Doses provided, priorities known

Tanjug / AP

Although Pfizer’s corona vaccine is likely to be the first to be approved in Australia, most of Ozia will eventually receive Astrazenekin, said Chief Health Officer Professor Paul Kelly.

– We know that the world has the most experience with the Pfizer vaccine, because it was the first to receive approval for emergency use in the USA, Great Britain and other countries – the professor explained.

However, as this vaccine is produced abroad, most of Ozia will still receive the Astrazeneca vaccine, which is produced locally.

In addition to the place of production, the Pfizer vaccine also has a logistical challenge. Namely, it must be shipped and stored at -70 degrees Celsius.

– When it comes to the Astrazeneca vaccine, it was made in Melbourne and is progressing well. We will have large stocks – Kelly added.

Vaccination is expected to begin next month, six weeks earlier than the government’s original plans.

To remind, Australia provided 10 million doses of Pfizer and 53.8 million doses of Astrazeneca.

The Pfizer vaccine is expected to be approved in Australia at the end of January, so the vaccination could start in mid-February.

Professor Kelly explains that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) should have the necessary information to approve Astrazeneka’s protection next month.

– We have the temporary results of Phase 3, which were published in December, but the regulatory authorities will receive more complete data from Astrazeneca – said the chief health officer and added that it will then be known whether citizens will receive a full or half dose.

Countries that have decided to use the Astrazeneca vaccine urgently give the full dose twice.

When vaccinating, priority will be given to people who are at higher risk of the virus, such as those working at borders, in quarantine hotels, along with health workers, cleaners and transport workers.

The second most important priority group are people who are more likely to get serious infections.

Vaccine information will be available in several languages.

“We’ll tell the lunatics everything they need to know about the vaccine in the coming weeks and months,” Professor Kelly concluded.

State campaign

The federal government has spent $ 24 million on a health campaign, which should be launched this month ahead of the presentation of the vaccination program.

Professor Kelly expects the campaign to help build confidence in the Astrazeneca vaccine in Australia. He agrees that there has been a lot of discussion about the timing and safety of the vaccine.

– It is true that the vaccines received approvals faster than usual, but it was done because of the danger we are in, and the attempt to return to a normal life – he emphasized.

“There were no shortcuts”

In November 2020, Astrazeneca announced that one vaccine would protect 62 percent of recipients from the virus, compared to the group that received a full two doses.

In the second group, which was initially given half the dose, the vaccine was 90 percent effective. However, the second group included only 2,741 people, which is not enough to get the final result.

That is why Professor Kelly said that people should be careful when making decisions, or suggestions about a certain vaccine, and that they should wait for the conclusion of the regulator.

According to him, there were no shortcuts when making the vaccine.