The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[jeza]

Meanwhile politicians can't help being themselves, and the media can't help being the media manufacturing controversy (article linked below) ...



If all the aim for is 50% of adults to be vaccinated, Australia is simply aiming for mediocrity. Putting out numbers like 50% is not going to help the efforts to encourage more people to be vaccinated. Words have an effect. It's pathetic. Imagine if next time there's a bushfire, in aiming to protect everyone's houses "We will never get there. We should be aiming to project the majority of our houses. So 50 per cent, nothing higher".

Yes, the country or state probably won't get to 80%, and perhaps the private target for "return to normal" will be lower than this (and the fire service is never going to save everyone's house) but to not even bother trying is just poor.

80: the number that’s losing Gladys Berejiklian friends in her own ministry

The Premier’s unilaterally declared target - 80 per cent of adults fully vaccinated before we can return to normal - has angered some of her colleagues.

www.theage.com.au

I find that article a bit misleading.

The NSW Premier is talking about 80% of Adult Population being vaccinated & the Author uses a Bar Graph showing the UK at 65.67% of the population having received their first dose.

If you go the UK Government website it shows that of the population aged 18 & above 86.4% has received one dose & 64.6% both.

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations#card-latest_reported_vaccination_uptake

 

[Seat0B]

I hate queue jumpers. If there were indigenous people in their boarding community then I don't have any issue with this and I think a census of all school boarding communities to be undertaken and the same process happen.

And surely the fellow boarders would be close contacts or household contacts of the Indigenours boarders, and therefore common sense t9 vaccinate them too?

edited to add: sorry @HappyFlyerFamily - I just saw your nearly identical post. I’ve had a 2 day social media detox for my sanity’s sake and should red the whole thread before leaping in on “old news”.

 

[Pushka]

And surely the fellow boarders would be close contacts or household contacts of the Indigenours boarders, and therefore common sense t9 vaccinate them too?

edited to add: sorry @HappyFlyerFamily - I just saw your nearly identical post. I’ve had a 2 day social media detox for my sanity’s sake and should red the whole thread before leaping in on “old news”.

Agree. In SA it’s likely all boarders (as they live in the country) aged over 16 regardless of ethnicity would have been vaccinated over the school holidays so I don’t understand any outrage.

 

[Seat0B]

Meanwhile politicians can't help being themselves, and the media can't help being the media manufacturing controversy (article linked below) ...



If all the aim for is 50% of adults to be vaccinated, Australia is simply aiming for mediocrity. Putting out numbers like 50% is not going to help the efforts to encourage more people to be vaccinated. Words have an effect. It's pathetic. Imagine if next time there's a bushfire, in aiming to protect everyone's houses "We will never get there. We should be aiming to project the majority of our houses. So 50 per cent, nothing higher".

Yes, the country or state probably won't get to 80%, and perhaps the private target for "return to normal" will be lower than this (and the fire service is never going to save everyone's house) but to not even bother trying is just poor.

80: the number that’s losing Gladys Berejiklian friends in her own ministry

The Premier’s unilaterally declared target - 80 per cent of adults fully vaccinated before we can return to normal - has angered some of her colleagues.

www.theage.com.au

Australia to Reduce Incoming Int. Passenger Capacity from July 2021

I would like to be hopeful, however the 3 month travel ban keeps on getting extended every time they reassess it. When decisions are made that are illogical it’s hard to predict when they may be reversed. But looking at the criteria for the 3-month travel bans it's easy to see why it keeps...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

I think you’re both right. Aim aspirationally for 80% and then open up at 50 or 60% achieved with a date 12 weeks in the future. good for those already completed, incentive for the hesitant and a message to the refusers.

 

[Seat0B]

That is sad news. All three of those deaths so far are women. So considering younger men and teenage boys are the ones more at risk of Pfizer complications it seems that AZ is a great choice for under 40 men and AZ is the only vaccine available to most people under 40 at this time in Australia.

I hope this gives you even more comfort in your decision to get AZ, @mviy, as I think you’re an under 40 male based on your various previous posts. Well played to you.

