Australia’s vaccine rollout ‘constrained’ by Pfizer supply shortages until August

States and territories say more GPs will be needed to dispense Pfizer when supplies increase later in the year

Australia’s vaccine rollout will be limited by Pfizer supply constraints until deliveries increase from August. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

Shortages of the Pfizer Covid vaccine are expected to slow Australia’s rollout through June and July, as states and territories call on the commonwealth to sign up more GPs to dispense doses when supplies increase in August.

The national cabinet met on Monday to discuss Australia’s coronavirus vaccine rollout in the wake of updated health advice that AstraZeneca is not the preferred vaccine for those aged 50 to 59 due to the risk of rare blood clots.

At the meeting, the head of the rollout, Lt Gen John Frewen, gave states and territories projections of the maximum and minimum number of vaccines they will be allocated. The aged care minister, Richard Colbeck, is expected to table the figures at the Senate’s Covid-19 inquiry on Monday evening.

Before the meeting, the commonwealth agreed to New South Wales’s request for 50,000 Pfizer doses, which Cdr Eric Young told reporters in Canberra would be spread over three weeks.

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 For the unvaccinated, the world will never truly be safe

Long Covid or vaccine side effect fears: the choice is clear for holdouts

Many who are reluctant to get inoculated may fear some unknown long-term side effects of the jab

But they must also consider the risks of being infected and suffering from symptoms for many months because, for the unvaccinated, the world will never truly be safe.

A coronavirus patient breathes through an oxygen mask in a temporary Covid-19 care centre in New Delhi. Photo: dpa

A common reason given by those unwilling to get vaccinated is that they worry about unknown long-term side effects from Covid-19 vaccination. Never mind that these vaccines were developed by some of the brightest scientific minds around, built on decades of research on how medicines can be developed more quickly and safely. Never mind that they have been thoroughly tested and found to be safe, and that we have been using vaccines for over 200 years to prevent the spread of diseases such as measles and chickenpox. 

If people are worried about the “long-term” unknown side effects of getting jabbed, they should consider the alternative set of long-term risks they are exposing themselves to. One must ask what risks they are willing to take: either this fear of some long-term unknown side effect of a vaccine, or the well-established risks that getting infected with Covid-19 brings.

The side effects of the vaccine are well known in the short term, and the risk of any long-term side-effects is minute, in the expert opinion of those who developed these vaccines. But what about the risks associated with getting infected?

In the short term, a significant number of people get very sick, and many die. And the long term? An increasing number of studies are reporting people suffering from symptoms for many months after they were infected with Covid-19.

 

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 Covid is NOT a Joke or Hoax - Millions have Died - Will You Be Next?

Australia's first locally made COVID-19 mRNA vaccine candidate is set for clinical trials

 

The first clinical trials are expected to involve around 150 people, the Victorian government says

He said his team believed this approach was likely to produce a better kind of booster shot for future variants, which could be given to those already vaccinated against the original strain.

The team is also in the early stages of testing an mRNA vaccine candidate modelled on the Kappa variant.

And there's a protein vaccine being trialed as well?

Yes, that's right.

While Monash University has developed an mRNA vaccine candidate, the Doherty Institute has developed a protein vaccine candidate.

Both of them are focused on the receptor-binding domain of the Beta strain, so Professor Pouton said it made sense to work together and run the Phase 1 trial side by side.

The hope is, we'll learn more about whether the approach of targeting the receptor-binding domain is going to be useful to prepare us against future variations.

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 The Only Safe way out is Vaccination - Do it Today.

Fears AstraZeneca reputation has been ‘tarnished’ beyond repair

 

Brendan Crabb, director and chief executive of the Burnet Institute.Credit:Jesse Marlow

Vaccination experts say they fear the reputation of the AstraZeneca vaccine could have been tarnished beyond repair in Australia, leaving the population dangerously exposed to coronavirus outbreaks in the months to come.

