Australia’s coronavirus rollout has only hit half its forecast target of 60,000 immunisation jabs by the end of February.
Just 30,000 people were vaccinated as of Friday according to latest figures released on Sunday, going half as fast as the government hoped.
Those who got the shots included 8,110 aged care and disability residents from 117 care facilities, the national Health Department figures showed.
Gold Coast nurse Zoe Park receives Queensland’s first Covid-19 vaccine from clinical nurse consultant Kellie Kenway at Gold Coast University Hospital on Monday
300,000 AstraZeneca vaccines touched down on Sunday. The Therapeutic Goods Administration will now batch test to ensure they meet Australia’s strict quality standards
The federal government previously said it hoped to be giving 60,000 injections per week by the end of February.
That way, about four million people would be immunised by early April.
The actual reason for the dramatic failure to reach the target is still unclear.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the arrival of the first 300,000 doses of the AstraZenaca vaccine in Sydney on Sunday would help speed up the process.
The vaccine, developed by Oxford University, was to be administered to its first patients in the second week of March, but was moved up to Monday.
The Queensland Government has issued a ‘show cause’ notice to Healthcare Australia for a disastrous mistake last week.
The federal government contractor injected two elderly Queenslanders with four times the recommended dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Carseldine aged-care centre, in Brisbane’s north on Tuesday.
A healthcare worker gets the Pfizer jab on Monday 23 February at the start of the vaccine distribution. Only 30,000 people have been immunised so far instead of the 60,000 target
Almost 30,000 Australians have been vaccinated since last Monday, including 8110 aged care and disability residents throughout 117 care facilities
Mr Hunt said the company was put on notice for termination of its contract.
‘The CEO has been stood aside after the secretary of the department, frankly, threw the book at them,’ he said.
‘What we’re seeing is very clear process of transparency at a commonwealth level.’
The federal government is responsible for vaccinating those in aged-care homes – even those homes that are owned and run by state and territory governments.
Australia has 54 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on order.
Fifty million doses will be made in Melbourne through a licensing agreement with pharmaceutical giant CSL – but the first doses are to be imported from Europe.
‘We will now be able to scale up the vaccination rollout to our priority groups, including our most vulnerable Australians and to our frontline border and health workers,’ Mr Morrison said.
The imported AstraZeneca jabs will be distributed on Monday, depending on the batch passing the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s quality testing including to make sure they had been maintained at the correct temperature during the flight.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said 200,000 doses from the AstraZeneca shipment would go to the states and territories.
As the second week of vaccine distribution begins on Monday, a further 50,000 Pfizer vaccines will be sent to the states and territories.
Scott Morrison says a new milestone had been achieved as the 300,000 doses of the AstraZenaca vaccine touched down in Sydney on Sunday.
‘This is the next step as we ramp up the vaccine rollout,’ the prime minister said in a statement.
Those who got the shots included 8,110 aged care and disability residents from 117 care facilities, the national Health Department figures showed
Scott Morrison has announced a Covid-19 milestone, as 300,000 doses of the AstraZenaca version land in Sydney on Sunday
Most Australians will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine with the rollout due to commence from March 8, subject to the TGA’s testing process.
‘Australia is in a unique position because importantly this vaccine gives us the ability to manufacture onshore’ Mr Morrison said.
‘Every Australian who wishes to be vaccinated will be able to receive a vaccine this year.’
Australia started its vaccine program last week with the first injections of the Pfizer vaccine.
The government is rolling out a second $31 million public information campaign with the Covid-19 vaccination program now underway.
‘Both the state and territory teams alongside the aged care in-reach teams are ramping up their operations, with more vaccines being distributed across the country in the next week,’ Health Minister Greg Hunt said.
The government’s initial advertising campaign launched in January focused on informing the Australian community about the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s world-leading independent approval process.
‘The second round builds on these safety messages and informs the community about Phase 1a of the vaccination program rollout, which prioritises those who are the most at risk of serious illness from the virus,’ Mr Hunt said.
‘The advertising is important, so people understand how the vaccination program is operating, how they can find out when it will be their turn and answer any questions they have about the vaccines.’
Hotel quarantine, border and frontline health workers started receiving vaccinations this week, but the government has stressed it isn’t mandatory.
Mr Morrison said federal and state health officers were monitoring whether to make vaccinations compulsory for some workers.
‘Should that be necessary, we would seek to do that on a nationally consistent basis exercised through consistent public health orders,’ he said.
A flying squad of 500 nurse immunisers will be dispatched around the nation to vaccinate aged care and disability residents who are in the initial phase.
Hubs at major hospitals will also be ground zero for the Pfizer drug, which is first cab off the rank.
As the program expands, the extensive network of general practices and pharmacies will join the effort – with over 4,6000 practices already been given approval to administer the jab.
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