's a giant logistical mess in the backend.

Meanwhile down the road at the designated respiratory clinic - crickets, because no one knows about them / wants to go there. They don't want to go and see strangers who are just going to jab them.

They want to go to their doctor, especially with all the news on AZ and Pfizer clotting events.

 

[OATEK]

First shot of AZ done - 2nd booked for 13/7.

 

[Must...Fly!]

So it seems to be - the GPs need them and the respiratory clinics don't. Yet we are seeing lots of states arrange for mass vaccination clinics in their capitals.

So the respiratory clinics are a halfway house that just don't work, apparently. Not big enough to get attention, too big to be trusted by those that need the vaccine now...odd state of affairs.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So it seems to be - the GPs need them and the respiratory clinics don't. Yet we are seeing lots of states arrange for mass vaccination clinics in their capitals.

So the respiratory clinics are a halfway house that just don't work, apparently. Not big enough to get attention, too big to be trusted by those that need the vaccine now...odd state of affairs.

Well in Vic at least on the centres you will know more after Weds (though give it a week or so to settle down), as that is when the new ones open and the ones that were put on "pause" for some people re-open to those people and also it is from when who can get AZ in Vic is expanded as well.

As I noted earlier though the Vic Gov due to the pause wanted the Feds to approve for this fortnight some of the Vic allocated AZ doses to be allowed to be used by GP Clinics who were asking for more supply.

It will be interesting to see what doses are injected next week. But supply to GP clinics remains a problem for a bit yet. Solve that and Vaccinations will increase.

 

[Lynda2475]

I dont think you can draw conclusion that mass vaccination centers aren't wanted or needed, not everyone has a GP or wants to be put on the books of a random practice just to get a vaccine that they have zero intention of ever visiting again.

Every time the Prime Minister speaks he only mentions GPs, leaves too many thinking its the only option (and unfortunately has been the only option, until states insisted on change in last week).

The access to respiratory clinics and mass vaccination centres differs by state. For example in Victoria until this week some centres have been restricted to frontline workers. The reason its changing is because many other people do in fact want to use those centrally located facilities not go hunting for a GP in the burbs.

Better publicity is needed to direct more people to the centers who have the doses already and staff on hand ready to roll them out now, rather than stuffing around with GPs (a channel other countries aren't bothering with, and why they are kicking our butt in roll out efficiency).

 

[burmans]

Like everything with Covid there seems to be a black and white attitude (all or nothing) attitude to GPs or mass vaccination. Like that taco ad why not both!

 

[OZDUCK]

Yes agree. As I said there are some locations who can inject more but are limited by the daily doses that they are currently receiving.

For example the Vic Gov has applied to the Feds to allow it to transfer some its current allocation for this fortnight to GP Clinics. This is to get it into more arms.

The same in WA. There were two press reports last week (which of course I can't find now) that the WA Govt. had requested permission to transfer some 30,000 AZ doses to GP's

 

[Lynda2475]

why not both

Indeed, but to date GPs have been the only option in many areas unless you are a front line worker.

With a fully vaccinated NZ border worker now testing positive for Covid, need for updated vaccines to deal with variants will be need to be front of mind.

We have huge GP clinics in vulnerable areas that are still on 50 a week! 50. Insane.

Curious as to what a vulnerable are is?

1A and 1B aren't area based, they are based on age, job or existing health issues.

People getting vaccinated due to their job have been given employer sponsor appointments at hospital/vaccination centres - GP has never been plan for them. And aged care residents get their shot delivered to their age care facility / home.

So that only leave older Australians living independently and those with qualifying health issues, which are distributed fairly equally around the country. We don't typically have a suburb that is mostly od people or mostly sick people. The only exemptions would be remote aboriginal communities.

 

[drron]

Well I am being vaccinated and work in hospitals but I'm being done in a GP practice in 2 days time. With AZ.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Like everything with Covid there seems to be a black and white attitude (all or nothing) attitude to GPs or mass vaccination. Like that taco ad why not both!