Following the latest decision by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation to limit the AstraZeneca vaccine to those over 60, doctors say patients have been cancelling their vaccine appointments in droves and abusing receptionists as they demand the Pfizer jab instead.

While top vaccine experts say AstraZeneca may not be as widely used in Australia in future when supplies of alternatives increase, they believe negative public sentiment around the safety of the vaccine is out of proportion with the risks posed by a serious but rare side effect.

Burnet Institute director Brendan Crabb said the AstraZeneca vaccine had proven to be more effective in the real world than predicted in clinical trials. The 54-year-old said he would not hesitate to have his second dose.

“COVID is truly terrible and there’s every chance AstraZeneca induced immunity would stand between me and serious illness,” Professor Crabb said.

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 Covid is NOT a Joke or Hoax - Millions have Died - Will You Be Next?

Anti-vaccine activists aim to 'convert' Victorians queuing up to receive COVID-19 jab

 

Anti-vaccine activists have targeted inoculation hubs in Melbourne.
ABC News: Daniel Fermer

CoronaCheck is RMIT ABC Fact Check's weekly email newsletter, dedicated to fighting the misinformation infodemic surrounding the coronavirus outbreak.

You can read the latest edition below, and subscribe to have the next newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.

CoronaCheck #70

In this week's CoronaCheck, we bring you disturbing footage of anti-vaxxers trying to dissuade people queuing at a Melbourne COVID-19 vaccination centre from getting the jab.

We also debunk claims the dramatic mid-game collapse of an international soccer star was brought on by a coronavirus vaccine, and take the measure of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's carbon footprint.

Quest to 'convert' vaccine recipients

Anti-vaccine activists have hounded people queuing outside a COVID-19 vaccination centre in Melbourne in an attempt to convince them not to go ahead with immunisation.

Video appeared to show at least one woman having been swayed by the group's efforts.

Footage shared to the encrypted messaging service Telegram on May 29, and seen by Fact Check, shows a small group approaching people queuing for vaccination outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).

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 Anti-Vaxers have Rocks Between their Ears

Sydney cluster grows by two cases with new infections linked to Westfield

 

Westfield in Bondi Junction. (Wolter Peeters)

Sydney's new coronavirus cluster has grown by a two cases, as new alerts were issued for Sydney trains, an Ikea and a cafe as far south as Wollongong.

 

It brings the cluster to six, with much of the focus of calls to get tested continuing to focus on thousands of people who went to Westfield Bondi Junction last weekend.

 

There were officially two new cases recorded, but one, a woman in her 70s who crossed paths with the 'patient zero' driver in Belle cafe in nearby Vaucluse was announced yesterday, and another will be in tomorrow's figures.

 

A woman in her 40s who lives near Westfield Bondi Junction and often walks though is one of the new cases. It's not know when she might have caught the virus but officials say it could have been last weekend.

Sydney's latest exposure sites

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Concerns AstraZeneca advice could spark more vaccine rollout delays

Australia’s vaccine rollout was hit with another blow after advice on the AstraZeneca jab changed, raising concerns over exactly what the impact will be.

A health worker prepares to hold a vial of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine. Picture: Yad Kramdi/AFPSource:AFP

As Australia’s embattled vaccine rollout reels from another blow following the change in advice for the AstraZeneca jab, questions are being raised about the impacts this could have going forward.

So far more than 6.3 million vaccine doses have been administered across the country, but health experts have continually stressed the rollout was progressing quickly enough.

Now, with the recommendation that the AstraZeneca vaccine should only be given to those aged 60 and above after another person died from a blood clot in her brain, there are fears the rollout could be stalled even further.

People aged 50-59 are now being told to get the Pfizer vaccine instead, of which Australia has significantly less doses.

In its initial plan, the Federal Government was aiming to have the majority of the adult population vaccinated by October 2021.