Edited to add: but it makes me a bit more nervous about my decision to get AZ as a 60.5 year old woman, but 2 full weeks have passed now with no clots, so only 14 more days to declare my decision a resosounding success too.

 

[mviy]

I hope this gives you even more comfort in your decision to get AZ, @mviy, as I think you’re an under 40 male based on your various previous posts. Well played to you.

Correct.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I don’t think we should get too negative about vaccination rates yet. It really is improving, more supply coming in the next few months. I thought I was being optimistic when I said I hoped we would get to 40% first jabs by the end of the month and 10 to 15% fully vaccinated. At the end of the first week we are sitting at 32% first jab and 10.2% fully vaccinated.

While numbers continue to climb and vaccination is not open to everyone I think we need to keep things the way they are (except maybe the caps for returnees ). However if things drop off and there is enough vaccine and enough appointments, then definitely a case for saying we are moving on and it’s your problem if you aren’t vaccinated. Maybe some other carrots and sticks first though.

 

[mviy]

While numbers continue to climb and vaccination is not open to everyone

It’s open to anyone subject to GP approval.

 

[Pushka]

It’s open to anyone subject to GP approval.

That's very true! I'd not actually thought of it like that. Doh.

 

[Flying mermaid]

It’s open to anyone subject to GP approval.

That’s is true - however unfortunately not too many are as brave as you. They will wait for Pfizer and all the messaging from people like the Queensland CHO will reinforce that. Between those who are scared and those who want the “better” vaccine I think we really need to wait for Pfizer to be available for over 16s!

 

[drron]

It is great when you see co operation between all levels of government and GPs and their organisations to get the vaccines out.This from the Sunshine Coast LMA -the local AMA group.

Local health services were in demand after the COVID-19 positives cases those arose 8 June with a couple
entering Queensland from Victoria. Testing locations, and demand for COVID-19 vaccinations were at
their peak. We worked with QPS, Sunshine Coast Council, Queensland Health, volunteers, and COVID-19
vaccination staff to open the Pfizer walk in clinic at Caloundra Indoor stadium.
The centre has issued more than 7450 vaccinations. We thank the PHN, and all GPs across the region for
their response to managing patients across communities during this time, we are thankful there haven’t
been any additional positive cases.

And a very good move from the Tasmanian government.Setting up disability care clinics in Hobart and Launceston.

Two dedicated COVID-19 Vaccination Additional Support Clinics have opened today in Launceston and Hobart to assist Tasmanians who require additional support through the vaccination process.

The clinics are for people living with disability and/or mental illness, their carers, disability support workers, and people who may have anxiety about medical procedures.

A slower paced Quiet Clinic will be held on 16 July at both sites, with the capacity to make adjustments for people who need a lower sensory experience.

http://www.premier.tas.gov.au/site_resources_2015/additional_releases/covid-19_vaccination_additional_support_clinics_open_covid-19_vaccination_additional_support_clinics_open

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Its not like she was recommending younger people get AZ, she was simply explaining that if they were considering it go talk to their GP (which is what is required). You have taken the messaging out of context to support your pro AZ agenda.

She was clearly advocating that people get vaccinated including with AZ, and including those under 60.

Video at 18:10.

PS I am pro-vaccine. I am not pro AZ, but at present AZ is a safe vaccine and it is more available than Pfizer and Moderna. So the optimum vaccine rollout at present is to use both AZ and Pfizer and multiple channels.

 

[Lynda2475]

She was clearly advocating that people get vaccinated including with AZ, and including those under 60.

Gladys said "if you have had the first jab of Astra Zeneca, no matter how old you are, please go and get your second jab." She is urging those who already has dose 1 to continue with dose, mostfo those will be over 50s who got jab before advice changed or over 60s.

Then she said "And if you are younger than 60 and you want the Astra Zeneca, please go to your GP and get the advice"

So my comment was accurate - she was not recommending younger people rush out and get AZ, she was simply explaining that if they wanted it they should go talk to their GP about (which is what is legally required).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Gladys said "if you have had the first jab of Astra Zeneca, no matter how old you are, please go and get your second jab." She is urging those who already has dose 1 to continue with dose, mostfo those will be over 50s who got jab before advice changed or over 60s.

