The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[lovetravellingoz]

The best part of the news about getting the Moderna vaccine is that the chances of manufacturing the mRNA vaccines here in Australia has got a lot better.

Yes agree , and as I posted yesterday , and earlier, mRNA for Covid was only going to happen here if a company with an existing mRNA vaccine licensed it, or one of the other vaccines being developed licensed.

Pfizer has not licenced other manufacturers to produce their covid vaccine.They produce their drugs in their own facilities. Moderna I think would like get a piece of the action not just with covid but future mRNA products.

Yes as far as I know the only rival that Pfizer has allowed to temporarily assist in manufacturing the Pfizer vaccine is Sanofi, a French Company., and that was due to a special set of circumstances.

In an unusual and potentially groundbreaking decision, French drugmaker Sanofi said Wednesday it will help bottle and package 125 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by its rivals Pfizer and BioNTech, while its own vaccine candidate faces delays.

France's Sanofi to help rival Pfizer-BioNTech make vaccines

French drug maker Sanofi says it will help prepare 125 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by rivals Pfizer and BioNTech, while its own vaccine candidate faces delays

abcnews.go.com

 

[lovetravellingoz]

We likely won’t see Novavax here in Australia this year.

​

We may or may not. But with deals in place for multiples of our population it means that with problems to any of the 4 vaccines that we have options. It is a very good thing to not have all one's eggs in one basket.

 

[serfty]

...
40 million total Pfizer
10 million total Moderna this year.

So everyone who wants a mRNA vaccine can have one?

Of course, At least 30 of the 40 Million Pfizer need to be delivered ...

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The 'official" Federal Government announcement is now out.​

​

Australia secures Moderna vaccines​

The Australian Government has secured 25 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to further diversify our vaccine portfolio as well as provide access to a booster or variant vaccine should this be required in the future.



The Hon Greg Hunt MP
Minister for Health and Aged Care
Date published:
13 May 2021
Media type: Media release
Audience: General public

The Australian Government has secured 25 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to further diversify our vaccine portfolio as well as provide access to a booster or variant vaccine should this be required in the future.

As confirmed in the 2021-22 Budget, the Government will commence an approach to market for mRNA manufacturing capacity in Australia.
The Government also remains in discussions with Moderna in relation to establishing a manufacturing facility in Australia for mRNA vaccines.
Onshore manufacturing would ensure a secure, long-term supply of Moderna’s mRNA-based vaccines against COVID-19, including variants, and for potential future pandemics.

This is the second messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine to be purchased by the Government, providing access to the current Moderna vaccine or variant-specific versions of the vaccine developed by Moderna, to address longer term immunity or emerging viral variants in the first half of 2022.

To date, the Moderna vaccine has shown an overall vaccine efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 of 94.1 per cent, and 100 per cent efficacy against severe COVID-19. It has also shown strong protection of 90 per cent efficacy against COVID-19 for at least six months after the second dose.

The Moderna vaccine has been approved by leading regulatory authorities across the world and is being used successfully in the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, the United States and Singapore.

The agreement includes 10 million doses in 2021 and 15 million doses of Moderna’s updated variant booster vaccine in 2022.

Supply in Australia will only commence should the vaccine be approved as safe and effective by Australia’s regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). An application by Moderna to the TGA is expected shortly.

The Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group, the Australian Government’s expert group advising on vaccine purchases, has recommended the purchase of the Moderna vaccine.

As Australia looks to 2022, the Moderna vaccine provides a strong booster and emerging variants supply if required.

A complete course of Moderna’s vaccination is likely to be two doses given 28 days apart.

The Moderna vaccine diversifies Australia’s supply of COVID-19 vaccines, provides more flexibility for the national vaccine rollout, and secures early access to possible vaccinations for emerging COVID-19 variants of concern circulating around the world.

Australia has five separate agreements to secure more than 195 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines if they are proved to be safe and effective. Around $6 billion has been invested to support the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.

Australia secures Moderna vaccines

The Australian Government has secured 25 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to further diversify our vaccine portfolio as well as provide access to a booster or variant vaccine should this be required in the future.

www.health.gov.au

 

[Lynda2475]

So everyone who wants a mRNA vaccine can have one?

Not quite.

The government has actually ordered two different types of the same Moderna vaccine.

Ten million doses will be the current vaccine, and will be delivered towards the end of this year. A million of those should arrive around September, and the other nine million between October and December.

So 5 million extra people can get an MRNA.

The other 15 million are going to be booster shots — an updated form of the vaccine, targeting variants of COVID-19. They'll be rolled out in 2022.

So presumably some of the people who got AZ in 2021 can get a Moderna booster.

The vaccine rollout is changing (again). Here's what it means for you

Sometimes it feels like there have been more versions of the Australian vaccine rollout than your phone's operating software, but some aspects are firming up, so it might be worth checking again what vaccine you'll likely get, when and why.

www.abc.net.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The second order of Pfizer will not arrive till quarter 4, and Moderna mainly from October on..

Pfizer are indicating that a third dose will be likely required within 12 months, and then perhaps annual.

Pfizer CEO says third Covid vaccine dose likely needed within 12 months

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said people will "likely" need a third dose of a Covid-19 vaccine within 12 months of getting fully vaccinated.

www.cnbc.com

Advice on the various vaccines is that boosters may be required, as well as possibly annual vaccinations.

So anyone eligible for AZ now really should just get it now anyway as it seems quite likely whatever you first get vaccinated with that you are going to need to get multiple vaccinations later anyway. You might wait for Pfizer or Moderna, but get Novavax.

You get a different flu vaccine most years and so this may well become not much different.