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Should COVID vaccines be compulsory for care home staff? Experts debate

 

The UK government has announced that COVID-19 vaccination will become mandatory for staff working in care homes for older people in England. Staff will be given 16 weeks to get the vaccine. If they don't get the jab, they will be redeployed from frontline care or lose their job.

Mandating vaccination would increase vaccine uptake in care home workers, but it would be a significant intrusion into individual freedom. Is it ethically justifiable?

Yes—Professor Dominic Wilkinson

In the early phase of the pandemic, some of the most medically vulnerable people ended up catching coronavirus from those caring for them; 40,000 patients in England are said to have caught COVID while in hospital. Some patients and care home residents died from infections that they caught from their caregivers. We must do everything possible to avoid repeating this tragic and distressing situation.

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 Care About Others ?  -  Vaccinate Today.

AstraZeneca vaccine recommended for over-60s only after advice from ATAGI

ATAGI has recommended that only people aged over 60 receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. (AP)

 

Australia's vaccine rollout has undergone a major shake-up.

 

The federal government has accepted advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisations (ATAGI) that the AstraZeneca vaccine only be administered to people aged 60 and above.

 

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the decision to advise AstraZeneca jabs be restricted to over-60s is a "conservative" decision.

 

"The UK, for example, has an age range of 40 and above, South Korea 30 and above, and Germany has no age limits after 18 and above," he said.

 

The new advice follows the Therapeutic Goods Administration's report of 12 new blood clot cases linked to the vaccine, with seven of those in people aged 50-59.

 

Mr Hunt said the Pfizer vaccine would now be accessible to everybody aged 40-59.

 

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 Don't Be a Fool  --  Get Vaccinated

Piers Morgan calls for 'selfish' unvaccinated NHS and care home staff to quit triggering an interesting debate

 

Piers Morgan’s comments have caused controversy once again, this time after he called for unvaccinated NHS and care home staff to leave their jobs.

The former Good Morning Britain host took to Twitter to suggest that NHS and care home staff who refuse to have the Covid-19 vaccine should not be able to continue in their roles.

The tweet, which was posted on the morning of June 16, read: “ NHS and Care Home staff who refuse to be vaccinated need to leave their jobs and do something that requires less reckless selfish disregard for the health & wellbeing of their patients/residents.”

READ MORE: 'I tried to book my Covid vaccine and the call operator was an anti-vaxxer'

The bold statement divided fans, with some taking a strong stance against his controversial opinion.

One follower called his comments “disgusting” while another told him to “stop this bullish behaviour”.

Some did agree with Piers, with one fan saying: "For once I agree with you Piers. The deaths of elderly and vulnerable in care homes has been catastrophic. They need to be afforded all the protection from this awful disease that we possibly can give them."

The controversial comments come after reports that the government is due to announce that the Covid vaccine will be compulsory for care home staff.

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 Anti-Vaxers have Rocks Between their Ears

What is the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine? Will it be available in Australia soon? And does it use mRNA?

 

The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine has been found to have more than 90 per cent efficacy, paving the way for it to be available later this year in Australia.

The successful results from the phase 3 clinical trial of more than 30,000 volunteers in the United States and Mexico puts Novavax on track to have its two-dose vaccine approved in the US and elsewhere in the third quarter of 2021.

It backs up results of a UK study, released in January, that showed a similar efficacy in preventing infection from coronavirus.

Read our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic

What is Novavax?

Novavax is an American company based in the state of Maryland.

It was founded in 1987 and focuses on producing vaccines for COVID-19, as well as other serious diseases, such as Ebola and the flu.

The company's COVID-19 vaccine is officially called NVX-CoV2373.

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 Anti-Vaxers have Rocks Between their Ears

Are fainting and dizziness common side-effects of vaccination? What should you do?

 

While vaccination is a precautionary step to minimize the risks of COVID-19, experiencing side-effects with the jab can be fairly common. Expecting a fever, prickly pain at the injection site, body pain and tiredness are the most common ones which co-exist with vaccines we have under approval. However, there are some who also experience some unusual reactions, including fainting and blackout.