Then she said "And if you are younger than 60 and you want the Astra Zeneca, please go to your GP and get the advice"

So my comment was accurate - she was not recommending younger people rush out and get AZ, she was simply explaining that if they wanted it they should go talk to their GP about (which is what is legally required).

As I said she was encouraging.

Watch the video and listen to how she delivers the whole section on getting vaccinated.

She wants vaccinations, including AZ in arms now, and not sitting in storage.

 

[Lynda2475]

I watched the whole broadcast live and yes she was encouraging vaccination in general, Gladys always does.

BUT she absolutely was not encouraging under 60s to get AZ as you claimed.

Gladys chooses her words very deliberately you cant simply ignore the "you want" part of her statement to try and change the message.

 

[mviy]

@Lynda2475 I think you and many others here will like this. Front Page of Tomorrow's The Australian "Flood of Pfizer Finally Here"

"Australia has clinched a potentially game-changing deal to triple it's access to Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines to one million doses a week from July 19..."

 

[mviy]

So whilst they will be looking to get supply to ramp up even further, it appears the supply problems are now solved and the focus will need to shift to ensuring the supply gets used efficiently to get the rollout complete as quickly as possible.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I watched the whole broadcast live and yes she was encouraging vaccination in general, Gladys always does.

BUT she absolutely was not encouraging under 60s to get AZ as you claimed.

Gladys chooses her words very deliberately you cant simply ignore the "you want" part of her statement to try and change the message.

If you want to see not encouraging AZ watch the Qld Pressers.

If you make people aware of a process and highlight it, then you are encouraging it.


However on "you want"

"And if you are younger than 60 and you want the Astra Zeneca, please go to your GP and get the advice"​

If Gladys wanted to not encourage AZ for under 60's she simply would have not mentioned at all the process for how to get AZ for the under 60's.

As you said, Gladys chooses her words' very deliberately. She did not say "And if you are younger than 40 and you want the Astra Zeneca, please go to your GP and get the advice"

So why did Gladys deliberately say 60 and not 40?

The 40-60 year old group have a choice of Pfizer or AZ with the default being Pfizer This age cohort will receive Pfizer unless they take the steps to get AZ. It is only the under 40's who if not in a priority group who if they want to be vaccinated now can only go through the process to get AZ. So you want is the correct usage if you are addressing the under 60's, but why mention that age unless you are trying to boost AZ usage now?

Now AZ is not in short supply. Pfizer is. So if more of the 40-60 year olds get AZ, along with more under 40's getting AZ now that will combine to speed up the vaccination program.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

@Lynda2475 I think you and many others here will like this. Front Page of Tomorrow's The Australian "Flood of Pfizer Finally Here"

"Australia has clinched a potentially game-changing deal to triple it's access to Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines to one million doses a week from July 19..."

I think everyone will welcome any steps that can get more Australians vaccinated more quickly.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So whilst they will be looking to get supply to ramp up even further, it appears the supply problems are now solved and the focus will need to shift to ensuring the supply gets used efficiently to get the rollout complete as quickly as possible.

Any extra doses is good news and will speed things up. But not solved, unless there is additional ramping up. So it will be interesting to see if it is continued to keep ramping Pfizer delivery above and beyond the previously announced schedule (see below).


It says tripling to one million doses per week, though previous announcements had July at about 650K per week.



However on June 24 it was announced:

CANBERRA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government will phase out the use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford coronavirus vaccine from October.​

​

COVID-19 Task Force commander Lieutenant General John Frewen on Wednesday night released Department of Health projections detailing the vaccine doses each state and territory will be allocated every week for the rest of the year.​

It revealed that Australia will receive between 1.7 million and 2.3 million doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine every week from the start of October - up from 650,000 per week in July and August.​

​

So is it tripling, or is it an extra 350K per week?

In terms of injections (as delivered into Australia and delivered into arms are different things) we were meant to be about:

​

https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2021/06/covid-19-vaccination-covid-vaccination-allocations-horizons.pdf