The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[jonboixxx]

You have a lot of snippets collated there. 20-20 hindsight is a wonderful thing.

A much shorter time frame is not only possible but has been achieved (from start to finish) by Germany in just over 3 to 4 months in Marburg for example.

50,000 step process exported to Oz, in an old GSK facility, with no capacity for their specialised lipid technologies; simples!

Wasn't Marburg the facility they bought from Novartis in Sep 2020, and is it actually in distribution mode yet.
BionTech was running with $750M funding from Pfizer for some 12 months and to their credit managed to do this in one of the industrial giants in the world, Germany.
I am not against developing new vaccine technologies in readiness for the next inevitable, globalised pandemic but chasing after mRNA producing capacity may be already outmoded, with exponential advancements in vaccine technology.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I am sure that either GSK or BioDiem would have welcomed a 10 year offtake deal worth much less than the $1 billion given to CSL for its old-tech plant that may be ready by 2026.

Do either GSK or BioDiem make Flu Vaccines. or can the get a license to do so?

The Seqirus contract is fora flu vaccine, which is a different need than CV19 vaccines.

The new Seqirus plant is being built for primarily flu-vaccines and to use the new cell based technology, moving away from the old egg based method currently used. The Federal money is essentially just agreeing to buy enough flu vaccine for a decade for Australia. But this also then secures that a lot more flu vaccine (and other products) is made here for export.

The state-of-the-art facility will use innovative cell-based technology to produce influenza vaccines for use in both influenza pandemics and seasonal vaccination programs – and will be the only cell-based influenza vaccine manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere.

Seqirus Will Build World-class, Next-generation $800m Influenza Vaccine Manufacturing Facility in Australia

16 Nov 2020 Seqirus will build the only cell-based influenza vaccine manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere – producing seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines, Seqirus’ proprietary...

www.seqirus.com

As for mRNA, anyone that can make such a vaccine for CV19 here in Australia can approach the Feds. Flu has a known long term demand. CV19 may.

However mRNA may get built for other purposes and it sounds like from the link you provided that GSK has little interest, whereas BioDem does and has been in some level of discussion with the Vic Gov.

The Victorian government has been negotiating with BioDiem, as it is no doubt with CSL and IDT, but will have in its mind the imperative of retaining the GSK site as a pharmaceutical hub.​

I think a plant in likely, once the numbers stack up.

But even BioDerm acknowledge that it is not an overnight process even when you have an existing plant to convert.

BioDiem chairman Ken Windle, who worked at the plant and became Asia Pacific head of GSK before striking out on his own, said the company could produce an mRNA vaccine within a year of getting access to the plant.​

 

[jakeseven7]

Will be a little while yet as the US population is around 330 million (legal?) and so far just over 93 million have been fully vaccinated.

Allowing for a slow down, as early adopters have pretty much been dealt with in many large pop'n states, that leaves between 350 to 400 million doses to be administered likely at a rate of back around 2 million/day after June - so allowing for the 3 month wait for the 2nd dose - 'extra' or surplus doses will not be available any time sooner (even if we beat out Canada etc) than our Dec Qtr Pfizer last 20 million doses.

That is, provided that an annual booster shot is NOT required. If it does turn out to be needed then production capacity for the 1st two doses would be massively reduced.

Making the business case for an Australian based mRNA facility more than bankable.

It’s already been flagged by Pfizer themselves weeks that a booster (shot 3) is required possible as early as 6 months (so far earlier than annual).

 

[RAM]

It’s already been flagged by Pfizer themselves weeks that a booster (shot 3) is required possible as early as 6 months (so far earlier than annual).

True, however a bit like with the old Demtel Adverts, you should not always believe what a salesman says is 100% true.

Looks like it may be somewhat longer before the US considers providing any Pfizer, Moderna or even possibly J&J vaccines to other countries (including Australia).

However, they've very happy to shortly send out 60 million AstraZeneca doses if the FDA approves it under 'Emergency' clearance.

U.S. to share up to 60 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine with countries amid rising pressure to help vaccinate world population​

The move comes as coronavirus cases spike around the world. The AstraZeneca vaccine, which is not yet approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration, will be sent to other countries once it clears federal safety reviews. The White House is expected to make the announcement on Monday afternoon. Monday’s announcement marks a dramatic increase from last month, when the U.S. said it would share about 4 million doses of vaccine with Mexico and Canada.

 

[RAM]

Do either GSK or BioDiem make Flu Vaccines. or can the get a license to do so?

In the article it mentions that GSK makes vaccines (using this plant) but CSL has the monopoly for the flu vaccine in Australia.

GSK manufactures the flu vaccine in multiple other locations around the world - so yes they are interested in making vaccines.