Coronavirus vaccination side effects that may resemble COVID symptoms

Most people experience inflammatory symptoms such as fever, headache and body pain, some unusual events, such as fainting, blackout, lightheadedness, dizziness have also been recorded in people who have been inoculated against COVID-19.

Is it normal to feel tired after getting the COVID-19 vaccine?

While these reports are still seen on the rarer side, fainting, dizziness and lightheadedness have been associated with almost all vaccines used globally.

Fainting and dizziness are rare, but concerning side-effects. However, experts are yet to find a direct link to any of the vaccines causing these symptoms. Instead, what researchers have established is that fainting (also medically referred to as 'syncope') may be triggered by pain or anxiety-related events post-vaccination.

It has been seen that most events of fainting post-vaccination are linked to anxiety related to vaccination. As strange as it may seem, anxiety-related reactions, sometimes also referred to as 'immunization anxiety' or stress response can sometimes cause the heart rate to drop and make a person faint. 

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 Covid is NOT a Joke or Hoax - Millions have Died - Will You Be Next?

How are blood clots associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine detected and treated?

 

                    Though extremely rare, blood clotting has been linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Last week, a 52-year-old woman in New South Wales died of an extremely rare blood clot in her brain.

The blood clotting condition was likely linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).   

It was Australia's second post-jab death out of 3.3 million doses of AstraZeneca (which makes up the bulk of the more than 5 million doses of COVID vaccines administered so far). 

A total of 48 people have developed blood clots after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, with 31 recovering after being in hospital. 

The first reports of people experiencing blood clots after receiving the AstraZeneca jab emerged in March this year.

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 The Only Safe way out is Vaccination - Do it Today.

Pauline Hanson’s vaccine claim roasted on air during Sky News interview

The outspoken One Nation leader has been scolded on air over an inaccurate claim about vaccine-related deaths in Australia.
 

Senator Hanson said, ‘I’m going to stick with what I believe in.’ Picture: Tim HunterSource:News Corp Australia

One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson was taken to task after declaring more than 200 Australians had died as a result of receiving a Covid-19 vaccination.

The outspoken politician recently cited a report from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) that noted there had been 210 deaths among the population who had received the vaccine, incorrectly claiming these deaths were a result of the vaccine.

Sky News political reporter Tom Connell emphatically rebuked the declaration from the senator, aiming to clarify the interpretation of the findings.

“What they go on to talk about is the fact there were 200 deaths following immunisation, but they do two things,” he said.

“First of all, every single one of those deaths are thoroughly examined to see if they are linked to the vaccination and the second thing they do is look at the natural death rate.

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 Anti-Vaxers have Rocks Between their Ears

Vaccine hesitancy and variants mean Australia may not reach Covid herd immunity – researchers

Modelling by the Burnet Institute indicates some need for lockdowns and other public health measures will remain long term

People line up to receive a coronavirus vaccination in Brisbane. New modelling shows current levels of vaccine hesitancy could mean Australia does not achieve herd immunity. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

Australia is unlikely to achieve herd immunity with current levels of Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy and the higher infectiousness of new variants, modelling from Melbourne medical research laboratory the Burnet Institute has found.

The scenarios modelled by researchers assume a vaccine rollout speed of either 150,000 or 250,000 doses per week, and that on detection of the first case, symptomatic testing increases, isolation of positive cases continues, masks become recommended but not mandatory, and contact tracing continues for up to 250 diagnoses per day.

The projections represent hypothetical near-worst-case scenarios, and model outbreaks that occur once Australia is Covid-free, without lockdowns and other public health measures in place.

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 Anti-Vaxers have Rocks Between their Ears

 

‘Vaccine won’t give you Covid’: health officials battle anti-vaccination messages in Northern Rivers

Medical professionals living in the Byron Bay region are angry and frustrated after businesses asked vaccinated customers not to enter.