So the sooner more people get vaccinated, the sooner the individual and the community gain protection, the sooner transmission will be slowed and the sooner more of us and the country can become more active and "normal", including we hope more international travel.


PS Other vaccines are also still under development, and so who knows what we will be getting vaccinated with in one, two years time etc.

 

[Princess Fiona]

NSW Health is now booking family of Health Care Workers who are 16 years and older at the Vaccine Hub in Olympic Park. Hopefully this will be extended to other hubs soon.
I have booked one of my family members in already and the others I’ll do shortly. I anticipate that we will all be fully vaccinated (2 doses) by early July.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Vaccination stakes update. After duelling with Jordan all week, Australia now has a nose in front putting us into 79th spot. Kazakhstan is streaking away though. Quite a good chance of catching up to India in the next week, which is probably not surprising. Belize is also within reach.

 

[mviy]

The main story on The Front Page of tomorrow's The Age in Melbourne is "Moderna deal buoys hopes of Christmas vaccine target".

 

[auriga]

I registered my interest for Pfizer Vax (age 40-49) on Monday. Not in any higher risk category. Just received an invitation to book appointment at Olympic vaccination centre.
Pretty much can choose any time, so it's not a case of leftover vaccines.

 

[jakeseven7]

Victoria expanding again, will overtake Commonwealth vaccination rate shortly after passing NSW a week or so ago

---

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to be available to 400,000 extra Victorians under fresh program​

Signs the federal government is serious about Victoria's 'very good' quarantine hub proposal

The Victorian Government is expanding its vaccine program to include an extra 400,000 people across the state.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Flying mermaid]

We should hit 3 million doses this week and hopefully next week will see a record number of doses in a day - still quite subdued at the moment but improving.

 

[Lynda2475]

I registered my interest for Pfizer Vax (age 40-49) on Monday. Not in any higher risk category. Just received an invitation to book appointment at Olympic vaccination centre.

Nice. Curious are you in one of the occupations they asked about in the registration from i.e. a teacher?

Did invite come via email or phone?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Further roll out of Pfizer in Vic to Under 50's on a priority basis has now been announced.

Good to see that priority is still being given to those more at risk including low paid transport workers rather than just a random first in first served basis.

Hopefully that thinking will continue with others continuing to be prioritised in terms of risk in a progressive manner. Risk both in terms of work environment as well risk in terms of having public facing roles.

ie Supermarket Staff and Restaurant Staff as they deal with many random people have a greater community benefit in being vaccinated earlier over say office workers who mainly interreact with the same people each day.

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to be available to 400,000 extra Victorians as state records no new cases​

Ramped-up Pfizer program from Monday​

Under the expanded vaccine program, the Victorian Government says an extra 400,000 Victorians will be eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine from next week.

Frontline workers, disability service workers and carers aged under 50 can start getting the jab from Monday, May 17.

Mr Merlino said vaccination sites in Victoria were set up to deliver up to three times the number of vaccines currently being administered, but a lack of supply was holding the rollout back.

"The more supply that we have from the Commonwealth, the more that we can do," he said.

"We've got additional Pfizer from the Commonwealth ... and that's why we're able to open that up to eligible people under 50 from Monday."

People eligible under the expanded program also include those with underlying health conditions, defence force members and seafood and meat processing workers.

Public-facing transport workers, including taxi drivers and rideshare drivers will be able to get the vaccine from Monday, May 24.

Disability, Ageing and Carers Minister Luke Donnellan said people must book online for the Pfizer vaccines, which will be offered at certain state vaccination hubs.

Signs the federal government is serious about Victoria's 'very good' quarantine hub proposal

The Victorian Government is expanding its vaccine program to include an extra 400,000 people across the state.

www.abc.net.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

As AZ is not yet up to second doses this table gives one an idea of where Pfizer has been going to so far:

 

[drron]

Victoria expanding again, will overtake Commonwealth vaccination rate shortly after passing NSW a week or so ago

---

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to be available to 400,000 extra Victorians under fresh program​

Signs the federal government is serious about Victoria's 'very good' quarantine hub proposal

The Victorian Government is expanding its vaccine program to include an extra 400,000 people across the state.

www.abc.net.au

Though the GPs are beating them all combined. 1.6 million doses out of 2.894 million doses from public sources.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Though the GPs are beating them all combined. 1.6 million doses out of 2.894 million doses from public sources.

Yes, and GPs have had very limited supply. At least that starts to ramp up from the 17th May.

 

[OZDUCK]

Yes, and GPs have had very limited supply. At least that starts to ramp up from the 17th May.

When we had our shots at the GP in Perth yesterday someone came in asking about getting vaccinated. They were told that there was no more supply on hand and that new stock was not expected until 23 May.

 

[Lynda2475]

The Commonwealth statistic includes GP Respiratory Clinics (GPRCs) who have had an abundance of supply and many many unfulfilled appointments. The GPRCs could easily be booked online whereas GPs had 50 dose limits and inefficient phone appointments.

The new records in state given doses given has been because of the mass vaccination clinics coming online, the sooner these are running at the full 30K/week capacity the better. There are more adults aged under 50 than there are over, so the speed of Pfizer and Moderna availability via the mass vac clinics is the key to good uptake nationally.

 

[jakeseven7]

When we had our shots at the GP in Perth yesterday someone came in asking about getting vaccinated. They were told that there was no more supply on hand and that new stock was not expected until 23 May.

Yup the Gp clinics are still massively constrained.

Once they are up and running properly we will see a huge jump in vaccinations because they will consult their patients properly and negate some of the rubbish in the media about AZ.

It also looks like they will get Pfizer as well which is great news.