But even BioDerm acknowledge that it is not an overnight process even when you have an existing plant to convert.

BioDiem chairman Ken Windle, who worked at the plant and became Asia Pacific head of GSK before striking out on his own, said the company could produce an mRNA vaccine within a year of getting access to the plant.​

Ken appears to follow the under-promise & over-deliver approach. It is worth noting that 3 to 4 months is 'within a year'.

There have been multiple facilities, with no mRNA production capacity, re-purposed to mega-mass production of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in as short as 3-4 months once access granted.

The CSL-owned facility that BioNTech purchased space in last December in Marburg, Germany is now producing 8 million doses every 5 days.
Production started in under 4 months from access (December 2020). The GSK facility in Melbourne ticks all the boxes & requires swapping out/in the equipment. The Federal Govt contracted the Pfizer vaccine before the Marburg facility conversion began & CSL knew for months before then exactly what is required (as the owner of the Marburg facility). It wouldn't help CSL's Australian revenue though nor its plans for the 2026 facility for Australian Flu vaccine production by aiding a competitor with more advanced technology so perhaps they did not 'share' this information with the Federal Govt - who knows as the wall of silence continues. Let's see if I can get some journalists to run with this as well!

Yes, Australia can produce other vaccines besides AstraZeneca. Here's why we're not

Australia's slated to produce 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but now those under 50 are being advised to get Pfizer instead. So what's stopping us from making other vaccines locally?

www.abc.net.au

Archa Fox, an mRNA researcher at the University of Western Australia, says there is nothing stopping us from making the Pfizer vaccine here.

"This is what we've been saying for almost a year. We could be making it. We just need investment," she says.

"It is actually not that complicated to do from a scientific point of view.

"The technology, the equipment — it exists, we can buy it, we just need, essentially, the will."
....
Supply issues with essential components of the Pfizer vaccine are one reason why Australia wouldn't be able to start manufacturing this jab tomorrow.

So if Australia is to start producing its own mRNA vaccines, Dr Fox says it should also look to make the components as well, eliminating supply issues.

 

[jonboixxx]

The CSL-owned facility that BioNTech purchased space in last December in Marburg, Germany is now producing 8 million doses every 5 days.
Production started in under 4 months from access (December 2020).

BionTech bought the Novartis site in Sep 2020. EMA only gave Marburg approval 26th of last month; I don't think final batch is ready for distribution just yet. That's a little more than the 3-4 months you keep saying. The Pfizer investment in BioTech was around March 2020, so they've had a long run at this.

This also from Archa Fox, who you selectively quote;
'The second option is to to set up production of mRNA vaccines here, potentially led by a biotech firm with approval to make clinical-grade therapeutics. As a rough estimate, we calculate it could cost as little as A$100 million to make sufficient vaccine domestically. But it will mean a significant lag time, perhaps 12 months, to set up the infrastructure and train staff.'

so perhaps they did not 'share' this information with the Federal Govt - who knows as the wall of silence continues. Let's see if I can get some journalists to run with this as well!

Let's hope not! There is enough speculative and selectively quoted misinformation from journalists!! Not everything is a conspiracy.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Well we finally have vaccination appointments for Thursday - which is ahead of when 2A starts

we phoned the secret number for ACT Health’s surge centre (not so secret as there were 50 ahead of us in the queue). The recorded message said if you were not in the priority groups 1A and 1B to hang up. We ignored that. Got to a real person, she initially felt we weren’t eligible, but we said the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister said we could be vaccinated from 3 May, so we wanted to make appointments for next week.. hmm she said - I am new here - maybe you should talk to my supervisor. Supervisor said - no problem, would you like an appointment this afternoon? We look after Bub, so couldn’t today or tomorrow, but made it for Thursday. Heaps of appointments available.

 

[Black Duck]

Well we finally have vaccination appointments for Thursday - which is ahead of when 2A starts

we phoned the secret number for ACT Health’s surge centre (not so secret as there were 50 ahead of us in the queue). The recorded message said if you were not in the priority groups 1A and 1B to hang up. We ignored that. Got to a real person, she initially felt we weren’t eligible, but we said the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister said we could be vaccinated from 3 May, so we wanted to make appointments for next week.. hmm she said - I am new here - maybe you should talk to my supervisor. Supervisor said - no problem, would you like an appointment this afternoon? We look after Bub, so couldn’t today or tomorrow, but made it for Thursday. Heaps of appointments available.

I just checked with the clinic to see when we can book - 2a like you. Our gp won't be doing any so need to do a bit of a drive but thats normal. They would have booked us in on the 3rd May but it will conflict with our flu jabs so will have it 1st June. Easy as can be. I was very pleasantly surprised.