Health officials in NSW have had to reiterate advice over Covid-19 after a number of businesses in Byron Shire were witnessed asking vaccinated customers not to enter their premises under the misapprehension they could shed the virus.

The New South Wales department of health has stressed that it is impossible for people to develop, shed, or spread the virus through receiving a vaccine.

The advice comes after some businesses in the small town of Mullumbimby placed signs in their windows that read: ‘If you have had the Covid-19 vaccine we ask you not to enter for two weeks or longer until any symptoms subside’.

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 You can't vaccinate against STUPIDITY - But you can Vaccinate against Covid.

Covid Victoria lockdown restrictions: Melbourne and regional Vic new coronavirus rules explained

New Victorian Covid-19 restrictions have been announced in response to a growing number of cases in the Melbourne coronavirus outbreak. Can you leave home? Is mask-wearing compulsory? Are schools closed? Is travelling permitted? What is the 10km radius for? Here are the new rules

• Victoria Covid case alerts and list of Melbourne public exposure sites
• Covid vaccine rollout numbers: tracking vaccination progress
• Download the free Guardian app

  Victoria has extended its seven-day “circuit-breaker lockdown” to 14 days in response to the growing Covid cluster in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

  The initial seven-day lockdown applied to the entire state until Thursday 3 June, however on Wednesday 2 June, with over 350 exposure sites, the Victorian government announced the lockdown would be extended for greater Melbourne, with some small changes, until 11.59pm Thursday 10 June.

  The following rules apply from 11.59pm Thursday 3 June to greater Melbourne and regional Victoria.

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   You have the power to help your family and friends get vaccinated.
  

 

Covid-19 Australia: Therapeutic Goods Administration’s move to allow Covid vaccination rewards

Australians could begin to see more Covid-19 vaccine rewards on offer after the nation’s medicine’s watchdog introduced a raft of new measures to improve the information and promotion of jabs.

In a statement on Monday, the Therapeutic Goods Administraion said the new arrangements — to be in place until the end of 2022 — will give health professionals and businesses more flexibility to contribute to the national conversation about vaccines.

“Health professionals can enhance vaccine uptake by publicly supporting vaccination and countering misinformation. Logistical information about when and where to be vaccinated can continue to be communicated,” the TGA said.

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 Care About Others ?  -  Vaccinate Today.

Hundreds roll up sleeves for the Pfizer vaccine in Mackay’s Covid-19 vaccination hub

Hundreds of people rolled up their sleeves for the Pfizer vaccine when Mackay’s Covid-19 vaccination hub expanded its hours to the weekend.

A steady steam of aged care workers, disability health workers and residents aged 40-49 fronted up at the CQUniversity hub – some walk-ins and some booked in.

With a friendly team and a seamless process, the process was over quickly and painlessly for most.

Rick and Julie Brake were visiting Mackay for business and were thrilled to be able to get their vaccines after what seemed like an endless struggle in Brisbane.

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 Covid is NOT a Joke or Hoax - Millions have Died - Will You Be Next?

 

Quarantine will be scrapped because Wellcamp Airport lacks air traffic control tower

The lack of a key piece of infrastructure is the reason why the Palaszczuk Government’s second quarantine hub proposal at Toowoomba is likely to be binned.

A Toowoomba Wellcamp quarantine camp that would house returned Australians, Pacific Island workers and international students will likely be scuttled because the nearest airport has no air traffic control tower.

The Courier-Mail understands the Commonwealth received Queensland’s latest detailed proposal on Friday with no warning, and has this raised questions so far around long travel times to Brisbane hospitals, who would own the facility and who would fund a necessary $100 million air traffic control tower.

It’s understood while large aeroplanes are physically capable of landing at Wellcamp Airport, insurance policies will not allow airlines to regularly land at airports with no control tower.

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Think of Others You Love -- Vaccinate TODAY.