Yes that is my view, do both, plus also add chemists.

Plus they also already have the roving teams that visit age care homes and other locations.

The more distribution channels the better as people can then use the one that is most convenient and/or reassuring for them for all sorts of reasons. Not least of which is medical history for some.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Just watched the presser with Hunt and Commodore Young. It all sounded quite good with respect to distribution. Young said there were some problems initially as they ramped up to 4,500 GP surgeries, but they were getting a lot fewer phone calls now. Also getting through a large number of age facilities - around 500 left that have had no vaccinations.

 

[dajop]

With a fully vaccinated NZ border worker now testing positive for Covid,

I may have missed something along the way, but wasn't this always going to be the case? The messaging always was that it wouldn't stop anyone getting Covid, but would reduce the severity of contracting the virus, with the jury out on whether it would reduce the potential for transmission.

 

[Pushka]

I may have missed something along the way, but wasn't this always going to be the case? The messaging always was that it wouldn't stop anyone getting Covid, but would reduce the severity of contracting the virus, with the jury out on whether it would reduce the potential for transmission.

Clearly we aren't ready to digest that fact. NZ, using Pfizer is lagging so if it gets into the community then it's not controlled. I heard on the radio today that UK is within a couple of weeks of herd immunity.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Not in the right places, unfortunately - hence why they are bringing people in the fix the logistics and supply chain component.

We have huge GP clinics in vulnerable areas that are still on 50 a week! 50. Insane.

They go through that in approximately 10 minutes with the amount of doctors and nurses they have.

Ridiculous.

Meanwhile some of the respiratory clinics are swimming in it.

Totally agree as l pointed out in one of my first posts in this thread - the government has been flapping around regarding the rollout and need to be called out on it, even though not many people here agreed with my comments.

Australia has received around 4 million doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines so far, but only about 1.6 million have been administered.

Mass COVID-19 vaccination hubs loom as National Cabinet resets Australia's troubled program

I suggested vaccination hubs, open all hours (dayshift and nightshift, even reduced staff for nightshift is better than nothing) and was called out about it in this thread too by some users.

Then l suggested bringing in the defence force (like the USA) to help, which the Government is now going to be implementing.

I think people who aren't struggling or running a small business on the brink don't get it - we need all hands on deck to sort this out, people are going under (job keeper/seeker is now wound back to nothing). If your going to wind back job seeker/keeper, then make the vaccine available ASAP to everyone to get the economy going, 4 million doses available and only 1.4 administrated - thats a joke!

Tourist operators have been hit and another lockdown in QLD will send them to the wall. I think its easy for public servants (Governments) because they still get paid week in/week out regardless of what goes on....

 

[Lynda2475]

around 500 left that have had no vaccinations.

which should therefore be switched to AZ freeing up Pfizer for younger people in 1A and 1B.

The messaging always was that it wouldn't stop anyone getting Covid, but would reduce the severity of contracting the virus, with the jury out on whether it would reduce the potential for transmission.

Yes.

We need to hope that worker doesnt develop severe illness and hasn't spread it into the community, especially if t is a variant of concern. The Pfizer vaccine version NZ and Aus have pre-dates the South African variant which is out of control in India right now.

If there is subsequent no spread then confidence should high and much better vaccine publicity than a politician getting a jab. But if there is community spread from that employee then we are likley to see more vaccine hesitancy and have to wait a lot longer to travel.

For our yet to be fulfilled Pfizer orders (especially those due much later in the year) I hope they ship a variant tweaked version not the original.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

. I heard on the radio today that UK is within a couple of weeks of herd immunity.

Herd immunity may or may not be achievable. For a discussion on this see:

Five reasons why COVID herd immunity is probably impossible

Even with vaccination efforts in full force, the theoretical threshold for vanquishing COVID-19 looks to be out of reach.

www.nature.com

PS. Opinions vary.