 

[Lynda2475]

Another reason why those most needing Pfizer are still waiting:

Ineligible people receive Pfizer vaccine in Canberra after ‘unauthorised’ text

The ACT Health Minister accused those who received the vaccine of skipping the queue after a booking hotline for frontline workers was widely distributed.

www.smh.com.au

 

[clifford]

Another reason why those most needing Pfizer are still waiting:

Ineligible people receive Pfizer vaccine in Canberra after ‘unauthorised’ text

The ACT Health Minister accused those who received the vaccine of skipping the queue after a booking hotline for frontline workers was widely distributed.

www.smh.com.au

Ah yes, but will the interlopers get a second one?

 

[Pushka]

Ah yes, but will the interlopers get a second one?

Of course they will.

 

[Lynda2475]

Ah yes, but will the interlopers get a second one?

Probably, otherwise will need to start over again when eligible which means wasting a 3rd pfizer on them, unless aged over 50 in which case they can deny the 2nd dose and only offer AZ.

 

[Lynda2475]

Disappointed that 2050 olympic atheltes have jumped the Pfizer queue, the Olympics should have been cancelled

AOC expects 100 COVID-positive athletes in Village as vaccine deal revealed

Australia’s Olympians will get access to a vaccine ahead of Tokyo as the AOC prepares for as many as 100 athletes to be COVID-positive in the Village.

www.smh.com.au

 

[mviy]

Disappointed that 2050 olympic atheltes have jumped the Pfizer queue, the Olympics should have been cancelled

AOC expects 100 COVID-positive athletes in Village as vaccine deal revealed

Australia’s Olympians will get access to a vaccine ahead of Tokyo as the AOC prepares for as many as 100 athletes to be COVID-positive in the Village.

www.smh.com.au

It's not going to have a material impact on the rollout. Most of the athletes would be getting Pfizer anyway eventually and some of the support staff. 4100 doses of Pfizer is not a lot in the scheme of things.

The Olympics, US broadcasters etc. would be under huge pressure to have the Olympics go ahead. They can't keep putting it off indefinitely as it would push too close towards the 2024 Olympics.

 

[Pushka]

Disappointed that 2050 olympic atheltes have jumped the Pfizer queue, the Olympics should have been cancelled

AOC expects 100 COVID-positive athletes in Village as vaccine deal revealed

Australia’s Olympians will get access to a vaccine ahead of Tokyo as the AOC prepares for as many as 100 athletes to be COVID-positive in the Village.

www.smh.com.au

We know a support person in this years Olympics. She’s 68 and works in ASADA. They need to get started pronto on AZ as it’s just 12 weeks to go. And she would travel the week before.

 

[Lynda2475]

The Olympics, US broadcasters etc. would be under huge pressure to have the Olympics go ahead. They can't keep putting it off indefinitely as it would push too close towards the 2024 Olympics

No I think should be cancelled outright, Olympics were cancelled during WW1 and WW2, this pandemic is impacting more nations and people than either world war.

 

[mviy]

The Olympics could yet get cancelled considering the situation in Japan and I think that would be a sensible decision. Sport shouldn't be all about making money, but too often sadly that seems to be the top priority for professional sporting bodies.

However, if Australia decided to pull out of the Olympics before a decision to cancel the Olympics it would likely be seen as a huge insult by the IOC and scupper Brisbane's bid for 2032, so for now Australia needs to proceed under the assumption that the Olympics will go ahead.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Another reason why those most needing Pfizer are still waiting:

Ineligible people receive Pfizer vaccine in Canberra after ‘unauthorised’ text

The ACT Health Minister accused those who received the vaccine of skipping the queue after a booking hotline for frontline workers was widely distributed.

www.smh.com.au

Bit of a beat up I think - Garran does more Astra Zeneca than Pfizer. We are booked in for Thursday for Astra Zeneca and they were swimming in spare appointments. So we are getting vaccinated 2 days ahead of when we are eligible and I don’t have any conscience about that.

Edit - also Garran has been vaccinating non frontline workers since the end of March, although mainly with AZ.

 

[Pushka]

There are immense penalties that Japan would have to pay to the IOC if they cancelled the Olympics. I think each country should cancel independently.

 

[DC3]

Bit of a beat up I think - Garran does more Astra Zeneca than Pfizer. We are booked in for Thursday for Astra Zeneca and they were swimming in spare appointments. So we are getting vaccinated 2 days ahead of when we are eligible and I don’t have any conscience about that.

Edit - also Garran has been vaccinating non frontline workers since the end of March, although mainly with AZ.

Anyway, those not wanting it, (unwittiningly) make room for the rest of us who actually want it.